Sherbaz Muhammad Credentialed by International Local Government Management Organization

Territories, Northwest Territories Jan 21, 2026 (EMWNews.com) – Sherbaz Muhammad, Chief Financial Officer of the Déln Got’n Government (DGG), recently received the Credentialed Manager designation from ICMA, the International City/County Management Association. Mr. Muhammad is one of over 1,600 local government management professionals currently credentialed through the ICMA Voluntary Credentialing Program.

ICMA’s mission is to advance professional local government through leadership, management, innovation, and ethics and by increasing the proficiency of appointed chief administrative officers, assistant administrators, and other employees who serve local governments and regional entities around the world. The organization’s 13,000 members in 27 countries also include educators, students, and other local government employees.

To receive the prestigious ICMA credential, a member must have significant experience as a senior management executive in local government; have earned a degree, preferably in public administration or a related field; and demonstrated a commitment to high standards of integrity and to lifelong learning and professional development.

“When our people chose the Indigenous public government model and created what became the first combined Indigenous-public self-government in Canada, we knew we needed professional standards that matched our unique vision,” said ek’wahtd (Chief) Danny Gaudet, of the Déln Got’n Government.  “We are extremely proud of what Sherbaz has achieved. His ICMA-CM designation – making him the only credentialed manager in the Northwest Territories and one of just five in all of Canada – shows how serious we are about investing in our Déln citizens and team to achieve excellence.  This is not just about our his individual success; it’s about demonstrating that our Indigenous public government model works because we commit to professional excellence that serves everyone. Ultimately, we want to see our membership – our citizens and beneficiaries – reach similar milestones as they find success along their own professional and educational trails.”

“I have always valued being involved in professional organizations and the opportunity to continually learn, and ICMA is the international standard for excellence in local government management,” said Mr. Muhammad.  “The commitment to ethics is particularly important to me; it ensures that our residents can have full confidence in the stewardship of their government. I believe our entire leadership team is dedicated to these high standards as we work to achieve the vision our Elders set for Déln.”

Mr. Muhammad brings more than 20 years of senior leadership experience to Northern governance, having directed annual budgets exceeding $500 million. Before his appointment as Chief Financial Officer of Déln Got’n Government, he served as Senior Administrative Officer with community governments in the Tch region and as Executive Director in Fort Good Hope, where he advised self-government negotiating partners.

Highlights of Mr. Muhammad’s ICMA membership include earning the ICMA Credentialed Manager (ICMA-CM) designation – the first professional in the Northwest Territories to achieve this distinction. He has also made significant contributions to a number of other organizations, including: Local Government Administrators of the Northwest Territories (LGANT) Board Member, Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA) Toolkit Task Force Member.

Other contributions include leading financial management system modernization, supporting Indigenous self-government negotiations and implementation, and developing governance capacity in remote Northern municipalities.

His international experience includes serving as senior in-country representative for governance initiatives across South Asia and the Middle East. He holds an MBA in Finance, Harvard Kennedy School executive credentials, CPA (Public Sector), and is pursuing a Master’s in AI for Public Services.

For more information regarding the ICMA Voluntary Credentialing Program, contact Jenese Jackson at ICMA, 777 North Capitol Street, N.E., #500, Washington, D.C. 20002-4201; [email protected]; 202-962-3556.

About ICMA
ICMA, the International City/County Management Association, advances professional local government worldwide. The organization’s mission is to advance professional local government through leadership, management, innovation, and ethics.

ICMA identifies leading practices to address the needs of local governments and professionals serving communities globally. We provide services, research, publications, data and information, peer and results-oriented assistance, and training and professional development to thousands of city, town, and county leaders and other individuals and organizations throughout the world. The management decisions made by ICMA’s members affect millions of people living in thousands of communities, ranging in size from small towns to large metropolitan areas.

About Déln Got’n Government

Déln Got’n Government is Canada’s first combined Indigenous-public self-government, serving the Dene people of Déln and all residents in the Sahtu region of the Northwest Territories.  The government provides municipal services, economic development, and governance in both Dene and English, exercising authorities under the Déline Final Self-Government Agreement.