WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Biden has nominated Patrice H. Kunesh as Chair of the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC). Kunesh, a Standing Rock Lakota descent, has demonstrated dedication to public service and a commitment to advancing the interests and well-being of tribal nations and communities.
Kunesh brings an extensive background in tribal, state, and federal service. She currently serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Native American Affairs and as Commissioner of the Administration for Native Americans within the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Her career includes significant contributions to the Native American Rights Fund (NARF), the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, and in academia as a faculty member at the University of South Dakota School of Law.
Kunesh’s experience is further highlighted by her roles as the Deputy Under the Secretary for Rural Development in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Deputy Solicitor for Indian Affairs at the U.S. Department of the Interior, and as a member of the U.S. Treasury Community Development Advisory Board (CDFI Fund) representing Native communities. She also established the Center for Indian Country Development at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis and founded Peȟíŋ Haha Consulting, a social enterprise dedicated to promoting culturally centered Native economic development.
Kunesh’s confirmation as Chair of the National Indian Gaming Commission will mark a significant step forward in strengthening the governance and oversight of Indian gaming, fostering economic development, and enhancing the sovereignty and self-determination of tribal nations.