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HomeGovernmentLegislativeCongress confirms 12 individuals for Osage Nation board, commission service

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Congress confirms 12 individuals for Osage Nation board, commission service

The appointees were confirmed during the 2023 Hun-Kah Session

During the 2023 Hun-Kah Session the Eighth Osage Nation Congress voted to confirm 12 individuals to serve on the Nation’s boards and commissions.

Each appointee received initial consideration at the Congressional committee level before the respective committees voted to declare the appointees qualified to serve. At the Congress level, the appointed candidates are subject to roll call confirmation votes once a Congressional motion is made to place the vote on an agenda and a motion is made and seconded for a vote.

The following individuals received confirmation votes to serve on the board/ commission they were appointed to.

Raymond Lasley (Grayhorse District) is confirmed to serve his first term on the Traditional Culture Advisors Board.

Retired tribal court Judge Marvin Stepson is confirmed to serve another term on the Veterans Memorial Commission.

Welana (Fields) Queton is confirmed to serve her first term on the Osage Foundation Board. Her confirmation passed with 11 “yes” votes and one abstention from Congresswoman Jodie Revard.

Monte Boulanger is confirmed to serve another term on the Osage Foundation Board.

Paul Bemore, Gary Burd and Mike Wellner are all confirmed to serve another term on the Utility Authority Board.

Debbie Cheshewalla and Carla Core Brown are both confirmed to serve another term on the Home Health Board.

Shannon Lockett and Terry Hazen are both confirmed to serve another term on the Wahzhazhe Elections Board.

Steven Blue is confirmed to serve his first term on the Nation’s Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Board.

The next regular Congressional gathering will be the Tzi-Sho Session starting Sept. 5 for a 24-day duration. During that time, the Congress will consider and take action on legislative bills/ resolutions, the 2024 fiscal year government budgets and other board and commission appointees subject for Congressional confirmation.

Author

  • Benny Polacca

    Title: Senior Reporter

    Email: bpolacca@osagenation-nsn.gov

    Instagram: @bpolacca

    Topic Expertise: Government, Tribal Government, Community

    Languages spoken: English, basic knowledge of Spanish and French

    Benny Polacca (Hopi/ Havasupai/ Pima/ Tohono O’odham) started working at the Osage News in 2009 as a reporter in Pawhuska, Okla., where he’s covered various stories and events that impact the Osage Nation and Osage people. Those newspaper contributions cover a broad spectrum of topics and issues from tribal government matters to features. As a result, Polacca has gained an immeasurable amount of experience in covering Native American affairs, government issues and features so the Osage readership can be better informed about the tribal current affairs the newspaper covers.

    Polacca is part of the Osage News team that was awarded the Native American Journalists Association's Elias Boudinet Free Press Award in 2014 and has won numerous NAJA media awards, as well as awards from the Oklahoma Press Association and SPJ Oklahoma Pro Chapter, for storytelling coverage and photography.

    Polacca earned his bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University and also participated in the former American Indian Journalism Institute at the University of South Dakota where he was introduced to the basics of journalism and worked with seasoned journalists there and later at The Forum daily newspaper covering the Fargo, N.D. area where he worked as the weeknight reporter.

Benny Polacca
Benny Polaccahttps://osagenews.org

Title: Senior Reporter

Email: bpolacca@osagenation-nsn.gov

Instagram: @bpolacca

Topic Expertise: Government, Tribal Government, Community

Languages spoken: English, basic knowledge of Spanish and French

Benny Polacca (Hopi/ Havasupai/ Pima/ Tohono O’odham) started working at the Osage News in 2009 as a reporter in Pawhuska, Okla., where he’s covered various stories and events that impact the Osage Nation and Osage people. Those newspaper contributions cover a broad spectrum of topics and issues from tribal government matters to features. As a result, Polacca has gained an immeasurable amount of experience in covering Native American affairs, government issues and features so the Osage readership can be better informed about the tribal current affairs the newspaper covers.

Polacca is part of the Osage News team that was awarded the Native American Journalists Association's Elias Boudinet Free Press Award in 2014 and has won numerous NAJA media awards, as well as awards from the Oklahoma Press Association and SPJ Oklahoma Pro Chapter, for storytelling coverage and photography.

Polacca earned his bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University and also participated in the former American Indian Journalism Institute at the University of South Dakota where he was introduced to the basics of journalism and worked with seasoned journalists there and later at The Forum daily newspaper covering the Fargo, N.D. area where he worked as the weeknight reporter.

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