Melvin Monette-Barajas

A citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, Melvin Monette-Barajas is the CEO and President for Indigenous Education, Inc. a nonprofit founded to administer the Cobell Scholarship Program.

Melvin has dedicated a career to scholarship and financial aid information and provision for American Indian and Alaska Native college students since his original undergraduate Work-Study job with American Indian Student Services at the University of North Dakota (UND). With both a bachelor’s and master’s from UND, Melvin has worked for UND, the MN Department of Education Office of Indian Education, the University of Minnesota School of Public Health and the American Indian Graduate Center prior to his current role.

He has served on various local, state, and regional advisory boards and is a past-President for the National Indian Education Association.

Along with his husband, John, Melvin splits his time between Grand Forks, ND and Albuquerque, NM, which allows them much appreciated time with family in both areas.