SAMHSA TTAC Members Biographies Cheryl Andrews-Maltais Cheryl Andrews-Maltais is the Chairwoman of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head Aquinnah in Massachusetts. In her capacity as Tribal Chairwoman she serves on several national and regional boards and committees. Mrs. Andrews-Maltais is also the Chairwoman of the Aquinnah Wampanoag Gaming Corporation. Mrs. Andrews-Maltais was a presidential appointee and served as the first tribal leader to become a Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs. In this capacity, she managed a diverse portfolio of issues affecting tribes. Her unique knowledgeable and insight relative to the impacts and implications that proposed regulations, rules, and legislation would have on Indian Country were vital in this role. During her time as a Senior Advisor, she helped develop regulatory and policy language, as well as testified before both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate on statutory language regarding proposed legislation that would affect tribes and Indian Country. Mrs. Andrews-Maltais was elected for two consecutive terms and then re-elected to her current position as Tribal Chairwoman. As the elected leader of her Tribe, she is responsible for the overall wellbeing of her Tribe’s traditional, cultural, and governmental health. She is developing strong intergovernmental relationships with all levels of the federal government, including establishing protocols relative to compliance and accountability, and regarding consultation and coordination with her Tribe. Mrs. Andrews-Maltais is also charged with the responsibility of leading her nation toward economic self-sufficiency and sustainability, thus creating a separate Section 17 corporate arm of the Tribe. Under her tenure, the Tribe has also established its judiciary and taken innovative steps to address its Tribal housing needs, as well as expanding the Tribe’s service areas to better address the health and human service needs of the community. Before taking office as Chairwoman, Mrs. Andrews-Maltais served on several of her Tribe’s committees, gaining invaluable experience from her work with each committee. Mrs. Andrews-Maltais continues working towards identifying opportunities for economic development and the Tribe’s economic self-sufficiency. She continues to advocate for tribal rights, sovereignty, and cultural preservation. Mrs. Andrews-Maltais and her husband Daniel Maltais will be celebrating 25 years of marriage this year. Together they have a daughter, Samantha Maltais. Jack Austin, Jr. Jack Austin, Jr. serves as the Assistant Chief of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Mr. Austin became Assistant Chief on April 29, 2014, after serving as Director of the Choctaw Nation Recovery Center in Talihina, OK. He began working for the Choctaw Nation in 1991 with the Choctaw Nation Health Care System after being honorably discharged from the U.S. Army. His first position in material management led to a position as a state-licensed counselor at the Recovery Center. Mr. Austin’s duties are vast, and he enjoys working closely with tribal members and the Choctaw Tribal Council. Mr. Austin also focuses on work with the Senior Executive Officers of the Tribe who oversee the major Tribal divisions: Member Services, Tribal Relations, Health Services, and Administrative Services. As Assistant Chief, he also sits on the Choctaw Nation Business Committee, which drives all the Tribe's new business ventures. Mr. Austin has been married to his wife, Philisha, for 24 years. Together, they have three children: Clark, a student at Carl Albert State College; Malacha, a senior at Talihina High School; and Sam, their youngest at age 5. Amber Kanazbah Crotty Amber Kanazbah Crotty is a Navajo Nation Council Delegate and member of the Health, Education, and Human Services Committee. Mrs. Crotty is born from the Kinyaa’ánii Clan, her Cheiis are Deeshchii'nii and from To’Halstoii (Sheep Springs, NM). Mrs. Crotty comes from a long legacy of women leaders, strong weavers, tenacious sheepherders, and loving grandmas. Mrs. Crotty completed American Indian Studies (Law and History) at the University of California, Los Angeles. Her academic interest is in Indigenous policy and government structures, specifically the Navajo government reform project and the legislative passage of the “Navajo Fundamental Laws,” requiring all Navajo policies be grounded in tradition, customs, values, spiritual beliefs, and practices. As a delegate, mother, and community member, Mrs. Crotty advocates for Navajo citizens who have little to no political agency, such as domestic violence victims, children, those who are mentally ill and/or homeless, and Indian Child Welfare Act children and families. Phyllis Davis Phyllis Davis has served as a Councilwoman for the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan (also known as the Gun Lake Tribe) for almost 2 years. Ms. Davis is an advocate for health and wellness within her own tribal community, as well as within the Bemidji area. Ms. Davis was the Director of the Department of Health and Human Service (DHHS) for her Tribe for many years. During this time, she also served as the co-chair of the Michigan Tribal Health Directors Association. Ms. Davis has participated annually in the Regional DHHS Tribal Consultation to bring issues of concern not only from a tribal perspective but also the 34 tribes within the Bemidji area, including the urban health programs. This past year, she had the privilege of participating in the National Budget Formulation Workgroup as a representative of the Bemidji area, and most recently as the Bemidji Representative to the DHHS Tribal Consultation Workgroup. Anthony Francisco Jr. Anthony Francisco, Jr. is an elected tribal official of the Tohono O’odham Nation. Mr. Francisco is a dedicated leader in the community, serving the Tribe for over 10 years with the Diabetes Program, Boys and Girls Club, and a non-profit organization called the Tohono O’odham Community Action, which focused on youth-related empowerment programs. Currently, Mr. Francisco serves the Nation as a Legislative Council Representative of the Schuk Toak District. Mr. Francisco recognizes the need for mental health awareness and improved services in the Tohono O’odham community. He wishes to increase protective factors against self-destructive behaviors, such as substance misuse. Through his multiple experiences working with the Tribe, Mr. Francisco has gained an understanding of the needs of his people. Mr. Francisco earned an associate degree from Arizona State University and hopes to continue his education with a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology, with an emphasis on physical therapy, when the opportunity presents itself. Harold Clay Frazier Harold Clay Frazier presently resides in White Horse, SD, and is serving his second term as Chairman of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. Mr. Frazier is a member of the Itazipco (Sans Arc) Band of the Lakota Nation. After graduating from Eastern Wyoming College, Mr. Frazier worked for the Cheyenne River Gas and CATV Company for 8 years. He left in 1998, when he was elected as a Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe District 4 Council Representative for the communities of White Horse, Timber Lake, Green Grass, and West Eagle Butte. During this time, Mr. Frazier secured the position of Vice Chairman of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. He was also selected as the Aberdeen Area (now Great Plains Area) Vice President for the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI). Mr. Frazier also served as the Chairman of the following Council committees: Claims and Legislation, Health and Welfare, and Lakota Parks. Some of Mr. Frazier’s interests include spending time with his children, family, and friends; riding and raising horses; singing at the drum with his relatives and friends; and researching the treaties and the history of the Great Sioux Nation. Joseph A. Garcia Joseph A. Garcia was born and raised in Ohkay Owingeh, NM, and continues to serve his community in traditional, educational, tribal government, and economic development efforts. He has been actively involved in the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) since 1995 and served two 2-year terms as the First Vice President of NCAI prior to being elected President in November 2005. Mr. Garcia completed his third term (January 2005 to December 2006) as Governor of Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan Pueblo), located in northern New Mexico. After his term as Governor, Mr. Garcia was elected Chairman of the All Indian Pueblo Council, an organization formed in 1598 which serves the 19 pueblos of New Mexico. He served as Chairman from 2007 to 2010. Mr. Garcia is an electrical engineer by profession, earning an electrical engineering degree from the University of New Mexico. In June 2003, he retired from the Los Alamos National Laboratory after 25 years of service. He then started his own firm, MistyLake Consulting Services. Mr. Garcia has been recognized for his service to his Tribe as well as to the State of New Mexico and the U.S. His awards include numerous local, state, and national awards for his work and service. In 2007, Mr. Garcia was honored to be asked to swear in Governor Richardson as Governor of New Mexico. Later, Governor Richardson proclaimed October 15, 2009, as President Joe Garcia Day in the State of New Mexico, presenting Mr. Garcia with the New Mexico State flag, which was flown over the State Capitol on October 9, 2009. Andy Joseph, Jr. Andy Joseph, Jr. has served on the Colville Business Council in Washington State for three terms. He is a Nespelem District Representative, serving on the following Colville committees: Executive Committee, Veterans Committee as First Vice President, Health and Human Services Committee as First Vice President, Tribal Government Committee as First Vice President, and Culture Committee as First Vice President. In addition, Mr. Joseph is a voting delegate of several regional and national tribal organizations, including the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians and the National Congress of American Indians. He has also served as Vice Chairman of the Indian Health Service Direct Services Tribes Advisory Committee, as Chairman of Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, and as an elected member-at-large of the National Indian Health Board. Victoria Kitcheyan Victoria Kitcheyan is an enrolled citizen of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska and is currently serving as Treasurer of the Winnebago Tribal Council. Ms. Kitcheyan graduated from Haskell Indian Nations University in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Prior to her Tribal Council tenure, she served as the Internal Auditor for the Winnebago Tribe. Ms. Kitcheyan’s work has been focused on advocating for systematic changes to the Indian Health Service and overall improved health care outcomes for tribal nations. Ms. Kitcheyan had the honor and privilege of providing testimony on various health issues affecting tribal nations to the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Indian, Insular, and Alaska Native Affairs; the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; and at a U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Oversight Hearing. Ms. Kitcheyan takes pride in her tribal advocacy work and will continue to carry the sacred message of all Native people. Nickolaus D. Lewis Juts-kadim' Nickolaus Dee Lewis is a tribal citizen of the Lummi Nation in Washington State, a proud veteran serving 8 honorable years in the U.S. Navy (2000 to 2008), and the father of three children: Ethan Lewis, Nickolaus Lewis III, and Tyray Lewis. Mr. Lewis is the grandson of the late Chief Sa-hum-kun (Donald Lewis) of the Lummi Nation, and believes that as his grandson he must honor his name by serving his people as his grandfather has done before him. Mr. Lewis also believes that as an elected leader of the Lummi Nation, his primary job is to serve the people. This belief has driven his work addressing homelessness on and off the reservation. Mr. Lewis currently serves as a Councilmember of the Lummi Indian Business Council. He has also been placed on multiple boards and committees, tribal and non-tribal, with a focus on judicial and health-related issues. Prior to his service on Tribal Council, Mr. Lewis worked as a juvenile and adult probation officer where he helped create the first Swift, Certain, and Fair Probation Model for a Native American Tribe, inspired by HOPE Probation in Hawaii. This model was called Lummi Chinqinst Probation, as “Chinqinst” translates to “Beginning to be on the right path.” Juana Majel-Dixon Juana Majel-Dixon is a citizen of the Pauma-Yuima Band of Luiseño Indians in California and has served a traditional appointment to the Tribal Legislative Council for 28 years. Ms. Majel-Dixon has been an active member of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) for more than 30 years, serving in various NCAI leadership capacities. For the last 9 years, Ms. Majel-Dixon has served as the NCAI Secretary. In 2003, she spearheaded the formation of the NCAI Task Force on Violence Against Women and served as its Chair. Ms. Majel-Dixon has dedicated endless hours to the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act of 2005 and continues the work of the NCAI Task Force to Stop Violence Against Native Women. Ms. Majel-Dixon served a 2-year term with the Office of Violence Against Women’s National Advisory Committee on Violence Against Women and a 6-year term with the Tribal Technical Advisory Group to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Ms. Majel-Dixon has also served 2 years with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Tribal Advisory Committee. Ms. Majel-Dixon has traveled around the world representing the unique perspective of Indigenous peoples and raising cultural awareness about issues of Native sovereignty, tribal justice systems, racism, spirituality, healing, and education. Ms. Majel-Dixon soon will earn her joint doctoral degree in Education and U.S. Policy from San Diego State University and Claremont Graduate University. She has a master’s degree in Behavioral Science (emphasis on community behavior) and a master’s degree in Psychology (specialty in Native school psychology). Ms. Majel-Dixon also has a bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science (emphasis on substance abuse). Ms. Majel-Dixon has taught Federal Indian Law and U.S. Policy for 26 years at Palomar College and is a visiting professor at San Diego State University, Claremont Graduate University, and Mesa College. In April 2006, Ms. Majel-Dixon became a faculty member of Clan Star, Inc. She also worked with the Alcohol and Substance Abuse director and counselor for the San Diego Indian Health Clinic and with the Women’s Resource Center, and she is a traditional Native healer. One of Ms. Majel-Dixon’s greatest accomplishments is being an aunt, helping to raise seven boys (nephews between the ages of 19 and 29 years). Keith Massaway Keith Massaway serves on the Board of Directors for the Sault Ste Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians in Michigan. He was elected to the Tribal Board in 2006 and 2010. Mr. Massaway graduated from Ferris State University in 1984 and immediately went into the private business sector. He has held Presidencies and Directorships in the local Chamber of Commerce and the Convention and Visitors Bureau. Mr. Massaway has been appointed to various tribal committees, including the Johnson O’Malley parent advisory board which he chaired. Working with the Tribe he was seated on several programs, including S.T.A.Y. (Sault Tribe Alive Youth), which focused on suicide prevention serving as the Vice Chair, as well as the Tribe’s Head Start and Early Head Start Advisory Board and the Youth Councils. Jonathan Nez Navajo Nation Vice President Jonathan Nez was born in Tuba City, AZ, and raised in Shonto, AZ. He is the son of John H. Nez and Mabel H. Nez. His grandfather, H.T. Donald, was the former Navajo Nation Council Delegate for Shonto Chapter, and his grandmother was Mae Donald from Shonto. Mr. Nez was born into the Áshįįhí Clan (Salt People) and born for the Ta’neeszahnii Clan (Tangle Clan). His maternal grandfather’s clan is Tódích’íi’nii Clan (Bitter Water Clan) and his paternal grandfather’s clan is the Táchii’nii Clan (Red-Running-Into-The-Water Clan). Mr. Nez began his political career after being elected as Shonto Chapter Vice President. He was later elected to serve three terms as a Navajo Nation Council Delegate, representing the chapters of Shonto, Oljato, Tsah Bi Kin, and Navajo Mountain. Mr. Nez was also elected as a Navajo County Board of Supervisor for District 1 and served two terms (he had to resign after he was elected Navajo Nation Vice President). In 2015, the Navajo people elected President Begaye and Mr. Nez to be their leaders for the next 4 years. On May 12, they took the oath of office and began serving as the Navajo Nation President and Vice President. Mr. Nez believes strongly in education. He is currently a doctoral student in political science and has completed research on local empowerment and mobilizing communities of the Navajo Nation to reinstate their inherent local way of governance. His research focuses on reducing dependence on the central tribal government, upholding and enhancing the local inherent sovereignty of the chapter areas. Mr. Nez is an alumnus of Northland Pioneer College and Northern Arizona University (NAU). He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science and a Master of Public Administration from NAU. Mr. Nez is an avid runner and advocate for healthy living. He enjoys training and competing in long-distance events, and has competed in multiple marathons. Mr. Nez participated in the 2015 Running for a Stronger and Healthier Navajo Nation, a 435-mile run circling the Navajo Nation. He ran more than 150 miles for the event. His current goal is to run a marathon in each of the 50 states. Mr. Nez is married to Phefelia Herbert-Nez and they have two children, Christopher and Alexander. Alesia Reed Alesia Reed serves as the Tribal Secretary for the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians in California. She is currently serving a second term in this position. Ms. Reed is the Tribal Health Care Senior Representative for the Riverside San Bernardino County Indian Health Center, which serves 10 tribes. She has worked with several Health and Human Service programs, including the Tribal Temporary Assistance for Native Families Program, and spearheaded the Tribe’s Social Services Department. Previously, Ms. Reed worked for Selnek-is Tem-AI Corporation, which established the Torres Martinez Travel Center and Red Earth Casino. She has also served as the Tribal Council Representative to the National Congress of American Indians. Ms. Reed is an active member of the Riverside County Tribal Alliance for Indian Children and Families Board which focuses on minimizing court and county intervention. Lisa Wade Lisa Wade serves as a Council Member for the Chickaloon Village Traditional Council (Nay'dini'aa Na') in Alaska. Ms. Wade has been the Health and Social Services Director since 2007. In this capacity, she has focused on helping communities define their own comprehensive vision of physical, spiritual, mental, emotional, and environmental health, and develop and implement programs to build healthier communities. Additionally, Ms. Wade contributes to numerous boards and committees locally and state-wide working to address issues of cultural health in policymaking, regulatory compliance, and budgetary processes. Ms. Wade has been a reinsurance broker and underwriter for medical malpractice and taught community psychology, human services, cultural diversity, ethics, and arts courses. Ms. Wade is a Ph.D. candidate in clinical and community psychology with a rural Indigenous emphasis at the University of Alaska Anchorage–Fairbanks. She earned a Master of Arts in Counseling and Psychological Services, with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Biology. Jennifer Showalter Yeoman Jennifer Showalter Yeoman is married to Jason Yeoman. Together they are raising five children in Kenai. Showalter Yeoman has been on Kenaitze Indian Tribe’s Tribal Council since 2012. She has more than 20 years of service to the Tribe, serving as an Indian Child Welfare Act worker, a Behavioral Health Clinician and as Behavioral Health Director. She has also worked for Alaska Children's Services and Central Peninsula Hospital. She has owned Yeoman Rentals since 2006. She has served on the Alaska Native Health Board (ANHB), the National Tribal Advisory Committee for the Indian Health Service, the Village Service Management Team for Southcentral Foundation, as the Alternate Delegate for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Tribal Advisory Committee for ANHB and on the Board of Directors for Frontier Community Services. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Social Work and a Master of Social Work. Showalter Yeoman volunteers at the Boys & Girls Club, Girls Scouts, the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District and at the Tribe. She is a foster parent through the Office of Children’s Services, a member of the National Association of Social Workers, and belongs to the Soldotna Chamber of Commerce and the Kenai Chamber of Commerce. In her spare time she enjoys learning about Dena’ina and other Alaska Native cultures, photography, exercise, cooking, traveling Alaska and elsewhere, and caring for the family’s guinea pigs, bearded dragon, teddy bear hamster, chickens, and dog.