Full Name
Alisha L Murphy
Title
Economist
Company
Navajo Nation Divison of Economic Development
Speaker Bio
Alisha L. Murphy (Diné) is an Economist for the Navajo Nation and within the Navajo Nation Division of Economic Development (NN DED), marking the tribe's inaugural position of a Diné economist. With over a decade of experience in tribal economic development research, she brings a wealth of expertise to her role. Alisha holds a Master of Social Work degree from Washington University in St. Louis, MO, and a Master of Economics degree from New Mexico State University, where she is currently pursuing her Doctorate of Economic Development with a focus on Navajo entrepreneurship and economic development. She anticipates her graduation is Fall 2024.
Within NN DED, Alisha serves as a project manager for the first of its kind loan program called the Navajo Small Business Credit Initiative. Her contributions extend to pivotal projects demonstrating exceptional leadership in overseeing initiatives such as the ARPA DED Economic Relief Artisan and Small Business Program, where she meticulously reviewed and approved over 2,000 applications and conducting the 2024 Navajo Nation Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy and initiating conversations around primary data collection initiative to address the challenges confronting Navajo small businesses.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Alisha is deeply engaged in advocacy and community empowerment. She holds the position of vice-chair on the board of directors of The Global Centre of Indigenomics, fostering collaboration among Indigenous entrepreneurs globally. Alisha's remarkable achievements have earned her recognition as one of the 2021 National Center of American Indian Enterprise Development Native American 40 Under 40 inductees.
Her research interests center on defining economic development for the Navajo Nation and advocating for data sovereignty. Through robust primary data collection strategies, Alisha aims to empower Navajo leadership with the insights needed for informed decision-making across critical sectors, including healthcare, education, public safety, and infrastructure. She is committed to leveraging her expertise to drive prosperity and nation-building grounded in accurate representation and data sovereignty principles, with the support of organizations like Native Forward and the Miller Indigenous Economic Development Fellowship.
Within NN DED, Alisha serves as a project manager for the first of its kind loan program called the Navajo Small Business Credit Initiative. Her contributions extend to pivotal projects demonstrating exceptional leadership in overseeing initiatives such as the ARPA DED Economic Relief Artisan and Small Business Program, where she meticulously reviewed and approved over 2,000 applications and conducting the 2024 Navajo Nation Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy and initiating conversations around primary data collection initiative to address the challenges confronting Navajo small businesses.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Alisha is deeply engaged in advocacy and community empowerment. She holds the position of vice-chair on the board of directors of The Global Centre of Indigenomics, fostering collaboration among Indigenous entrepreneurs globally. Alisha's remarkable achievements have earned her recognition as one of the 2021 National Center of American Indian Enterprise Development Native American 40 Under 40 inductees.
Her research interests center on defining economic development for the Navajo Nation and advocating for data sovereignty. Through robust primary data collection strategies, Alisha aims to empower Navajo leadership with the insights needed for informed decision-making across critical sectors, including healthcare, education, public safety, and infrastructure. She is committed to leveraging her expertise to drive prosperity and nation-building grounded in accurate representation and data sovereignty principles, with the support of organizations like Native Forward and the Miller Indigenous Economic Development Fellowship.