Philosophy & FAQ’s

Leadership is Service to others

I believe in Education for ALL Quapaw Nation members…

Quote by Confucius… If your plan is for one year, plant rice. If your plan is for ten years, plant trees. If your plan is for one hundred years, educate children.

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Questions presented by the Quapaw Post

1. What does it mean to you to be a member of the Quapaw Tribe?

Being a member of the Quapaw Tribe is a big part of my identity.  I have always felt blessed to have been born into the Quapaw Tribe.  My grandfather and mother raised me to always respect my Quapaw heritage.  Being Quapaw is who I am in my heart and to my very core.  Living within my Quapaw heritage is what brings a meaningful life to me.  Being a Quapaw woman has afforded me with a sense of pride and belonging.  The Quapaw traditions taught to me by Pokey, Mom and other Quapaw relatives have always guided the direction of my life. 

2. Why did you decide you wanted to be involved in tribal leadership?

Grandpa Pokey and Mom engrained in me to serve the communities I am part of.  They taught me that living a life of service to make others’ lives better is part of who we are.  I have lived my life serving the communities I am a part of.  I served the Native community in the Tulsa area for many years.  I have served in the Civil Air Patrol as a leader for our local unit.  Though life circumstances have not given me the opportunity to serve my Quapaw community much over the years, I am now to a point in my life where I feel I can do just that.  I have the education, professional experience, and knowledge now that I feel I can appropriately serve the people of the Quapaw Nation.  I am grateful to be in a position in my life now that I feel I can be of great benefit to our Quapaw people.  I believe that you should always give of yourself to your community.  Leadership is service to others.

3. Would you be willing to have a drug evaluation?

I absolutely would be willing to have a drug evaluation.  It is a small way for me to prove that I respect the people of the Quapaw Nation enough to always be free of any mind-altering substances and stay clear minded.

4. How important is it for you to find common ground with other elected officials?

I feel like it is imperative to the advancement of the Quapaw Nation to find common ground with other elected officials.   I understand that there will always be disagreements, but I also know that there is a huge benefit in compromise when and where it is appropriate to benefit all the people of the Quapaw Nation.  It is not about my agenda or the other elected official’s agenda.  It is about the agenda of the people and what will work best for the advancement and future of the people of the Quapaw Nation.  I feel my purpose in serving on the Quapaw Business Committee is to represent all Quapaw Tribal members and do what is best for everyone. 

5. As a member of the BC, how would you convey your honesty to tribal members?

I will convey my honesty not only as an elected member of the Business Committee, but as a member of the Quapaw Nation mostly through my actions.  There are several ways that I can do this. 

Most importantly, I will communicate to everyone openly and honestly.  I will provide information from different perspectives to allow others to form their own evaluations of a situation.  I will let you know if I may have a personal bias or a conflict of interest with an issue that may arise.  I will explain my rationale and intentions behind any decisions that may be questioned.  

If I am incorrect about something and it is brought to my attention, I will be grateful for the opportunity to correct any mistakes I may have made.  I will accept responsibility and attempt to make any appropriate corrections that can be made.   

Likewise, I will also hold others accountable when the situation warrants it.  I will never compromise my integrity and ethics, especially if it could be harmful to the people of the Quapaw Nation. 

6. Why should people vote for you?

I am asking for your vote, because I have the education, professional experience, heart and desire to serve the people of the Quapaw Nation. 

My education includes the following:

I have an Associate’s degree in Accounting and an Associate’s degree in Native American Studies from Tulsa Community College.

I have a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting as well as a Master’s degree in Business Administration (emphasis on Taxation and Accounting) from the University of Tulsa.  

While at Tulsa Community College I was one of the founding members of the Native American Student Alliance.  I was recognized by the American Indian Chamber of Commerce for leadership. 

I have more than 20 years of experience in accounting and taxation.  I have spent most of my accounting career assisting and advising business clients in progressing their businesses, by improving their business processes, compliance issues, as well as preparing their taxes.  If I don’t know the appropriate regulations or guidelines that apply to a situation, I know how to research them and apply them to the situation.

I have developed community leadership skills as I served in the United States Civil Air Patrol.  I held leadership positions within my Unit, including Finance Officer, Professional Development Officer, Events coordinator, Fundraising coordinator, Deputy Commander, and finally as the Unit Commander.  My time in the Civil Air Patrol has provided me with invaluable leadership skills.  It has also taught me how to deal with conflict resolution.

My goals are to assist the Quapaw Nation to become prosperous for all Tribal members and to create a sustainable infrastructure that will keep the Nation strong for generations to come. 

A few of my ideas to accomplish prosperity for the Quapaw Nation are the following:

                Debt elimination – increase equity in the tribal businesses

                Cultural and tradition preservation, perpetuation, and education

                Expansion and diversification of tribal businesses

                Build an adequate infrastructure for the people of the Quapaw Nation

                Provide adequate education assistance for members of the Quapaw Nation

                Expand on service to our Elders

                Work to bring our elders and youth together to share intergenerational experiences

                Continue to create and expand our food sovereignty program

Programs to assist in encouraging more Quapaw people to get involved in the Quapaw community and activities.

I believe we need to look at today’s world and the technologies of the future and find ways to blend them with our culture and traditions.  I feel that it is imperative to the future sustainability of the Quapaw Nation to create an infrastructure that will keep our Nation strong for generations to come.  It starts with us and what we do today.  The decisions we make now.  How we educate our O-gah-pah relations and bring those lost back into the fold.  The decisions we make with the Quapaw Nation businesses we have now and the businesses we choose to create to build a sustainable infrastructure that will provide for the future of the Quapaw Nation as a whole.

If you have the same goals for the Quapaw Nation as I do, please vote for me on November 4th and allow me to be your voice within the Business Committee.  It will be my honor and pleasure to utilize my education, experience and skills in service of the people of the Quapaw Nation.

Watch this page for more information to come.

As I receive questions and/or concerns via email or during the Zoom meetings, I will post those questions with my answers here for all to view.