April 02, 2010 –
U.S. Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Larry EchoHawk, third from left, met with Kansas tribal leaders today at the Prairie Band Casino & Resort to discuss his recent visit to Haskell Indian Nations University (HINU) in Lawrence, Kan. and other Indian Country issues. With him, from left to right, are Alan Kelley, vice chairperson for the Ioway, Jim Potter, secretary for the Prairie Band Potawatomi, Steve Ortiz, chairperson for the Prairie Band Potawatomi, Russell Bradley, vice chairperson for the Kickapoo, Carey Wahwahsuck, vice chairperson for the Sac and Fox of Missouri, Mark Kahbeah, Tribal Council member for the Kickapoo, and Junior Wahweotten, Tribal Council member for the Prairie Band Potawatomi. Not pictured but also representing the Kansas tribes were Laura Razo, treasurer for the Kickapoo, Mike Mattwaoshshe, Kickapoo Tribal Council member, and Jerry Tuckwin, member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi.
EchoHawk came to Kansas at the urging of U.S. Sens. Sam Brownback and Pat Roberts, R-Kan. who are concerned about the leadership of HINU since President Linda Warner was re-assigned to another position last fall out of state.
Other officials were also present at the meeting including, left to right, Nedra Darling who handles public affairs for for the U.S. assistant secretary’s office, Burton Warrington, policy advisor for the deputy U.S. assistant secretary of Indian affairs, EchoHawk, Antoinette Houle, representative from the BIA-Horton agency, Dan Deerinwater, regional director from the Southern Plains region office in Anadarko, Okla., and Robin Bellmard, superintendant of the BIA-Horton agency.