- Details
- By Tribal Business News Staff
- Economic Development
Native organizations across the country welcomed new leadership and recognized outstanding achievements in July, with appointments spanning from tribal gaming enterprises to national advocacy organizations. Key developments included Wind River Development Fund hiring a new Chief Implementation Officer to oversee $40 million in federal grants, and Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise bringing back a seasoned marketing executive with decades of casino operations experience.
Professional appointments highlighted the growing influence of Native attorneys and advocates, with leadership changes at the National Native American Bar Association and Native American Bar Association of Arizona. Meanwhile, the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma celebrated entrepreneurial success by honoring 12 small businesses with Chahtapreneur Awards, recognizing enterprises across all 12 reservation districts for their community impact and business development participation.
HIRES + PROMOTIONS
Wind River Development Fund appointed Leslie Shakespeare as Chief Implementation Officer. Shakespeare will oversee implementation of a $36 million EDA Recompete grant and $4 million in outdoor recreation grants, leading projects including construction of the Tribal Buffalo Center and a new Ecotourism Visitors Center in Fort Washakie. Shakespeare, an enrolled member of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe, previously served as Rocky Mountain Regional Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Billings, Montana, and for six years as Superintendent of BIA for the Wind River Agency. He served on the Eastern Shoshone Business Council from 2016-2019, including as Vice Chairman, and worked as Tribal Liaison to the Wyoming Governor's Office. Shakespeare holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Wyoming, a master's degree from Norwich University and completed Leadership Wyoming in 2017.
Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise welcomed back Michael Michaud as Chief Marketing Officer. Michaud will oversee brand strategy, advertising, digital marketing, guest loyalty, promotions and public relations across Navajo Gaming's five properties: Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort, Fire Rock Navajo Casino, Northern Edge Navajo Casino, Flowing Water Navajo Casino and Navajo Blue Travel Plaza. Michaud brings more than 35 years of casino operations and marketing leadership experience, most recently serving as CEO of Leech Lake Gaming in north central Minnesota. His background includes work with tribal operations including Ho-Chunk Nation, Seminole Tribe of Florida and Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. In 2012, he and his team received the Barona/VCAT Indian Gaming Tribal Marketing Team of the Year honor. Michaud previously worked with Navajo Gaming earlier in his career.
Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise also appointed Herb Clah Jr. as Executive Director of Human Resources. Clah brings more than 25 years of executive and senior-level experience in human resources management with tribal governments and enterprises. He previously served as HR Director for more than eight years with the Utah Navajo Health System and held executive roles with the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, Gila River Indian Community and Tohono O'odham Nation. He also served on Navajo Gaming's Board of Directors. Clah holds a bachelor's degree in Sociology with a minor in American Indian Studies from the University of Arizona and a master's degree in Management from the University of Phoenix. He will oversee enterprise-wide HR strategy including workforce planning, recruitment, retention and employee development.
Coeur d'Alene Casino Resort Hotel promoted Michelle Whaley to Video Gaming Director. Whaley began her career at the Worley, Idaho, gaming venue in 2013, starting in the hotel before moving to the spa and then to the gaming floor. She advanced through positions including Floor Attendant, Video Gaming Supervisor, Casino Administrator and Video Gaming Performance Manager. During her tenure, Whaley received "Supervisor of the Year" recognition, an "Award of Excellence for Gaming" and completed the Managerial Development Program. She has implemented data-driven innovations including the "Discovery Den," a specialized floor area showcasing new gaming machines in partnership with manufacturers to evaluate player response and performance metrics.
The National Native American Human Resources Association hired Azadeh Tavakoli as Foundation Director of Development. Tavakoli, who is Meskwaki and Iranian, previously served as Human Resources Director for the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria and the Sac & Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa. She has worked in tribal and medical HR since 2007, including roles at Loma Linda University Medical Center. Tavakoli holds Tribal Human Resources Professional and SHRM-CP certifications and earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Illinois State University. In her new role, she will support education for tribal professionals and cultivate scholarship opportunities.
The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition hired Jason Packineau as senior director of strategic initiatives. Packineau previously served as director of the Office of Native and Indigenous Affairs at the National Endowment for the Humanities and as strategic advisor for Native and Indigenous Affairs. He worked at Harvard University for more than 12 years in various roles including associate director, assistant director of student and community engagement, interim executive director, and community coordinator. Packineau also served as program specialist at University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center and program director for Teach For America. He worked for District of Columbia Public Schools as technology coordinator and elementary school teacher for nearly seven years. Packineau earned a bachelor's degree in history from Stanford University.
The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation hired Daneli Atilano as editor of the Confederated Umatilla Journal. Atilano, who began her role July 1, previously worked as a general assignment reporter for the Hermiston Herald and as a freelance writer for Go Eastern Oregon Magazine. Born in Pendleton and raised in Hermiston, she graduated from Hermiston High School in 2019 and earned a bachelor's degree in English with a minor in business administration from Eastern Oregon University. During college, she worked as a student reporter for The Voice newspaper and as a staff writer for EOU's marketing department. As editor, Atilano will oversee the monthly newspaper's operations, website and social media while writing, editing and designing community-focused news stories.
Native American Community Services of Erie & Niagara Counties Inc. hired Leana Maracle as workforce development coordinator and specialist. Maracle previously worked for The Service Collaborative as program manager and case manager, and served as external relations coordinator for Peaceprints of WNY. She has extensive experience with Native American Community Services, having previously worked there as youth advocate, marketing and development coordinator, and cultural events planner from 2016 to 2021. Maracle also worked for Seneca Gaming Corp. as casino host and VIP representative. She earned a bachelor's degree in communications from University at Buffalo. In her new role, Maracle will provide case management, career counseling, job placement assistance and educational resources.
Mahuya Equipment, a Native and woman-owned company, hired Chuck Battles Jr. as vice president of business development and strategic partnerships. Battles previously worked for The Akana Group Inc., a Native-owned company, as tribal and government sales representative, field representative and tribal liaison, and sales consultant from 2021 to 2025. He also served as shipping supervisor and production supervisor at Tyson Foods and worked in business development for TANYR Healthcare. Battles has extensive experience in ministry, serving as associate/youth pastor at First Baptist Church in Spiro and worship leader at Finley Baptist Church. He served as treasurer for the Eastern Chapter of the American Indian Chamber of Commerce of Oklahoma and as a board member for The Idabel Chamber of Commerce. Battles earned a bachelor's degree in leisure studies from Oklahoma State University and holds a Platinum National Career Readiness Certificate.
Native American Bank, N.A. promoted Johnathan Booth to credit administration officer. Booth previously served as portfolio manager and commercial underwriter II at the bank since March 2023. Before joining Native American Bank, he worked at TowneBank for more than nine years, serving as wholesale accounting risk manager and commercial portfolio manager. Booth earned a bachelor's degree in economics and business from Virginia Military Institute. He is based in Colorado Springs.
APPOINTMENTS
The Native American Bar Association of Arizona appointed Candace French as president. French works as an associate attorney at Sacks Tierney law firm, where she has practiced since 2019, focusing on federal Indian law, tribal governance, P.L. 93-638 contracting and compacting, and tribal-state-federal relations. She previously served as an attorney for the Navajo Nation and worked as a legal intern and prosecutor for the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. French earned a law degree with concentrations in federal Indian law and trial advocacy from Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, where she also received a master's degree in criminal justice and bachelor's degrees in political science and American Indian/Native American studies. Her appointment recognizes her dedication to advancing Native representation and strengthening legal resources for tribal communities.
Greater Minnesota Housing Fund appointed Audra Tonihka to its board of directors. Tonihka serves as vice president of lending with White Earth Investment Initiative, where she implements commercial, residential and consumer lending programs that assist Native American communities in Minnesota, particularly the White Earth Indian Reservation.
The National Native American Bar Association elected Travis W. Trueblood as an at-large member of its board of directors. Trueblood is an attorney specializing in Native law, serves as a tribal judge, and is a military leader and member of the Choctaw Nation. He focuses on advancing justice for Native peoples, empowering Indigenous legal communities, and upholding tribal sovereignty. Trueblood prioritizes ensuring pathways to the legal profession and fostering mentorship opportunities for future generations in the Indigenous legal community.
The California Native American Heritage Commission appointed Michelle Carr as acting executive secretary. Carr has served as chief counsel for the commission since November 2023. She previously worked as an administrative law judge for the California Unemployment Insurance Hearings Board and as assistant attorney general for the Washington State Office of the Attorney General, where she served as chief prosecutor for several Department of Licensing boards and represented the Liquor and Cannabis Board in negotiations with tribal governments. Carr has extensive experience in tribal law, having served as attorney general for the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation and as in-house counsel for the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. She earned a law degree from University of Oklahoma College of Law.
Seneca Gaming Corporation appointed Erika Seneca-Hastie and Rory Wheeler to its board of directors. Seneca-Hastie, a member of the Seneca Nation's Turtle Clan, is director of marketing and operations at Tallchief Territory, overseeing operations for First American convenience store and Native Pride Travel Plaza. She has more than a decade of experience in business development and strategic marketing. A University at Buffalo graduate, she has received the 30 Under 30 Award from Buffalo Business First. Wheeler, also a member of the Seneca Nation's Turtle Clan, has extensive experience in Native American affairs at federal, state and tribal levels, working in the Biden-Harris Administration and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer's office. He earned a law degree with an Indian Law Certificate from Michigan State University College of Law and serves on boards for the Association on American Indian Affairs and the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition. Wheeler was elected board secretary for Seneca Gaming Corporation.
The National Native American Human Resources Association appointed Arnold Williams as vice president, Suzanne Clem as treasurer, Dorothy Cyr as secretary and Lorilee Morsette as a board member. Williams, a member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, brings more than 17 years of HR experience and serves as HR director for his tribe. Clem has been involved with NNAHRA since 2006 and previously served as secretary. Cyr, a member of the Umatilla Tribes, brings 16 years of HR experience and works at Wildhorse Resort and Casino. Morsette, a tribal council member of the Suquamish Tribe and Chippewa Cree from Rocky Boy, Montana, brings more than a decade of leadership in human resources, economic development and tribal governance.
KUDOS
(L-R): Assistant Chief of the Choctaw Nation Jack Austin Jr., Chahtapreneur of the Year Jamie Ragan, Choctaw Nation Small Business Development Advisor David Smith, District 11 Choctaw Nation Tribal Councilman Robert Karr. (Courtesy photo)
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma honored 12 small businesses with Chahtapreneur Awards, recognizing one business from each of the reservation's 12 districts. Jamie Ragan of Izabella's Learning Center in McAlester received Chahtapreneur of the Year honors. Ragan operates a 5 Star Level Daycare Program certified by Oklahoma Human Services that provides childcare to up to 60 children from infants to 5-year-olds. She has utilized Choctaw Nation Small Business Development programs to help her business thrive. Award nominations are based on business owners' participation in the Small Business Development program, community involvement and community impact. Other district winners included Sherman's Shoes, Frazier Electric, New Again Consignment, Pretty Paws Mobile Pet Spa, Brew & Bliss, Humma Fichik Designs, The Ranch Restaurant, Sweet Meltz, Three Birds Tax Service, The BARbershop Atoka Cuts Served Neat and Cobra Electric Service Inc.
If you have news of new hires, appointments or special recognition, please share them with [email protected].
