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- By Levi Rickert
The American Indigenous Tourism Association, the nation’s only organization dedicated to advancing cultural heritage tourism in Native Nations and communities, has announced newly elected members to its board of directors as the nonprofit continues to support growth in Indigenous tourism and the $11.6 billion Indigenous hospitality sector.
The association’s executive committee will continue to be led by President Travis Owens of the Cherokee Nation, Secretary Kate Anderson of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, and Treasurer Brian Wadsworth of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe. Charlene Virgilio of the Penobscot Nation was newly elected vice president.
Newly elected to the board are Sondra Corbitt of the United Houma Nation, representing the Southeast Region, and Stacey LaCompte of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, representing the Rocky Mountain Region.
Mālia Sanders, a Native Hawaiian leader representing the Hawaiʻi Region, was re-elected and will continue serving on the board.
“The addition of our new board members and their deep expertise in Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) perfectly aligns with our strategic direction as we move to the next level of Indigenous tourism,” said Sherry L. Rupert (Paiute/Washoe), CEO of the American Indigenous Tourism Association. “Following our rebranding to the American Indigenous Tourism Association in October 2025, we have entered a new era of Indigenous tourism characterized by rapid growth and professional transformation. Bringing leaders like Sondra and Stacey onto our board—alongside the proven leadership of Travis and Charlene—ensures that we are not only participating in the national tourism conversation but leading it. Their collective experience will be vital as we continue to scale our impact, strengthen our regions, and showcase the power of Indigenous-led destination management,” Rupert said.
The American Indigenous Tourism Association board is composed of representatives from 15 designated regions across the United States. Each board member is Indigenous and elected by their region to serve a three-year term, with eligibility for re-election at the organization’s annual American Indigenous Tourism Conference, now in its 28th year. Many board members also serve on national advisory boards, state cabinets and commissions that support Indigenous tourism development.
Corbitt, representing the Southeast Region, is president and CEO of Explore Houma, where she leads efforts to promote the culture, heritage and natural landscapes of Louisiana’s Bayou Country. A citizen of the United Houma Nation, she focuses on honoring community traditions while supporting tourism-driven economic development.
LaCompte, representing the Rocky Mountain Region, is an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and a descendant of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. She serves as executive director of the North Dakota Native Tourism Alliance and Native Cultural Tours and sits on the board of the South Dakota Native Tourism Alliance. Her past roles include executive director of the North Dakota Indian Business Alliance and Wakpa Sica Reconciliation Place. She was selected as part of the first cohort of Native Nation Rebuilders by the Bush Foundation in 2010. Her work centers on sustainable tourism and empowering Native communities to tell their own stories.
Sanders, representing the Hawaiʻi Region, is a Kānaka Maoli executive with more than 24 years of experience in the hospitality industry. She serves as executive director of the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association, which promotes Native Hawaiian culture in the visitor industry. She specializes in regenerative tourism and holds certifications from Cornell University, Arizona State University and George Washington University. Her honors include being named one of “Hawaiʻi’s 20 For the Next 20” by Hawaiʻi Business Magazine and receiving the Social Impact Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2022. She is also president of the Hawaiian Civic Club of Honolulu.
Virgilio, representing the Northeast Region, is based in Orono, Maine, and is a citizen of the Penobscot Nation. She has led a multi-year Indigenous tourism initiative, raising more than $1.26 million in funding, and has more than eight years of experience as a tribal council member. She has also worked in a Native American certified community development financial institution and served as USET Economic Development co-chair, along with roles on several nonprofit boards.
For more than 27 years, the American Indigenous Tourism Association has worked to address inequities in the tourism system, serving as the national voice for Indigenous peoples engaged in cultural tourism. The organization provides technical assistance, training and capacity building to Native Nations, communities and Indigenous-owned enterprises in tourism, hospitality and recreation.
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