The Gaming Commission welcomed new hires this summer in Guymon, OK.
Huston Garcia (Administrative Assistant)
Hello! My name is Huston Garcia, I grew up in Guymon. I have two daughters (11-year-old and 7-month-old). I’m so very thankful for this new opportunity to serve the Shawnee Tribe as an Administrative Assistant for the Gaming Commission. I have also enjoyed working in gaming for Golden Mesa Casino for the last three (3) years. The casino has given me many opportunities to learn and grow professionally. I’m also continuing my education at Oklahoma Panhandle State University in Goodwell, OK.
Natasha Minter (Compliance Officer)
My name is Natasha Minter and I joined the Shawnee Tribe Gaming Commission on July 5, 2022. I moved back to Oklahoma from Wisconsin in 2019 and started working at Golden Mesa Casino as a security officer. I worked my way up to Security Supervisor and then Operations Supervisor, before coming to the Shawnee Tribe Gaming Commission. I found that I really have a passion for the gaming industry and have made it my personal goal to learn and advance as much as possible. The past few years have been an amazing experience and I am looking forward to many more years with the Shawnee Tribe.
Leslie Baker (Internal Auditor)
*Not pictured*
Leslie worked for the Golden Mesa Casino for almost three (3) years as the Senior Accounting Clerk. She was responsible for revenue audit, gaming and vault reconciliation, game reporting accuracy, and other accounting clerk duties. She has a bachelor’s in Animal Science and Biological Science from Oklahoma Panhandle State University.
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EXPLORE the Tribe’s Golden Mesa Casino.
ONE CITIZEN’S JOURNEY THROUGH HIGHER EDUCATION, CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND HOMEOWNERSHIP Shawnee tribal citizen Michael Cedrone lives in Texas, where he works as Head of Human Resources at GBC Food Services. Cedrone attributes his success to the tribe’s educational, career and housing support programs. His professional journey began at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, TX, […]
During General Council weekend (September 20-21), the Shawnee Tribe hosted Firaxis Games’ Pete Murray (Learning & Development Manager) and Lead Producer Andrew Frederiksen, developers of Sid Meier’s Civilization VII, due to be released next February. Murray and Frederiksen kicked off their Shawnee visit with attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new Emma “Mock” Donaldson saawanwaatoweewika […]
Messages from the Chiefs – Fall 2024: It’s a US Election Day! Chief Barnes highlights the importance of voting in every election, local to federal, and Chief Baldridge reflects on the earliest days of his service on the Business Council compared to where we are today.
Shawnee language classes will resume for the 2025 calendar year on Monday, January 6! Self-paced learners and those hoping to participate in live classes should contact the Shawnee Language Immersion Program team (SLIP) to begin enrollment. SLIP will work with each individual student to place them in the appropriate course(s) based on their learning preferences […]
On Friday, September 20, tribal citizens and community members gathered to celebrate the grand opening of the Shawnee Tribe’s newest facility and cultural resource—the Emma “Mock” Donaldson saawanwaatoweewika (Shawnee language house). A little more than ten minutes east of central Miami, OK, the facility boasts a large, open gathering space with high ceilings and a […]
On October 15, the Governor of Ohio, Mike DeWine and his wife, First Lady Frances “Fran” DeWine traveled to Miami, OK to visit with various Shawnee Tribal programs and leadership. “We were honored to receive Governor DeWine and his wife at our Shawnee language house, Cultural Center, and Administrative offices,” said Chief Ben Barnes. “We […]
In September, the Shawnee Tribe’s Gaming Commission staff received safety training from City of Guymon professionals including; Fire Marshall Jason Bond, Fire Chief Scott Lathrop, 911 Director Justin Carnagey, and Police Sergeant Jacob Bankston. “It was a very productive training day and was well received by the Gaming Commission staff,” said Otis Hughs, Executive Director […]
GILA RIVER, Ariz.—Chief Ben Barnes attended today’s event on the reservation of the Gila River Indian Community, where President Joe Biden delivered a historic speech and a formal presidential apology for 150 years of federal Indian boarding school policies which he called “a shame” and “a blot on American history.” “I’m delighted that President Biden’s […]