Rosenworcel announces new appointments eight tribal members
Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel today announced the appointment of eight tribal members to the FCC’s Native Nations Communications Task Force. In addition to filling seven current vacancies, the appointment of eight new tribal members raises the total number of Tribal Task Force members from 25 to 26.
“I am pleased to announce the new members of the Native Nations Communications Task Force,” said Chairwoman Rosenworcel. “The Task Force continues to make significant contributions to the Commission’s implementation of new Congressional directives and its ongoing efforts to increase the deployment and adoption of modern communications services on tribal lands. The additional expertise and perspectives these new members bring will benefit the Task Force’s current and future work. Maintaining the Task Force is an important element of our commitment to work with tribes on a government-to-government basis to address issues of mutual interest.”
The Task Force’s mission is to provide guidance, expertise, and recommendations to specific requests from the Commission on a range of communications issues that directly or indirectly affect tribal governments and their people. This enhances the Commission’s ability to carry out its statutory responsibilities to ensure the availability of communications by wire and radio and encourage broadband deployment to all Americans.
MEMBERS OF THE NATIVE NATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TASK FORCE
The newly appointed Tribal Task Force members are:
- Sam Cohen, Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians
- Marissa Merculieff, Aleut Community of St. Paul (ASCPI)
- AK Allyson Mitchell, St. Regis Mohawk Tribe
- Travis Noland, Cherokee Nation
- Dr. Stacey Oberly, Southern Ute Indian Tribe
- Theron Rutyna, Ponca Indian Tribe of Nebraska
- Teresa Taylor, Lummi Nation
- Jon Walton, Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska
These new members will join incumbent tribal members:
- Honorable Cheryl Andrews-Maltais, Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah)
- Honorable Joe Garcia, Ohkay Owingeh
- Honorable Joey Whitman, Gila River Indian Community
- Cliff Agee, Chickasaw Nation
- Christopher Becenti, Navajo Nation
- Bill Bryant, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community
- Damon Day, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation
- Daniel Gargan, Rosebud Sioux Tribe
- Kristan Johnson, Tohono O’odham Nation
- James Kinter, Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation
- Donald Long Knife, Fort Belknap Indian Community
- Robert A. Lucas II, Tanana Chiefs Conference
- Will Micklin, Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians
- Robert Pollard, Blue Lake Rancheria
- Kevin Shendo, Pueblo of Jemez Jimmy Williams, Choctaw Nation
- Danae Wilson, Nez Perce Tribe (Tribal Co-Chair)
- Karen Woodard, Morongo Band of Mission Indians
On June 28, 2021, the Commission issued a Public Notice extending the term of the Task Force by one year, until October 24, 2022, and seeking tribal nominations to fill Task Force vacancies. Acting Chairwoman Rosenworcel announces term extension of the Native Nations Communications Task Force and seeks nomination for vacancies, Public Notice, DA 21-764 (CGB June 28, 2021). On August 23, 2021, a subsequent Public Notice extended the deadline for nominations from August 27, 2021, to September 27, 2021.
FCC announces extension of time to submit applications for vacancies on its Native Nations Communications Task Force, Public Notice, DA 21-1034 (CGB Aug. 23, 2021). At the time the Public Notices were released, there were three tribal vacancies on the Task Force. Subsequently, four additional seats have become vacant, bringing the total to seven. In the process of reviewing the nominations, the Commission determined that increasing the number of tribal members by one to 26 would provide the Commission a more comprehensive and diverse perspective on communications issues on tribal lands. The new tribal members will serve until the end of the current Task Force’s extended term.