For Immediate Release
Contact: Shawn Pensoneau
(202) 632-7003
Tracie Stevens Sworn In as NIGC Chair
Washington, DC June 30, 2010 — Yesterday Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar swore in Tracie Stevens as Chairwoman of the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC or Commission).Tracie, a member of the Tulalip Tribes of Washington, is the first Native American woman to chair the Commission. She joins NIGC Vice Chairwoman Steffani Cochran and Associate Commissioner Dan Little.
Stevens said “I am honored to be Chairwoman of the National Indian Gaming Commission and look forward to working with Vice Chairwoman Cochran, Associate Commissioner Little and the Commission staff as well as collaborating with Tribes to work on issues facing the Indian gaming industry. By working together on all levels, we can better safeguard an industry that is so vitally important to many communities throughout Indian
country.”
Stevens has built an extensive background throughout Indian country in various capacities. Prior to becoming NIGC Chairwoman, Stevens served as Senior Advisor to Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs Larry Echo Hawk. In this role, Stevens provided policy guidance to the Assistant Secretary regarding tribal issues such as gaming, law enforcement, energy, consultation, economic development, land-into-trust, tribal government disputes, budget priorities, and treaty and natural resource rights.
“Tracie Stevens brings to the Commission a wealth of expertise and experience from a distinguished career working on both tribal government and gaming issues,” Salazar said. “She will be an outstanding chair of the National Indian Gaming Commission.”
In 2003, Stevens served as a legislative policy analyst in the Tulalip’s government affairs office. She represented the Tulalips in negotiations updating gambling compacts between the state of Washington and all federally recognized tribes in the state. In 2006, Stevens was elevated to senior policy analyst, a position she held until 2009.
While working for the Tribe, Stevens also served as the Chair of the gaming committee for the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (2003-2009), as secretary of the board of directors for the Washington Indian Gaming Association (2002-2009) and as the northwest delegate for the National Indian Gaming Association (2003-2009).
Stevens received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Sciences from the University of Washington-Seattle. Stevens and her family reside in western Maryland.
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The NIGC is an independent regulatory agency established within the Department of the Interior pursuant to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988.
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