A. David Lester (Muscogee Creek) has served as the Executive Director of the Council of Energy Resource Tribes (CERT), based in Denver, Colorado, since 1982.  Under the direction of the elected leadership of the 53 federally recognized US Tribes and four First Nation Treaty Tribes of Canada, CERT has dramatically restructured the federal-Indian relationship with respect to minerals, mining, taxation, and Tribal jurisdiction over environmental regulation on Indian lands.  CERT, through its energy forums and conferences helps build understanding between Tribal interests and those of the companies operating within Tribal jurisdiction or doing business with Tribes

David is also president of the CERT Education Fund, Inc.  Under a special CERT education board, David provides executive direction to CERT’s education program that encourages through its activities the development of Tribal human resources in science, engineering and business.  Nearly 1,000 Indian students have benefited from the CERT education program.

Prior to joining CERT, David served as Commissioner for Administration for Native Americans in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, appointed under President Carter in 1978 and re-appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1980.  While at ANA, he restructured its program of “core administration” for Tribes and urban centers into a development agency funding projects that implement locally developed social and economic development strategies (SEDS). 

In 1970, David became the first president of the United Indian Development Association in Los Angeles, the predecessor organization to the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development, the leading Indian business ownership program in North America, assisting thousands of Indian business owners obtain financing and contracts with large companies and government agencies.  David until recently served as chairman of the board for the National Center.

David graduated from Brigham Young University in 1967 with a degree in political science after serving a mission for his church in South America.  David joined the California Federal Savings and Loan as a savings section head and in 1968-9, he served as Economic Development Specialist for the National Congress of American Indians.

He serves the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico as a member of the Board of Trustees, is a board member of Americans for Indian Opportunity and is a member of the National Coal Council.