Maximillian Frye

Maximillian T. Frye (Wichita and Affiliated Tribes) is a graduate student in Geography at the University of Georgia, where his research explores Indigenous geographies, Tribal enterprise, and the role of cultural revitalization in economic development. He is particularly interested in how sovereign Tribal Nations can pursue Tribal Enterprise-based solutions for Food Sovereignty and Cultural Revitalization.

Frye also serves as Chairman of the Wichita Tribe Industrial Development Commission, guiding enterprise oversight, economic strategy, and new business initiatives. In this capacity, he represents the Tribe in negotiations, presides over Commission meetings, and works to expand opportunities that sustain Tribal programs and livelihoods.

His leadership has been recognized through selection to Harvard Business School’s Leading Tribal Nations program, NAFOA’s 2025 Leadership Summit, and a nomination for NCAIED’s 40 Under 40 at age 24. A Cobell Scholar, Gates Scholar, Osborne Fellow, and ILA Leadership Fellow, he earned his B.B.A. in Marketing and International Business from UGA in 2023.

Frye has also co-founded the Southern Indigenous Student Coalition (SISC), the Gates Alumni Indigenous Network, and UGA’s Native American Student Association, building leadership networks that connect Indigenous students at local, regional, and national levels.