Team Shawnee welcomes its most recent recruits –
Joshua Shawnee – March 10, 2022 (start date), Administrative Assistant
Joshua Shawnee was born in Miami, OK. He grew up “all over northeastern Oklahoma” and graduated from Grove High School. Joshua holds degrees in theology from St. Gregory’s University in Shawnee and Phillips Seminary in Tulsa. Joshua also holds a masters in archives administration from Emporia State University in Kansas. He enjoys music, hiking, cooking, and reading, and is a self-described “history nerd.” Joshua is a proud member of the Shawnee Tribe and says that he is “honored to have this opportunity to serve the Shawnee people.”
Amber Prewett – January 3, 2022 (start date), Tribal Accounting Liaison
Amber is a lifelong resident of Miami, Oklahoma whose career has revolved around community service and civic-mindedness. She is a member of the Seneca Cayuga Nation. In her free time, Amber enjoys hiking, biking, and anything that involves nature and animals. Amber says, “I am so excited and very honored to be working for the Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma and its members.”
Brittany Crowe – January 3, 2022 (start date), Program Assistant
Brittany graduated from Missouri Southern with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Health & Safety in 2018. Throughout her journey since graduating, she found that she really enjoys being able to give back and do good for people, which is what led her to the Shawnee Tribe. Brittany loves animals and lives on a small farm and she is a fun motivated and positive person.
The 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree will be harvested from Monongahela National Forest, which is part of the Shawnee ancestral homeland. The tribe’s THPO is teaming up with National Forest staff to ensure the Capitol Tree includes representation of the Shawnee Tribe. On Friday, September 15 at our General Council dinner & stomp festivities in […]
Early voting by absentee ballot (vote-by-mail) is offered in 2023. All voted ballots must be received by the Election Committee by 5:00 PM (Central) on the Thursday before the election, September 14. Voters may return their ballots by mail or deliver the ballot in person to the Election Committee. Any citizen participating in early or […]
CHIEF BEN BARNES As the celebration of Independence Day fades into the background, this is the time of year that the Business Council begins to look toward the next fiscal year and plan programming for Shawnee families. We generally have two sorts of programs: those that come from federal funding sources and those that are […]
In February of 2023, the Shawnee Tribe Business Council approved a revision to Title 6, The Shawnee Tribe Elections Act. This amendment of…
MORRIS BLUEJACKET HOMETOWN: BLUEJACKET, OK CURRENT CITY: BLUEJACKET, OK OCCUPATION: RETIRED Born in Vinita raised in BlueJacket. Graduate of BlueJacket High School. I am married to Pattie (McLain) BlueJacket for 46 years. We have One son Tab & wife Tiffany, 5 Grandchildren. I have worked in state & county government for the past 34 years, […]
HEIDI BIGKNIFE RANKIN HOMETOWN: DENVER, CO CURRENT CITY: TULSA, OK OCCUPATION: ARTIST Hatito or hello friends and fellow citizens, I am Heidi BigKnife. My Shawnee roots stretch from Vinita, Oklahoma to our tribal lands in Kansas and Ohio. I am an artist and live and work in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Most of my art practice is […]
BEN BARNES (Incumbent) HOMETOWN: MIAMI, OK CURRENT CITY: MIAMI, OK OCCUPATION: CHIEF OF THE SHAWNEE TRIBE For over 25 years, I have served in leadership roles in Indian Country, professionally at director-level positions in Tribal Gaming. Since 2008, it has been a true honor and privilege to work for my own community, working to bring […]
Shawnee Tribe Behavioral and Mental Health invites you to join an upcoming trauma support group centered around the book The Body Keeps the Score by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk.