TAHLEQUAH – Recently re-elected Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and Deputy Principal Chief Bryan Warner announced their second-term cabinet nominees, Supreme Court pick and other staff changes on Aug. 9.
The cabinet, if confirmed by the Tribal Council on Aug. 31, will consist of four women and four men leading various departments across the tribes’ workforce of 4,700 government employees.
“Deputy Chief Warner and I were so fortunate to work with so many great cabinet members during our first term,” Hoskin said. “They helped lead our nation through some of the most challenging times in Cherokee history and helped us seize so many great opportunities for the Cherokee people.”
Chad Harsha, the Secretary of Natural Resources since 2019, has been nominated for Attorney General.
Harsha had previously worked as an assistant attorney general for the Cherokee Nation Attorney General’s office and general counsel for the Secretary of Natural Resources. As Secretary of Natural Resources, he oversaw a large expansion of tribal lands for hunting, fishing, cultural practices and recreation; implemented laws for historic preservation; expanded the tribe’s cattle and bison operations; and expanded the tribe’s green energy footprint. He has a bachelor’s degree in environmental management from Northeastern State University and a law degree from the University of Tulsa.
“It is a crucial time in Indian Country, and I am deeply honored to be nominated for Attorney General,” Harsha said. “If confirmed by the Council, I will continue to build on the remarkable accomplishments of past leadership, lawyers and staff in our unwavering effort to protect and promote the sovereign interests of the Cherokee Nation.”
He would replace Sara Hill, the AG since August 2019. Hill, according to the tribe, is leaving to form her own law practice.
“From helping us reaffirm our reservation under the McGirt case, to successfully defending the Indian Child Welfare Act, to asserting treaty rights on a scale not seen since the late 19th century, Sara Hill has been one of the most important and impactful attorneys to ever serve the Cherokee Nation,” Hoskin said. “That Sara Hill led us through all of these challenges during a pandemic and during a time in which our tribal sovereignty was also under attack from powerful interests and politicians simply underscores that she was the right attorney general at the right time for the Cherokee Nation.”
Hill noted that she would continue to focus on representation of tribal governments.
“Under the outstanding leadership of Chief Hoskin and Deputy Chief Warner, and with the continued support of Speaker Shambaugh and the Tribal Council, I know the Cherokee Nation is prepared to face every challenge and seize every opportunity,” Hill said. “It has been an honor to serve as Attorney General, and to serve the Cherokee people in the different ways I have over the last 20 years.”
Christina Justice, the chief administrator of operations under the Secretary of Natural Resources, has been nominated to replace Harsha as secretary.
“Christina brings nearly two decades of valuable experience to the task of leading one of the most impactful departments at Cherokee Nation,” Hoskin said. “We will benefit from both the continuity that her continued work in the department will bring, but also the opportunity for new ideas in natural resource stewardship.”
Justice has worked for Cherokee Nation since 2004 in a range of departments, including grants management to law and justice. She has worked in the Natural Resources department since 2020. Justice has a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice, with a minor in environmental management from Northeastern State University.
“The preservation of our natural resources is the cornerstone of quality of life for the nation and its citizens,” Justice said. “It is my great honor to be nominated for Secretary of Natural Resources and, if confirmed, I will build upon the work of my predecessors and strive to implement innovative and forward-thinking strategies to ensure the preservation of our most precious resources.”
Cherokee Nation Businesses executive Shella Bowlin has been nominated for Secretary of State.
“Shella Bowlin’s successful business career has been fueled by a sharp mind and dedication to teamwork, and our government programs will benefit from her leadership,” Hoskin said. “Shella’s success at CNB has required her to work on a global scale, building relationships across business and government. These experiences and others across her career will make her a very successful Secretary of State.”
Bowlin has worked at Cherokee Nation Businesses since 2004 and currently serves as vice president of corporate strategy and analytics under company CEO Chuck Garrett. She has a bachelor of science degree in industrial engineering and management from Oklahoma State University and a master of business administration degree from Indiana University Kelley School of Business.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve the Cherokee Nation,” Bowlin said. “I look forward to collaborating with all those who work so hard to serve the citizens and reservation for the next four years, to continue building a strong foundation and future for all Cherokees.”
The current Secretary of State, Tina Glory-Jordan, has been nominated to the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court to fill an open seat following the resignation of Lee Paden.
Glory-Jordan has served with every chief of the Cherokee Nation since the 1980s. She was appointed by the late Principal Chief Wilma Mankiller to serve as the first district court judge of the Cherokee Nation, was a delegate to the 1999 Cherokee Nation Constitutional Convention and executive director of the Arkansas Riverbed Authority. She served on the Tribal Council from 2007-15, elected by her peers to serve as speaker during her second term. Glory-Jordan operated her own law firm in Tahlequah for 42 years and has served as legal counsel for the Housing Authority of the Cherokee Nation, as well as a former gaming commissioner.
As Secretary of State, Glory-Jordan helped guide Cherokee Nation through the COVID-19 pandemic response and recovery and strengthened Cherokee Nation’s relationship with a number of federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Glory-Jordan has served on the Federal Communication Commission’s tribal advisory committee during a time in which Cherokee Nation has expanded connectivity across the Cherokee Nation Reservation.
Glory-Jordan has a bachelor’s degree in business from Oklahoma State University and a law degree from the University of Tulsa.
“Secretary of State Tina Glory-Jordan is one of the most dedicated and effective Cherokee Nation public servants I have ever known,” Hoskin said. “From housing to social services to high-level issues involving complex legal analysis, such as treaty rights and federal statutes, Secretary Jordan approaches every issue by examining what is fair, just and equitable. For all these reasons and so many more, she is the ideal nominee for the Supreme Court of the Cherokee Nation.”
Glory-Jordan said she’s honored by the nomination.
“I have dedicated my career to helping people as an attorney, as a Cherokee Nation district court judge, as a tribal councilor and serving as Secretary of State,” she said, adding that if affirmed by the council, she will “execute my duties to our court and the litigants that appear before me by following the law and our Constitution with a fair hand and an open heart.”
Hoskin praised the career of Justice Paden, who cited a need to focus on health in his resignation letter.
“Justice Paden served on the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court during a period of dramatic changes in both the law and the administration of our court system,” Hoskin said. “His wonderful career of private and public service to Indian Country, spanning nearly six decades, beginning in the halls of Congress as an advisor on Native American affairs for the late Sen. Henry Bellmon is unprecedented.”
The CN administration is recommending the reappointment of S. Joe Crittenden as Secretary of Veterans Affairs; Janees Taylor as CN treasurer; Kim Teehee as delegate to Congress; and Shannon Buhl as the Marshal Service executive director.
Hoskin described Crittenden as “one of the finest public servants I have ever known.”
“It is a blessing to have him continue leading our veterans department, which has grown stronger under his leadership,” Hoskin added.
Crittenden has served in various capacities with Cherokee Nation across five decades. His service includes two terms on the Tribal Council, two terms as deputy principal chief and a stint as acting principal chief. Crittenden holds a bachelor’s degree from Northeastern State University and is a veteran of the U.S. Navy.
“I am honored to continue serving our brave Cherokee veterans in this capacity,” Crittenden said. “Cherokee Nation has a proud history of valuing and caring for our military men and women, and I remain committed to upholding that legacy. We also provide services for families of veterans, as well as non-Cherokees who served. Going forward, I hope to find new opportunities that support the mental and physical well-being of those that have defended our country.”
As treasurer, Taylor, a former member of the Tribal Council, manages more than 100 employees in the Office of Financial Resources and related departments and oversees an annual budget of more than $3 billion.
“I am pleased to announce the reappointment of Treasurer Taylor, whose unwavering commitment has significantly improved the lives of Cherokees throughout the country,” Hoskin said. “Through her steadfast dedication and financial acumen, our sovereign government has witnessed transformative changes, empowered families and uplifted our tribe as a whole.”
Taylor’s leadership role also included tenure as secretary of the council, and she was appointed to the Special Commission for the Protection of Cherokee Nation Sovereignty, established to prepare the Cherokee Nation for historic changes resulting from the U.S. Supreme Court’s McGirt ruling. Taylor is a 2023 recipient of the Tulsa League of Women Voters of Metropolitan Tulsa Madame President award.
“I am very grateful for the opportunity to continue as treasurer,” she said. “My firm grasp of our programs, our workforce and the needs of our citizens enables our department to work seamlessly with the Administration and the Council of Cherokee Nation to prioritize the efforts that preserve our culture and build up our communities. I’m proud of what we have achieved in my tenure as Treasurer and look forward to the future for Cherokee Nation.”
Teehee has been nominated to continue as Cherokee Nation’s Delegate to Congress.
Under the Treaty of 1835 between Cherokee Nation and the United States and reaffirmed in the Treaty of 1866, the tribe is “entitled to a Delegate in the United States House of Representatives when Congress shall make provision for the same.” Cherokee Nation’s Constitution, approved by the Cherokee people in 1999, requires that the delegate post be appointed by the principal chief and confirmed by the council.
Under Hoskin’s leadership, the Nation has been pressing Congress to keep the promise of seating a delegate. Hoskin testified before the U.S. House Rules Committee on the subject in November 2022.
“Kim Teehee has already made history as the first Cherokee Nation Delegate to Congress,” Hoskin said. “There is more history to be made. We must keep pressing Congress to meet its clear obligation to seat her. There is no one more qualified than Kim Teehee to serve as Delegate to Congress.”
Teehee has a decades-long career working in the public and private sectors advocating for Indian Country. Teehee has worked on Indian affairs on Capitol Hill and in the White House, where she served as the country’s first adviser on Native American Affairs. Since 2015, she has served as the executive director and vice president of Government Relations for Cherokee Nation and Cherokee Nation Businesses.
Teehee has a bachelor’s degree from Northeastern State University and a law degree from the University of Iowa.
“I'm honored that Chief Hoskin has once again placed his trust in me to serve the Cherokee Nation in Congress,” Teehee said. “Indian Country is facing critical challenges today, and it's more important than ever that we have a voice at the highest levels of the federal government. That's why it's so important that the House move swiftly to finally honor the promise that was made in the 1835 Treaty of New Echota and seat the Cherokee Nation's delegate.”
Bunch will continue his role as the tribe’s chief of staff, a position that although considered part of the chief’s cabinet, is not subject to confirmation by the Tribal Council.
“Corey Bunch has ably served as chief of staff during a time of growth and change, leading transformational initiatives in our workforce,” Hoskin said. “Continued progress simply requires Corey’s continued leadership.”
Bunch has worked in the education field his entire career, including as executive director of Cherokee Nation’s education department and as a public school teacher and administrator.
Bunch serves on the Haskell Indian Nations University Board of Regents. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Northeastern State University in education and will graduate this fall with a doctorate in educational leadership from Arkansas State University.
“Cherokee Nation has a workforce of over 4,700 dedicated employees who do their best to serve the needs of our citizens each and every day, and it is a pleasure doing my part in leading them,” Bunch said. “The Hoskin-Warner administration is among the most progressive in all of Indian Country, and I am honored to continue serving them by implementing their shared goals of improving the lives and building the capacity of all Cherokees for the next seven generations."
Buhl will continue his longtime service leading the tribe’s growing Marshal Service. Buhl was first appointed in 2012 and reappointed again in 2017 by former Chief Bill John Baker, and in 2022 by Hoskin for a five-year term.
“We are fortunate to have Shannon Buhl leading the Marshal Service during these challenging times,” Hoskin said. “Marshal Buhl has helped us seize the opportunities under the McGirt ruling, expanding our Marshal Service and strengthening relationships with our law enforcement partners.”
Buhl is an adjunct professor of criminal justice at Northeastern State University and has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Langston University and a master’s degree in criminal justice from NSU.
A military veteran with 22 years of experience in law enforcement, Buhl said he appreciates the confidence that Hoskin, Warner and the council have shown in the Marshal Service.
“I have the privilege of leading some of the finest men and women in law enforcement on our daily mission to protect and serve everyone residing on the Cherokee Nation Reservation,” Buhl said.
Hoskin announced that two top aides, Taralee Montgomery and Canaan Duncan, would take on added responsibilities and the title of deputy secretary of state.
Montgomery will focus on policy evaluation and development across government programs and continue to be the administration’s primary liaison with the Tribal Council on legislation and intra-branch relations.
Duncan will focus on community engagement, working with Cherokee Nation departments on grassroots organizing efforts and local problem solving. Duncan also leads a team of community liaisons working in Cherokee Nation communities.
“Taralee Montgomery and Canaan Duncan have been key members of our team, and I am looking forward to working with them both in the coming term,” Hoskin said.
It was also announced that Todd Enlow would continue in his role as senior advisor and executive director of the Housing Authority of the Cherokee Nation. Enlow, former chief of staff under Hoskin, has served in his current role since January 2023.
“Todd Enlow has brought such incredible enthusiasm to our housing efforts,” Hoskin said. “We are seeing real results due to Todd’s focus on teamwork.”
