The National Native American Hall of Fame announced on Thursday it appointed E. Sequoyah Simermeyer to their board of directors. Simermeyer will work to bring greater awareness to the significant contributions of contemporary Native people by supporting the National Native Hall of Fame and its innovative approaches that help the organization continue to grow its ability to recognize and promote the inspiring stories of tribal leaders and role models.
Simermeyer is the former chairman of the National Indian Gaming Commission, the federal regulatory body for Indian gaming’s over $40 billion industry. He led the federal regulatory perspective on tribal gaming at the national level during significant federal agency regulatory reform, throughout COVID's historic impacts on the gaming industry, amid unprecedented increases in cybersecurity threats to national industries, and during policy formation soon after the Supreme Court of the United States struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992. In his current role as a Vice President for Strategic Partnerships at FanDuel, Simermeyer helps lead FanDuel’s efforts to build sustainable commercial relationships across the United States with a focus on promoting economic development that supports tribal sovereignty.
“In the sports world, I would say that we have added a first-round draft pick to our already loaded board of directors,” stated James Parker Shield, founder and CEO of the National Native American Hall of Fame.
Simermeyer’s professional and academic experience in the field of federal Indian law and policy has made him a respected leader in sustaining tribal gaming’s role as a powerful governmental tool for strengthening tribal economic development, as well as tribal governmental capacity to serve tribal citizens. He has advised members of the U.S. Senate, advocating for Indigenous Peoples’ rights in international fora, and facilitating a national collaboration project aimed at improving the effectiveness of inter-governmental negotiations and partnerships between state legislators and elected tribal leaders.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to support a national organization with an important purpose—honoring Native American achievement in our modern society,” said Simermeyer. “As a Native person and a parent, it is important that we acknowledge the success of Native people and allow those successes to be inspirational stories that instill pride and confidence in future generations who will lift the quality of life for Native people across the nation.”
Simermeyer is an enrolled member of the Coharie Indian Tribe in North Carolina. He graduated from Cornell Law School, Vermont Law and Graduate School, and Dartmouth College.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Ethics Complaint Alleges Former Navajo Nation Chief of Staff Accepted Gifts From Contractor
Monday Morning (December 14, 2025): Articles You May Have Missed This Past Weekend
Senators Demand Accountability Amid Reports of ICE Questioning Native Americans
Help us defend tribal sovereignty.
At Native News Online, our mission is rooted in telling the stories that strengthen sovereignty and uplift Indigenous voices — not just at year’s end, but every single day.
Because of your generosity last year, we were able to keep our reporters on the ground in tribal communities, at national gatherings and in the halls of Congress — covering the issues that matter most to Indian Country: sovereignty, culture, education, health and economic opportunity.
That support sustained us through a tough year in 2025. Now, as we look to the year ahead, we need your help right now to ensure warrior journalism remains strong — reporting that defends tribal sovereignty, amplifies Native truth, and holds power accountable.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Your support keeps Native voices heard, Native stories told and Native sovereignty defended.
Stand with Warrior Journalism today.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
