Welcome!
Vanessa Boney – Administrative Assistant
I am so happy to be here working with all of you. I am a former correctional officer and mental health tech. I have a degree in Criminal Justice. I have wanted to work with tribal citizens for a long time. This is the perfect opportunity to help my community and help this tribe grow! I look forward to meeting you if I haven’t already!
Kyle Miller-Shawnee – Community Resource Liaison
My name is Kyle Miller-Shawnee. I am a Cherokee Nation citizen honored to be married to a Shawnee tribal member – particularly as I now begin work as the Community Resource Liaison expanding access to resources for tribal citizens. I come to the Shawnee Tribe with previous work creating and directing services to a diverse group of graduate-level students at Phillips Theological Seminary and before that, to tribal youth at the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. With a Master of Arts in Social Justice degree, and as a current Master of Science in Clinical Counseling student, deep listening to empower native lives and voices is a both skill and a passion for me. I am honored to serve the citizens of the Shawnee Tribe as I work alongside many others toward our shared goal of creating, expanding, and coordinating services.
Erin Paden – Tribal Historic Preservation Officer
My name is Erin Paden, and I am the new Tribal Historic Preservation Specialist. I have a Master’s degree in Anthropology from Arizona State and a Bachelor’s from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. I grew up in the Oklahoma Panhandle, 60 miles west of Guymon. I’m extremely excited to be working with the Shawnee Tribe.
Lila Roach – Summer Intern
I just finished my first year at the University of Minnesota, studying Chemistry. I have been taking Shawnee language classes with the Shawnee Tribe for two years. I like reading, cooking, and taking care of plants in my spare time.
BrookLynn Sorrell – Summer Intern
Hato! I am BrookLynn. I am a mom to an energetic six year old boy. I am a senior at Northeastern State University studying History. I hope to work in a museum one day preserving cultural artifacts. I am thankful that I was chosen for this internship and the opportunity to represent my tribe!
Chloe Tyner-White – Summer Intern
Hato! My name is Chloe Tyner-White; I am Shawnee, Absentee Shawnee, and Seneca- Cayuga. I graduated from Quapaw High School in Spring 2020 and that fall I had my first semester at Northeastern State University. I plan to graduate with a B.S. in Psychology and a B.A. in American Indian Studies in two years. I love to go to powwows, stomp dances, and ceremonies with my family! I also like going to my Native American Church meetings and help with cooking.
The Shawnee Tribe’s Behavioral Health Program is providing information in January for Stalking Awareness Month. Stalking is a serious and often misunderstood form of victimization. It involves a pattern of behaviors that would cause a reasonable person to fear for their safety or experience significant emotional distress. Stalking is not rare, and it is not […]
Tire recycling (or rubber recycling) is the process of collecting worn-out tires and reprocessing them into useful materials instead of letting them take up space in landfills. Because tires are durable and don’t break down easily, recycling them protects the environment, reduces fire risks, and eliminates potential mosquito-breeding sites in improperly disposed tire piles. Common […]
For many people, the holiday season brings connection, celebration, and routine changes. But for survivors of domestic violence or past trauma, this time of year can also bring unexpected emotional challenges. Increased stress, family expectations, and sensory triggers can intensify anxiety, depression, and symptoms of PTSD. Holiday environments can activate the brain’s trauma pathways. Sensory […]
Common E-Waste Items: Why does it matter? Key Facts: Sources: World Health Organization
On Saturday, September 20, during the Annual Meeting of the Tribal Council, former Shawnee Chief Ron Sparkman gave a history and retrospective. In 2019, the Business Council gave Sparkman the title of Ambassador to the Shawnee Tribe. He served as Chief from 2001 to 2019. “We have come a long, long way,” said Ambassador Sparkman. […]
WHY SHOULD I RECYCLE? HOW DO I RECYCLE? Sources: earth911.com
by A. Gwynn Henderson and David Pollack The original mouth of the Scioto River, in what is now southern Ohio, is far from Oklahoma. So far, perhaps, it has been forgotten. But important events in Shawnee history—in the mid-1700s and thousands of years earlier—took place there. Two painted panels on Portsmouth, Ohio’s floodwall highlight its […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MIAMI, OK — The Shawnee Tribe has declared a state of emergency and released emergency funds to assist citizens who may lose access to food assistance following the federal government’s suspension of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The U.S. Department of Agriculture notified the Tribe on October 22 that SNAP operations will […]