Tribal Advisory Committee: Representing Tribal Perspectives at NIH

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Tribal Advisory Committee (TAC) is a group of Tribal leaders who come together to advise the NIH on health research matters affecting American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people. It helps ensure that Tribal and AI/AN perspectives are represented at NIH.

Why serve on the TAC?

When you serve on the TAC, you become a voice for your community.

Because NIH research, programs, policies, and priorities can impact American Indians and Alaska Natives, it’s critical that AI/AN perspectives are part of the conversation. Tribal leaders on the TAC advise on everything from how NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) write funding opportunities to identifying priorities for biomedical and behavioral research.

What do Tribal leaders on the NIH TAC do?

Tribal representatives on the NIH TAC (called delegates and alternates) work with NIH to give meaningful and timely input on NIH policies, programs, and priorities that affect AI/AN communities.

  • Delegates serve 2-year staggered terms and attend virtual meetings every month and in-person meetings twice a year (NIH covers expenses)
  • Alternates participate in meetings when delegates can’t attend

NIH's Tribal Health Research Office (THRO) facilitates TAC meetings.

Who can serve on the TAC?

Members of the TAC represent either an Indian Health Service (IHS) Area (12 members) or serve as National At-Large Members (NALMs) (5 members). NALMs may include Washington representatives:

  • To represent an IHS Area, each area representative should be a Tribal elected official or a Tribal Employee who is designated to act on the behalf of a Tribal leader in an official capacity.
  • To be a NALM, a person must be a Tribal elected official or a Tribal Employee who is designated to act on behalf of the Tribal official, or a Washington Representative. A representative for the NALM must act on behalf of that individual’s nominating Tribe, while bringing a broader national, state, or regional Tribal perspective to the TAC.
  • A Washington Representative is an individual who is an official Tribal delegate to a national association representing elected officials of Tribes. Washington Representatives must be designated by an elected Tribal Leader to serve on the TAC and have authority to speak for and bind the Tribe that the representative is representing in the same manner a Tribal official can. They do not have to be a Tribal employee or a Tribal elected official and are not nominated by the national association.
  • Delegates can name a technical advisor with expertise in health and research.

Washington representatives serve in national associations, including but not limited to: the National Indian Health Board, the National Congress of American Indians, or the National Indian Child Welfare Association.

How do I nominate myself or someone else to the TAC?

You'll need:

  • A signed letter of nomination on Tribal letterhead from the highest-ranking official of the Tribe (President, Chairperson, Chief, or Governor) naming the proposed delegate (and alternate, if applicable)—include contact information for the nominating official, each nominee, and the technical advisor (if naming one)
  • A separate cover letter from each nominee stating their interest in serving on the TAC
  • Resumes or CVs for each nominee

Send materials as a PDF to Dr. Karina Walters ([email protected]) and Ms. Selina Keryte ([email protected]) at THRO.

How are members selected?

Members are selected by priority of Tribal leadership position in the following order:

  • President, Chairperson, Chief, or Governor
  • Vice President, Vice Chairperson, or Lieutenant Governor
  • Elected or appointed official
  • Designated Official

Where can I learn more?

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