#NACA 2021
@Native8a
Don Young Young is a Representative from Alaska; born in Meridian, Sutter County, Calif., June 9, 1933; A.A., Yuba Junior College, Marysville, Calif., 1952; B.A., California State University, Chico, Calif., 1958; United States Army, 1955-1957; teacher; Mayor of Fort Yukon, Alaska, 1960-1968; riverboat captain, 1968- 1972; member of the Fort Yukon, Alaska,
telecom. In addition, she concentrates on local tribal community economic development, tribal nation building (including constitutions, codes, and courts), criminal law, and homeland security. She works with corporations doing business in Indian Country, individual tribes, tribal and Indian-owned businesses, and intertribal associations. Prior to joining the firm, Thompson was an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Dakota’s Indian Country Section. There, she was an Indian Country Federal Prosecutor that covered violent sex crimes and violence against women. Heather is widely recognized for her work while serving as the Director of Government Affairs for the National Congress of American Indians(NCAI), the nation’s oldest and largest intertribal organization. Heather also served as a Policy Advisor for Judiciary and Indian Affairs to Senators. Heather also had extensive international experience, having lived on four different continents and traveled and worked in over 40 countries. Heather is frequently sought internationally to speak on indigenous law and issues. Heather is the former president of the National Native American Bar Association (NNABA) and the DC Native American Bar Association (NABA-DC), and is the current president the South Dakota Indian Country Bar Association (SDICBA). Thompson lives in the Black Hills in South Dakota and in Washington, D.C. She is an enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux tribe, speaks Spanish and Lakota. Derrick Watchman
city council, 1960-1968; member of the Alaska state house of representatives, 1966-1970; member of the Alaska state senate, 1970-1973; delegate, Alaska state Republican conventions, 1964, 1966, 1968, and 1972; elected as a Republican to the Ninety-third Congress, by special election, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of United States Representative Nick Begich, and reelected to the twenty-four succeeding Congresses (March 6, 1973-present); chair, Committee on Resources (One Hundred Fourth through One Hundred Sixth Congresses); chair, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (One Hundred Seventh through One Hundred Ninth Congresses). CJ Zane
C.J. Zane is a lobbyist and political consultant providing strategic analysis, planning, and execution of coordinated lobbying and public affairs strategies. During the last 25 years, C.J. has been a congressional staff member, campaign manager for several successful congressional races, campaign consultant for successful U.S. Senate and gubernatorial races, and lobbyist in Juneau,
Watchman is President and owner of Sagebrush Hill Group LLC, a gaming, banking, finance, economic development advisory and development company. Derrick is a member of the Navajo Nation and was raised on the Navajo reservation. He is the former Chief Executive Officer for the Navajo
AK, and Washington, D.C. C.J.’s areas of focus include appropriations and authorizations, policy legislation in Congress, and executive branch policies and regulations pertaining to Native American issues, natural resources, fisheries, and environment, transportation (i.e. rail, air, highway, maritime – Coast Guard), defense, energy, municipal and local government issues and tourism During his eight years as Chief of Staff to Representative Don Young (R-AK), C.J. directed the planning and implementation of Mr. Young’s legislative agenda. C.J. worked closely with key committees and subcommittees, including Ways and Means, Appropriations, Agriculture, Armed Services, and Rules, as well as Transportation and Infrastructure. His responsibilities in the House led him to forge strong contacts in the Senate and executive branch as well.C.J. is well known to the community of organizations interested in the development of responsible natural resource and public land policies. He helped craft a number of working coalitions to help these organizations effectively advance their interests in Washington, D.C., and the Pacific Northwest region. He successfully represented several private and public sector organizations in the most recently enacted national highway legislation, MAP-21. He has also helped achieve important success for Native American businesses in the areas of federal contracting, lands, and tax policy. ;
Nation Gaming Enterprise and also served as their Chief Financial Officer. Previously, he was Vice President in JP Morgan Chase Bank’s Native American Banking Group, where he provided tribal financial and banking services. He is formerly the Chief of Staff for the Navajo Nation and also served as Director of Indian Affairs for the U.S. Department of Energy. Mr. Watchman holds a MBA from the University of California and a Bachelors degree from the University of Arizona.
NACA 2021
PG 16
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