Kimberly Teehee

Kimberly Teehee is an American attorney, activist, and lobbyist on Native American issues. She is a Delegate-designate to the U.S. House of Representatives from the Cherokee Nation. She served as senior policy advisor for Native American affairs in the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2012.[1] In February of 2020, she was named by Time as one of their 16 top activists fighting for a "More Equal America." [2]

Kimberly Teehee
Delegate to the
U.S. House of Representatives
from the Cherokee Nation
Designee
Assuming office
TBD
SucceedingConstituency established
Personal details
Born (1966-03-02) March 2, 1966
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationRogers State University (AA)
Northeastern State University (BA)
University of Iowa (JD)

Early life and education

A member of the Cherokee Nation, she was born on March 2, 1966 in Chicago, Illinois, but grew up in Claremore, Oklahoma, where she and her family are fluent Cherokee language speakers.[3][4]

Teehee is a graduate of Rogers State University, where she received an associate's degree,[5] and of Northeastern State University, where she was graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree in Political Science in 1991. She earned her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1995.[6] She was awarded a Bureau of National Affairs Award.[4]

Career

Teehee served as the first deputy director of Native American Outreach for the Democratic National Committee and director of Native American outreach for President Bill Clinton's 1997 inauguration.[6][4] Starting in 1998, she then served as Senior Advisor to Democratic Congressman Dale Kildee of Michigan, who was a co-chair of the Native American Caucus in the House of Representatives.[3]

Tribal Energy Summit

In the Obama administration she served on the White House Domestic Policy Council.[7] Beginning July 2009, she assumed the new position of Senior Policy Advisor for Native American Affairs and advised the president about issues pertaining to Indian country.[4]

In 2012, she accepted "a position with the Mapetsi Policy Group, a small legal and lobbying firm founded by tribal advocate, Debbie Ho, with the aim of preserving tribal sovereignty."[8]

During her tenure at the White House, she played a major role in securing re-authorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). In 2015, after leaving the White House, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians honored her for her work on VAWA, especially as it related to prosecuting non-natives who abuse native women on tribal lands.[9]

In 2014, Teehee joined Cherokee Nation Businesses, where she served as vice president of special projects for the tribe's holding company.[10]

Delegate-nominee to Congress

In August 2019, Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. appointed Teehee as the Cherokee Nation's first-ever delegate to the United States House of Representatives.[11] Her appointment was approved by the Cherokee Council on August 29.[12] The Nation's right to send a delegate to Congress was provided for in the Treaty of Hopewell of 1785 and the Treaty of New Echota of 1835;[13] however, the right was not exercised until 2019. The U.S. House of Representatives will have to vote to seat Teehee as a delegate similar to those representing the U.S. territories.[14] If accepted, her role will be non-voting, similar to those of representatives from Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands.[15] As of January 2021, the Cherokee Nation was still attempting to have Teehee be seated.[16][17]

References
  1. "President Obama Announces Kimberly Teehee as Senior Policy Advisor for Native American Affairs | The White House". Retrieved 2009-10-29.
  2. TIME Magazine
  3. Alexander, Kerri Lee. "Kimberly Teehee". National Women's History Museum. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  4. Toensing, Gale Courey (June 18, 2009). "'Elated and excited': Teehee named Obama's senior advisor on Indian affairs". Indian Country Today. Archived from the original on June 28, 2009. Retrieved July 11, 2010.
  5. NSUOK.edu: "NSU Alumna Named Obama Senior Policy Advisor" (archive)
  6. "Obama Names Cherokee as Native Policy Adviser". Reznet News. Archived from the original on 2009-06-18. Retrieved 2009-10-29.
  7. "Welcome to Northeastern State University, Tahlequah Campus". Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2009-10-29.
  8. "President Obama Announces Jodi Gillette Appointment, Replacing Kimberly Teehee". Indian Country Today Media Network. 2012-04-28. Retrieved 2013-04-19.
  9. "Cherokee Nation Citizen Honored for Role in VAWA Reauthorization"; webpage; September 2, 2015; Cherokee Nation online; accessed January 27, 2018.
  10. "Cherokee Nation Hires Former White House Advisor Kim Teehee"; September 25, 2014; webpage; Indianz.com; accessed January 27, 2018.
  11. "Cherokee Nation Seeks Congressional Delegate". www.newson6.com. Retrieved 2019-08-19.
  12. "Cherokee Council Approves Congressional Nominee and Others". KWGS Public Radio Tulsa. Tulsa, Oklahoma. August 30, 2019. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  13. Budryk, Zack (August 25, 2019). "Cherokee Nation moves to appoint congressional delegate". Roll Call. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  14. Krehbiel-Burton, Lenzy (August 23, 2019). "Citing treaties, Cherokees call on Congress to seat delegate from tribe". Tulsa World. Tulsa, Oklahoma. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
  15. Katz, Brigit (4 September 2019). "Kimberly Teehee Will Be the Cherokee Nation's First Delegate to Congress". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  16. "A Treaty Right For Cherokee Representation : Code Switch". NPR.org. Retrieved 2020-10-29.
  17. Trahant, Mark. "A 200-year-old promise". IndianCountryToday.com. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
U.S. House of Representatives
New constituency Delegate-designee of the U.S. House of Representatives
from the Cherokee Nation
2019–present		 Incumbent
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