Kim Teehee, a member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, said she is "elated and excited" to serve as the first-ever Indian senior policy advisor for Native American affairs at the White House.
Teehee, a former House staffer, is expected to start work on July 1. "Like many Native families, they know what it feels like to struggle, especially in these challenging times," she told Indian Country Today. "They are thrilled that President Obama is committed to improving the lives of Native Americans.”
Teehee won praise from Ernie Stevens Jr., the chairman of the National Indian Gaming Association. "She has her feet fully planted in Indian country and knows the critical domestic issues our Indian people face today," he said. "I am confident she will represent the best interests of all of Indian country in the White House.”
Obama promised to create the position during his campaign and also said he would host a Tribal Nations Conference, scheduled to take place this fall.
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