Honorable
Clinton M. Pattea (Fort McDowell Yavapai
Nation)
Honorable Dr. Clinton M. Pattea has devoted much of his life’s work to serving the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation. Born and raised on the Fort McDowell reservation, Dr. Pattea has been centrally involved in all of the Nation’s defining events over the past half-century. Dr. Pattea graduated with a Bachelor of Sciences degree in business administration from Northern Arizona University in 1959. Dr. Pattea immediately put his education to good use, spending the initial decade of his long career as an operations supervisor with Valley National Bank from 1960 to 1969. In 1970, he was appointed the Executive Director of the Arizona Commission on Indian Affairs, a post he held for 16 years. His early experiences in both the private and public sectors served him well, providing him a valuable understanding of the business, governmental and political worlds. Only a year after completing his B.S. from NAU, Dr. Pattea was also elected to the Fort McDowell Tribal Council. He would remain on the Tribal Council continuously for the next 44 years and during that time NAU recognized his lifetime of support for education by awarding him an honorary doctorate. Dr. Pattea’s leadership was also recognized by the Tribal Council in 1986 when it elected him Tribal President. Among his many accomplishments during this time was the evolution of the Fort McDowell Casino, which grew from a small bingo hall in the mid-1980s to the full-service casino we know today. In 2000 Dr. Pattea became the first directly elected president of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, after the adoption of the Tribal Constitution in 1999. He was again elected president in 2008. Dr. Pattea and his wife, Rosiebelle, are the parents of three children, grandparents of eight and great-grandparents of three.
Johnpaul
Jones
(Cherokee-Choctaw)
Johnpaul Jones has a distinguished 40-year career as an architect and founding partner of the Seattle-based Jones and Jones Architects and Landscape Architects. Earning his Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Oregon in 1967, his design philosophy emerged from his Cherokee-Choctaw ancestors, which connects him to the natural world, animal world, spirit world, and human world. Mr. Jones’ designs have won widespread acclaim for their reverence for the earth, for paying deep respect to regional architectural traditions and native landscapes, and for heightening understanding of indigenous people and cultures of America. Johnpaul has led the design of numerous cultural centers and museums with tribes spanning the North American continent, culminating in his 12-year engagement as overall lead design consultant for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian on the Mall in Washington, D.C.
Keller George
(Oneida Nation)
Keller George, whose Oneida name Laluhtay^thos means Tree Planter, is the Nation’s only full-time diplomat. He represents the Oneida Indian Nation at local, state and national levels. As a member of the Nation’s Council, Keller helps to make decisions that deal with policy aspects of the tribal government and the successful business enterprises of the Oneida Nation. He also is the Chairman the Oneida Indian Nation Gaming Commission, which oversees gaming and licensing operations at Turning Stone Casino Resort. Keller represents the Oneida Nation in a variety of capacities in the American Indian community. He served six terms, from 1994 to 2006, as president of the United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc., an organization of 24 federally recognized Indian Nations located east of the Mississippi River. This organization works to assist member tribes and their governments in meeting the needs of their Members and in dealing with public policy issues. Among his other roles, Keller is a delegate for the National Congress of American Indians, which is considered the oldest, largest and most influential Indian organization in the United States. He also serves as member of the Board of Directors for the National Tribal Development Association, which is dedicated to the promotion and sale of Indian products throughout the global marketplace. Additionally, he serves on the advisory committee for the Close-Up Foundation in Washington, D.C. as well as on the National Museum of the American Indian’s Board of Trustees, part of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. In August of 2001, Keller attended Harvard University and earned a certificate from its Senior Managers in Government program.
