Kimberly Teehee

Kimberly Teehee
Kimberly Teehee, White House Senior Policy Advisor for Native American Affairs, in 2010 supporting the Tribal Law and Order Act
White House Senior Policy Advisor for Native American Affairs
In office
2009–2012
Appointed by Barack Obama
Personal details
Political party Democratic
Alma mater Northeastern State University

Kimberly Teehee is an advocate and lobbyist on Native American issues. She served as senior policy adviser for Native American affairs in the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama from 2009-2012.[1]

Background and education

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

Teehee is a graduate of Northeastern State University, where she 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.[2] She was awarded a Bureau of National Affairs Award.[3]

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. She then served as an advisor to Democratic Congressman Dale Kildee of Michigan.[2][3]

Tribal Energy Summit (5693372941)

In the Obama administration she served on the White House Domestic Policy Council.[4] 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.[3]

In 2012, she accepted "a position with Mapetsi Policy Group, a small legal and lobbying firm, founded by tribal advocate Debbie Ho with the aim of preserving tribal sovereignty."[5] Her successor as Senior Policy Advisor for Native American Affairs was Jodi Gillette.[5]

During her tenure at the White House, she played a major role in securing reauthorization 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.[6]

In 2014, Teehee joined Cherokee Nation Businesses, where she will serve as vice president of special projects for the tribe's holding company.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "President Obama Announces Kimberly Teehee as Senior Policy Advisor for Native American Affairs | The White House". Retrieved 2009-10-29.
  2. 1 2 3 "Obama Names Cherokee as Native Policy Adviser". Reznet News. Archived from the original on 2009-06-18. Retrieved 2009-10-29.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Toensing, Gale Courey. "‘Elated and excited’: Teehee named Obama’s senior advisor on Indian affairs." Indian Country Today. 18 June 2009 (retrieved 11 July 2010)
  4. ↑ "Welcome to Northeastern State University, Tahlequah Campus". Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2009-10-29.
  5. 1 2 "President Obama Announces Jodi Gillette Appointment, Replacing Kimberly Teehee". Indian Country Today Media Network. 2012-04-28. Retrieved 2013-04-19.
  6. ↑ "Cherokee Nation citizen honored for role in VAWA reauthorization." Cherokee Nation. September 2, 2015. Accessed January 27, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Cherokee Nation hires former White House advisor Kim Teehee." Indianz.com. September 25, 2014. Accessed January 27, 2018.


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