President and Board Members of NCAI Take Oath of Office

Portland, Oregon – In its 68th year the National Congress of American Indians has elected and sworn in Jefferson Keel as the President of the nation’s oldest, largest, and most representative tribal advocacy organization. In the closing ceremonies of NCAI’s week long 68th Annual Convention held in Portland, Oregon, the organization swore into office the members of the Executive Board and the twelve Area Vice Presidents (final list included below).

In addition to President Keel’s re-election, the NCAI elections resulted in the re-election of both the First Vice President and Treasurer of NCAI. Juana Majel Dixon, Pauma Band of Mission Indians, and a member of the NCAI Task Force on Violence Against Women will serve a second term as First Vice-President. Also, former NCAI President and current Treasurer, W. Ron Allen, Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, was re-elected. Ed Thomas of the Central Council Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska was elected as the new Recording Secretary.

The elections signaled a unified commitment by Indian Country to continue the momentum experienced under Keel’s first two-year term and the critical ongoing work of the NCAI Executive Board.

NCAI 2011 Election Results:

President – Jefferson Keel, Chickasaw Nation

First Vice President – Juana Majel Dixon, Pauma Band of Mission Indians

Recording Secretary – Edward Thomas, Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska

Treasurer – W. Ron Allen, Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe

Area Vice-Presidents

Alaska Region: Bill Martin, Central Council Tlingit & Haida Tribes of Alaska

Eastern Oklahoma: S. Joe Crittenden, Cherokee Nation

Great Plains: Robert Shepherd - Sisseton Wahpeton

Midwest: Matthew Wesaw, Pokagon Band of Potawatomi

Northeast: Lance Gumbs, Shinnecock Indian Nation

Northwest: Fawn Sharp, Quinault Indian Nation

Pacific: Don Arnold, Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians

Rocky Mountain: Scott Russell, Crow Tribe

Southeast: Larry Townsend, Lumbee Tribe

Southern Plains: Robert Tippeconnie, Comanche Nation

Southwest: Joe Garcia, Ohkay Owhingeh

Western: Ned Norris Jr., Tohono O’odham Nation

About The National Congress of American Indians:

Founded in 1944, the National Congress of American Indians is the oldest, largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country. NCAI advocates on behalf of tribal governments, promoting strong tribal-federal government-to-government policies, and promoting a better understanding among the general public regarding American Indian and Alaska Native governments, people and rights. For more information visit http://www.ncai.org.