CATOOSA, OK – The United Indian Nations of Oklahoma (UINO) will hold its quarterly meeting on March 20, 2025, at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa. With an expansive agenda featuring an unprecedented number of tribal leaders, the meeting will address some of the most pressing issues facing Oklahoma tribes in the coming year.
“This might be the strongest agenda we’ve ever had for a UINO meeting,” said Ben Barnes, UINO Board Chairman and Chief of the Shawnee Tribe. “It certainly includes the most tribal leaders we’ve ever featured, ensuring that our discussions reflect our communities.”
The daylong event, hosted by the Cherokee Nation, will open with remarks from Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and Cherokee Nation Deputy Chief Bryan Warner, a welcome from Shawnee Chief Barnes, and a roll call by Muscogee Nation Chief and UINO Secretary David Hill. The agenda features high-level discussions on tribal governance, Indian education, healthcare, energy development, sports betting, and legislative updates.
Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols is scheduled as the lunch keynote, and Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is scheduled as a special afternoon speaker. Newly appointed United States Secretary of the Interior and former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum has also been invited to address the group.
Key highlights include:
- The Tribal Leadership Panel will feature Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. of the Cherokee Nation, Chief Ben Barnes of the Shawnee Tribe, and Chairman Forrest Tahdooahnippah of the Comanche Nation, discussing how to balance priorities in 2025.
- The Indian Education Panel will explore the future of K-12 and higher education for Native students, with insights from Julia Wakeford, Policy Director at the National Indian Education Association (NIEA), Shoney Blake of Pipestem Law, and Cecelia Fire Thunder, President of the Oglala Lakota Nation Education Coalition and President of the Little Wound School Board.
- The Native Healthcare Panel will address the evolving landscape of Indian healthcare, including perspectives from Nicholas Barton, CEO of the Southern Plains Tribal Health Board, Deborah Dotson, President of the Delaware Nation, and Tasha Mousseau, Vice President of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes.
- The Energy Panel will discuss new opportunities for tribal nations in energy development, featuring Principal Chief Randle Carter of the Sac and Fox Nation, RJ Walker, Assistant Chief of the Osage Nation, and Hershel Gorham, Lieutenant Governor of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes.
- The Gaming Policy Update will focus on the future of sports betting in Oklahoma, with insights from Chief Billy Friend of the Wyandotte Nation and Chairman Jake Keyes of the Iowa Nation.
- The Oklahoma Legislative Update will feature Sharon Scott, Chairwoman of the Oklahoma Indian Tribal Association (OITA), Amanda Swope, Director of Tribal Policy and Partnerships for the City of Tulsa, and LaRenda Morgan, Director of Governmental Affairs for the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes.
- The Warrior Up to Vote Update will be presented by Margo Gray, Executive Director of UINO, highlighting voter engagement efforts in tribal communities.
The UINO quarterly meeting is open to all tribal leaders, Native policymakers, and community members who are dedicated to advancing tribal sovereignty, governance, and economic growth.