President and Board Members of NCAI Take Oath of Office

Published on Nov 04, 2011

 Caption: Jefferson Keel, President of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI)  is sworn in during the closing ceremonies of the organization’s 68^th Annual Convention.
Photo credit: Joseph Whittle/NCAI – click for more photos for use

Portland, Oregon – In its 68^th 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 68^th 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