UKB Leaders Focus on Health, Sovereignty at Tribal Self-Governance Conference

By Troy Littledeer | UKB Media Director

UKB Transit's Toni Workman and Holly Noel at the Self-Governance Conference (Troy Littledeer Photo).

CHANDLER, Ariz. — United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians officials joined tribal leaders from across the country last week to expand health care access, strengthen tribal sovereignty, and build new federal partnerships during the 2025 Tribal Self-Governance Conference.

Held April 7 to 10 at the Wild Horse Pass Resort and Casino, the annual event was hosted by the Gila River Indian Community and organized by the Self-Governance Communication and Education Tribal Consortium. This year’s gathering marked the 50th anniversary of the 1975 Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, which gave tribes greater control over their own government programs.

The UKB delegation included council representatives Clifford Wofford, Donald Adair, Janelle Adair, Tishaleta Guevara, Treasurer Sonja Gourd, Secretary Caleb Grimmett-Smith along with UKB legal adviser Bryan Shade and UKB Department directors. They met with federal officials, tribal advocates and other Native leaders to explore strategies for improving services in health care, housing, education and public safety.

Health and wellness were central to the conference agenda. U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoke with tribal leaders about efforts to prevent chronic illnesses such as diabetes. He also heard calls from tribal officials to restore funding for the CDC’s Healthy Tribes program, which supports traditional wellness practices in Native communities.

UKB leaders used the event to build on their 2024 agreement with the Indian Health Service, which expanded the tribe’s control over Purchased and Referred Care services. They discussed ways to incorporate traditional healing at the UKB Wellness Center in Tahlequah and participated in workshops focused on expanding clinic services.

Sessions also addressed housing development, grant opportunities and public safety. UKB officials explored new funding avenues to support goals laid out by Assistant Chief Amos Ketcher during the tribe’s January inauguration. They also met with other tribal law enforcement agencies, including Lighthorse Police departments, to share strategies for strengthening tribal jurisdiction.

The Department of the Interior recently reaffirmed UKB’s law enforcement authority, further supporting the tribe’s legal standing as a co-successor to the Cherokee Reservation.

UKB leaders said the conference provided critical tools and relationships to help guide their 2025 priorities, with a continued focus on expanding health services, securing federal funding and protecting tribal sovereignty.