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- By Levi Rickert
SEATTLE — The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) will elect its administrative officers on Thursday, including president, first vice president, secretary and treasurer. Whoever is elected for each position will serve for a two-year term and will be sworn in on Friday.
Three candidates are running for president of the nation’s oldest and largest Native American national organization.
Mark Macarro, the current president, is seeking reelection. Macarro is chairman of the Pechanga Band of Indians in Southern California and was first elected to the Pechanga Tribal Council in 1992.
Jacqueline Pata, first vice president of the Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, entered the race this week. Pata is a former NCAI executive director who served from 2001 until her resignation in 2019, making her the longest-serving leader in the organization’s history.
Shannon Wheeler, chairman of the Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee (NPTEC), is the third candidate. Wheeler comes from an entrepreneurial background and spent much of 1990 to 2016 working in various capacities within his family business.
In a speech to the NCAI general assembly, Macarro said he is committed to steady leadership.
“I am committed to respectful nation-to-nation engagement, and I am committed to ensuring that NCAI remains the strong, unified voice that Indian Country deserves,” Macarro said.
Pata told Native News Online she is running because she was asked and because she loves the organization.
“I believe in its purpose, and I believe that NCAI’s greatest work is ahead of us. I would be honored to continue to serve Indian Country as your next NCAI president,” she said.
Wheeler told Native News Online he is running because he was asked to serve.
“We believe when you are asked to do something for the community, you have an obligation to serve,” Wheeler said. “The largest issue facing Indian Country is the need for healing. NCAI was formed to combat the things that are impacting Indian Country.”
Others running for administrative officer positions are:
First Vice President
Jack Potter, Jr. (Chairman, Redding Rancheria)
Brian Weeden, (Chairman, Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe)
Joe Williams, Jr. (President, Saxman Tribe)
Secretary
Dionne Brady-Howardn (Chair, Sitka Tribe of Alaska)
Frank Cloutier (Tribal Councilor, Saginaw Chippewa Tribe of Michigan)
Christie Modlin (Tribal Secretary, Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma)
Treasurer
Ashley J. Cornforth (Tribal Councilor, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community)
Aaron Payment (Tribal Councilor, Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians)
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