The DOI Self-Governance Advisory Committee (SGAC) membership consists of a Primary and an Alternate representative from each of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) regions that have Self-Governance Tribes. The Primary and Alternate SGAC members from each region also select two persons to serve as Official Members of the SGAC Technical Workgroup. Below is a listing of the current SGAC and Technical Workgroup members.
ALASKA
Primary: Robert Keith,
Alternate: William Micklin, 3rd Vice President, Central Council Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska
Technical Representatives:
Bruce Baltar, Bristol Bay Native Association
John Bioff, Kawerak, Inc.
EASTERN
Primary: Cheryl Andrews-Maltais, Chairwoman, Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah)
Alternate: Chief Marilynn “Lynn” Malerba, Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut
Technical Representative:
Kitcki Carroll, Executive Director, United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc.
EASTERN OKLAHOMA
Primary: Karen Ketcher, proxy for Bill John Baker, Principal Chief, Cherokee Nation
Alternate: Principal Chief James R. Floyd, Muscogee (Creek) Nation (proxy: Terra Branson)
Technical Representatives:
Cliff Powell, Director of Finance, Cherokee Nation
Amanda Swope, Muscogee (Creek) Nation
MIDWEST
Primary: Annette Johnson, Treasurer, Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians
Alternate: Jane Rohl, Tribal Council Secretary, Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians
Technical Representatives:
Dave Conner, Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians
Candice Skenandore, Self-Governance Director, Oneida Nation
NORTHWEST
Primary: W. Ron Allen, Tribal Chairman/CEO, Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, SGAC Chairman
Alternate: Tyson Johnston, Vice President, Quinault Indian Nation
Technical Representatives:
Jennifer McLaughlin, Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, Tribal Technical Workgroup Co-Chair
Danielle Dan, Policy Coordinator, Quinault Indian Nation
PACIFIC
Primary: Ryan Jackson, Chairman, Hoopa Valley Tribe
Alternate: Denise Richards-Padgette, Chairperson, Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation
Technical Representatives:
Briannon Fraley, Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation
John E. Robbins Jr., Hoopa Valley Tribe
ROCKY MOUNTAIN
Primary: Michael Corcoran, Tribal Business Committee Member, Chippewa Cree Tribe
Technical Representative:
Dustin Whitford, Self-Governance Coordinator, Chippewa Cree Tribe
SOUTHERN PLAINS
Primary: John Barrett, Jr., Chairman, Citizen Potawatomi Nation (proxy: Kasie Nichols)
Alternate: Kay Rhoads, Principal Chief, Sac and Fox Nation
Technical Representatives:
Jeremy Arnette, Citizen Potawatomi Nation
SOUTHWEST
Primary: Governor Richard Aspenwind, Taos Pueblo (proxy: Shawn Duran, SGAC Vice Chairwoman )
Alternate: E. Michael Silvas, Governor, Ysleta del Sur Pueblo
Technical Representative:
Linda Austin, Ysleta del Sur Pueblo
Ian Chisholm, Taos Pueblo
WESTERN
Primary: Delia M. Carlyle, Councilmember, Ak-Chin Indian Community
Alternate: Joey Whitman, Councilman, Gila River Indian Community
Technical Representatives:
Heather Washington, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community
Karen Fierro, Self-Governance Director, Ak-Chin Indian Community
Vacancy in your region?
Self-Governance Tribes in each region establish a process to nominate two Tribal representatives to serve on the SGAC (the BIA Regional Director may help facilitate the nomination process if the Tribes prefer). Nominations to the committee should be mailed to the Chairperson of SGAC c/0 Office of Self-Governance Communication & Education and copied to the Director of the Office of Self-Governance and at the addresses below.
A sample nomination letter can be downloaded below.
Self-Governance Communication & Education
PO Box 1734
McAlester, OK 74502
The Office of Self-Governance
U.S. Department of the Interior
1951 Constitution Avenue, NW
SIB-355G
Washington, DC 20240