8th Annual All Roads Lead to Chaco Canyon Conference
About this Event
Date: November 5–6, 2026
Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Hosted by: The ACES School and Sovereign Strategies
Event Description
Welcome to the 8th Annual All Roads Lead to Chaco Canyon, The ACES School’s annual conference that focuses on rebuilding Native economies through law, governance, trade, and innovation.
Before European contact, Indigenous nations throughout the Western Hemisphere were connected through extensive trade networks. Chaco Canyon was one of the major centers of that trade, linking Indigenous nations through commerce, diplomacy, culture, and exchange. Although colonization disrupted those trade networks, the entrepreneurial spirit of Native people remains. All Roads Lead to Chaco Canyon was created to help reignite that spirit and support Native nations as they build strong, sustainable economies on their own terms.
This year’s conference will focus on how Native nations can use law, technology, infrastructure, and capital to strengthen their economies and expand opportunity in Indian Country.
Hotel Accommodations
A limited block of rooms is available at Okana Resort for conference attendees. To receive the conference rate, please reserve your room directly with the resort by using this reservation link: All Roads Lead to Chaco Canyon!
Rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis. We encourage attendees to book early!
Booking deadline: October 14, 2026
Hotel reservation phone number: 405-934-1990; provide group code #843.
Conference Topics Include:
- Federal Indian Law and Economic Development
- Artificial Intelligence and Tribal Governance
- Energy for AI and the Digital Economy
- Data Centers on Native Lands
- Access to Capital and Native Investment
- Online Gaming and Prediction Markets
- Tribal Digital Codes
- Tribes and E-commerce
- Intertribal and International Trade
- Economic Liberty in Indian Country
Why Attend?
All Roads Lead to Chaco Canyon is more than a conference. It brings together people who believe Native nations have the authority, knowledge, and creativity to build economies that reflect their own laws, values, and futures.
Participants will leave with a stronger understanding of the legal and economic tools available to Native nations, the opportunities emerging in the digital economy, and the relationships needed to carry this work forward.
Registration includes access to conference sessions, meals provided during the event, and networking opportunities.
Discounts and waivers are available for those experiencing financial hardship. Please contact Sara Austin at for more information.
Join us in Oklahoma City as we continue the work of rebuilding Native economies, strengthening Native Nations, and carrying forward the trade routes that have always connected us!
Media Notice
The ACES School may take photos, video, and/or audio recordings during this event for educational, promotional, reporting, and archival purposes. By registering and attending, you consent to the possible use of your image, voice, or likeness. If you prefer not to be photographed or recorded, please let event staff know when you check in.
November 5, 2026
🕑: 08:00 AM - 08:45 AM
Registration and Breakfast Buffet
🕑: 08:45 AM - 09:00 AM
Color Guard by Kiowa Black Leggings Warrior Society
🕑: 08:45 AM
Prayer
Host: Randy Anoatubby
🕑: 08:45 AM
Welcome by ACES Founders
🕑: 09:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Federal Indian Law: The Foundation for Doing Business in Indian Country
Host: Joseph Austin
Info: Federal Indian law is the foundation for understanding business, economic development, and jurisdiction in Indian Country. This opening session will provide a practical overview of tribal sovereignty, jurisdiction, and the legal relationship between tribal, federal, and state governments, giving attendees the framework they will need for the conversations that follow throughout the conference.
🕑: 10:40 AM - 11:45 AM
Beyond the Casino Floor: The Future of Tribal Gaming
Host: Mike McBride
Info: Tribal gaming has long demonstrated the connection between sovereignty and economic development, but the industry continues to change. This session will explore online gaming, sports wagering, prediction markets, and other emerging models, with particular attention to what these developments may mean for tribal governments, tribal gaming enterprises, and the future of tribal gaming.
🕑: 11:55 AM - 12:55 PM
Access to Capital: Opening Doors for Native Enterprise
Host: Derrick Watchman
Info: Good ideas and strong businesses still need capital to grow. This session will examine some of the barriers Native entrepreneurs, tribal enterprises, and Native Nations face in accessing financing and investment, while also discussing the institutions, programs, and approaches that can help move Native businesses and tribal economies forward.
🕑: 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM
Lunch Buffet
🕑: 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Native Commerce in the Digital Marketplace
Host: Haley Garcia
Info: E-commerce allows Native entrepreneurs and tribal businesses to reach customers well beyond their local communities. This session will explore how Native businesses are using online marketplaces, digital tools, and entrepreneurship to create new economic opportunities, as well as some of the unique considerations that come with doing business from Indian Country.
🕑: 03:10 PM - 04:25 PM
AI in Indian Country: Opportunity and Repsonsibility
Host: Traci Morris
Info: Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how governments, businesses, and communities operate. This discussion will explore how AI is already affecting Indian Country, the opportunities it may create for Native Nations and Native-owned businesses, and the policy, economic, and governance questions tribes should be considering as the technology continues to develop.
🕑: 04:25 PM - 04:30 PM
Day One Wrap-up
November 6, 2026
🕑: 08:00 AM - 09:00 AM
Breakfast Buffet
🕑: 09:00 AM - 10:05 AM
Tribal Digital Codes: Governing in the Digital Age
Host: Chairwoman Missty Slater
Info: As business, government, and everyday life increasingly move into digital spaces, tribes must consider how their laws and policies apply there as well. This session will explore the development of tribal digital codes and how Native Nations can exercise sovereignty while addressing emerging technologies, digital commerce, data, and other activity taking place online.
🕑: 10:15 AM - 11:20 AM
Powering the Digital Economy
Host: Scott Davis
Info: Artificial intelligence and the growing digital economy require enormous amounts of energy and infrastructure. This session will examine what that demand could mean for Native Nations, including opportunities involving energy development, partnerships, infrastructure, and the role tribal resources may play in supporting the next generation of the digital economy.
🕑: 11:25 AM - 12:30 PM
From Nation to Nation: Intertribal and International Trade
Host: Courtney Palmer
Info: Trade between Native Nations is nothing new, but modern infrastructure and global markets are creating new possibilities for intertribal and international commerce. This session will explore how tribes can use sovereignty, strategic partnerships, industrial development, and existing economic assets to strengthen trade relationships and expand access to new markets.
🕑: 12:30 PM - 01:30 PM
Lunch Buffet
🕑: 01:35 PM - 02:40 PM
Data Centers on Tribal Lands: What Tribes Should Know
Host: Tobin Beal
Info: As demand for data centers continues to grow, tribes are increasingly positioned to consider whether these projects fit within their economic development goals. This session will explore the opportunities and practical considerations surrounding data center development on tribal lands, including land, energy, infrastructure, investment, taxation, jurisdiction, and long-term community impact.
🕑: 02:50 PM - 03:55 PM
Economic Liberty in Indian Country: Gaming, Cannabis, Tesla - What's Next?
Host: Chairman Marshall Pierite
Info: Native Nations have repeatedly used sovereignty to create economic opportunities in industries that once seemed out of reach—from gaming and cannabis to manufacturing, energy, and emerging technologies. This closing conversation will look at what those experiences can teach us, what continues to limit economic opportunity in Indian Country, and where tribes may find the next opportunities to exercise sovereignty, build businesses, and strengthen their economies.
🕑: 04:00 PM
Conclude Conference
Where is it happening?
USD 176.47 to USD 272.50
