By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
One Feather Asst. Editor
Sabrina Arch and Jeremy Wilson, both members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), have been selected to the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED) Native American 40 Under 40 Award. The award will be presented at a dinner reception on Tuesday, April 4 at Caesars Palace Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev.
Sabrina Arch (Photo contributed)
Jeremy Wilson (Photo contributed)
“The 2023 Native American 40 Under 40 awardees showcase the hard work, perseverance, and dedication that have come to define this prestigious award,” Chris James, president and chief executive officer of The National Center, said in a press release. “This year’s class includes leaders in a variety of fields from across the country, showcasing the depth and breadth of the current generation of Native leaders. They are truly making a difference in every aspect of American life.”
Information from NCAIED states that the award is given “to acknowledge those emerging Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian citizens between 18 and 39 years of age who have demonstrated leadership, initiative, and dedication to achieve significant contributions to Native communities throughout North America”.
Arch, EBCI director of economic development, told the One Feather, “I am blessed and honored to have received this prestigious 40 Under 40 award presented by NCAIED. I would like to thank my family, friends, all the members of the EBCI, the Sequoyah Fund, Tribal Education, the local small businesses, all tribal programs, our tribal leadership, the Chief, the Vice Chief, and the Council. Together, we have received this recognition. Without all of you, I would not be who I am today, nor would I be able to help serve our great community. I enjoy seeing others succeed and am humbled by this recognition. My hope is to inspire others to reach for the stars.”
She added, “You can do anything you put your mind to! We are fortunate to have a community that cares so much for one another. Together we can continue to make a difference to help strengthen our Tribal community through leadership, initiative, and dedication.”
Wilson commented to the One Feather, “First, I’d like to take the moment to thank God first for this blessing. I will say that it’s always a rewarding feeling to be chosen for such an award or achievement – especially something of this caliber. I am definitely honored to have been chosen for the Class of 2023.”
He added, “While I am appreciative and honored to have been chosen for this award, nothing outweighs the feeling of knowing you have made a positive impact in your community, and in this case, Indian Country. There is no title nor amount of money that can compete with knowing you have helped make someone else’s life better, or that you have worked to provide a better environment for your people, and to other parts of Indian Country. It will always be my life’s intention to do good for my Tribe, and for wherever I go. I want to also thank NCAIED for selecting me, my family and circle of friends for being my support system, and to those who have always believed in me.”
Wilson said, “My current role these days is being a tribal consultant to help tribes establish stronger economies and build healthy governmental relationships. My biggest hope is that our younger generations never forget they will always have value in life. Success is never given. It is built on life lessons, failures, and a constant process of growth and maturity. My hope from here is to see more EBCI members receive this award in the future.”
Candice Craig, a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation with Eastern Band Cherokee and Seminole heritage, was also included in the list. From Cherokee, N.C., she currently resides in Tulsa, Okla. where she is the owner of The Joy Therapist.
In addition to Arch, Craig, and Wilson, the following were named to this year’s Native American 40 Under 40 list:
- Shannon Barnett (Muscogee (Creek) Nation) – Muscogee (Creek) Nation, cultural academic specialist; Broken Arrow, Okla.
- Luke Barteaux (Cherokee Nation) – Presiding Cherokee Nation District Court Judge; Tahlequah, Okla.
- Willow Blythe-Carroll (Muscogee (Creek) Nation) – HudsonLake Consulting, strategic communications manager, Consultant and Founder of Weaving Wisdom, LLC;Rockwall, Texas
- Brett Bucktooth (Oneida Indian Nation) – Haudenosaunee Ongweoweh Corp, supplier diversity manager; Hogansburg, N.Y.
- Joseph Byrd (Quapaw/Osage/Cherokee) – Quapaw Nation, chairman, Quapaw, Okla.
- Quannah Rose Chasinghorse (Hän Gwich’in and Sicangu-Oglala Lakota) – IMG Models, model/activist/spokesperson; Mesa, Ariz.
- Kenneth Davis (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians) – Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, tribal resource specialist; Rolette, N.D.
- Kyle Doney (Seminole Tribe of Florida) – Seminole Tribe of Florida, deputy executive director; Hollywood, Fla.
- Caleb Dunlap (Minnesota Chippewa Tribe (Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa)) – Amazon, program manager, brand protection; Cloquet, Minn.
- Kayla Gebeck (Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians) – Holland & Knight LLP, associate; Washington, D.C.
- Valery Giebel (Cherokee Nation) – United States Department of the Interior, senior Indian Law Attorney advisor, Tulsa, Okla.
- Dustin Goslin (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) – Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures, vice president of Business & Economic Development; Onamia, Minn.
- Marya Halvorsen (Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak) – Koniag, Public Policy and Government Affairs specialist; Anchorage, Alaska
- Stephanie Hutch (Native Hawaiian) – Makai LLC, chief executive officer; Hopkinton, Mass.
- Krystalyn Kinsel (Navajo) – Jenner & Block, associate; Washington, D.C.
- Jenna Krohn (Native Village of Koyuk) – Bering Straits Native Corporation, corporate counsel; Anchorage, Alaska
- Alexander Mallory (Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska) – U.S. District Court, District of Arizona, judicial law clerk; Phoenix, Ariz.
- Chantay Moore (Navajo) – Heartland Institute of Financial Education (HIFE), certified financial educator and licensed financial professional; Chicago, Ill.
- Andi Murphy (Navajo) – Native America Calling, senior producer; Albuquerque, N.M.
- Buu Nygren (Navajo), Navajo Nation president; Window Rock, Ariz.
- Brandi Payton (Cherokee, Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Hopi) – Cherokee Nation Health Services, clinic administrator; Owasso, Okla.
- Cameron Poindexter (Curyung Tribe/Choggiung Limited) – Choggiung Limited, president and chief executive officer; Dillingham, Alaska
- Leonard Powell (Hopland Band of Pomo Indians) – Jenner & Block, senior associate; Washington, D.C.
- Zachary Pullin (Chippewa Cree Nation) – Washington Conservation Action/Washington Conservation Action Education Fund, communications director; Seattle, Wash.
- PaaWee Rivera (Pueblo of Pojoaque) – The White House, senior advisor for Intergovernmental Affairs and director of Tribal Affairs; Washington, D.C.
- Jaclyn Roessel (Navajo) – Grownup Navajo, LLC, president and founder; Bernalillo, N.M.
- Kendra Root (Muscogee (Creek) Nation) – National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, research associate; Claremore, Okla.
- Travis Ruiz (Cheyenne and Arapaho) – Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, speaker of the Legislature/Arapaho District 3 Legislator; Weatherford, Okla.
- Nikki Santos (Coeur d’Alene Tribe) – Center for Native American Youth, executive director; Washington, D.C.
- Kyle Scherer (Munsee Delaware Nation) – Venable LLP, partner and co-chair, Native American Law & Policy Practice; Washington, D.C.
- Bryan Shade (United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma) – Lippes Mathias, LLP, senior associate; Rockville, Md.
- Jacelyn Shavney (Cherokee Nation) – Cherokee Nation Businesses, Cultural Programs and Event Projects manager; Catoosa, Okla.
- Sterling Springer (Seminole) – DT-Trak Consulting, Inc, president/chief executive officer; Miller, S.D.
- Kristen Talbert (Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota Oyate) – American Indian Policy Institute, Arizona State University, program manager; Phoenix, Ariz.
- Sean Vasquez (Pechanga Band of Indians) – Pechanga Development Corporation, 1st vice president; Irvine, Calif.
- Craig Williams (Mississippi Choctaw) – Jenner & Block, special counsel; Washington, D.C.
- Isabel Yasana Hawley (Klamath Tribe) – Nike, Consumer Direct Value Brand manager; Tigard, Ore.
