Inspirational First Americans Meet FAM’s new CEO, Dr. Kelli Mosteller BY ERIN PAGE . PHOTOS PROVIDED. D r. Kelli Mosteller’s journey from rural Oklahoma to CEO of the First Americans Museum is a testament to the profound influence of her Citizen Potawatomi Nation heritage and a lifetime dedicated to preserving Indigenous culture. Mosteller grew up in Comanche, Okla., a small town of less than 2,000 people. Her heritage was an integral part of her childhood, thanks in large part to her grandmother. “Having Potawatomi history and art around us was important,” said Mosteller. “We went to a Native summer camp in Lawton, we had Johnson-O’Malley activities [federally funded supplemental education for Native students] after school … I was in a world where many people around me were Native.” That immersion and pride in her culture inspired her career. Even before her first day at Oklahoma State University, she declared a history major and never wavered across 13 years of higher education. She earned her doctorate from the University of Texas and completed her dissertation on the Citizen Potawatomi Nation while also serving as executive director of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Cultural Heritage Center in Shawnee. She held that position for 12 years; then she became executive director of Harvard University Native American Program in 2022. Mosteller returns home as CEO of First Americans Museum, a role for which her extensive experience in Indigenous cultural preservation, museum management, tribal community engagement and academia have prepared her well. Beyond her technical experience, her enthusiasm for mentoring youth, respect for her ancestors and unbridled joy in her Native and Oklahoma heritage uniquely position her to lead FAM into the institution’s next phase. Dr. Mosteller shared her visionary plans to amplify FAM’s impact here in Oklahoma City and around the globe.
How have your professional experiences prepared you for your role at FAM? The journey really started while working on my PhD at the University of Texas. Tribal leadership reached out, said the director position was open at the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Cultural Heritage Center and they wanted to talk to me about it. I was so honored to be asked to join that team. Taking on this position while finishing my dissertation, I don’t think I understood how integral it would be to furthering my knowledge of my community. I was knowledged in literature and chronology, but when you start talking to people about their history and what it means to them, you get such a deeper understanding. In my first few weeks on the job, we got permission to rebuild the museum exhibits and galleries. I was new to the museum side of things, so I learned on the job. I did that work under the best circumstances — when we had grants and plans and time — and under the most stressful — when the museum was flooded, we had insurance claims and had to tear out exhibits and start fresh. I was also able to work with FAM [before opening] as they made sure each tribal community could tell their own story and represent their history the way they wanted to. And I’ve seen the response to the
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12 METROFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM / SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2024
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