Skip to main content

Tribal and Indigenous Advisory Council

New Member Nominations

GAO will endeavor to ensure that the membership of the TIAC is balanced in terms of points of view, demographics, geographics, and other characteristics of Tribes and Indigenous communities represented. Appointments shall be made without discrimination on the basis of age, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or cultural, religious, or socioeconomic status.  GAO appointed six new members to the Tribal and Indigenous Advisory Council (TIAC) effective September 2025. Read our Announcement for New Members.

Jump To:

Overview

GAO’s Tribal and Indigenous Advisory Council is composed of tribal and indigenous leaders who provide advice to GAO in carrying out its mission to support Congress. Given the broad design of federal programs, in addition to leaders of federally recognized Tribal Nations, GAO also seeks perspectives from representatives of other Indigenous people served by federal programs. This includes a representative of a state-recognized tribe, an Alaska Native Corporation, and an organization representing Native Hawaiian communities.

GAO conducts reviews of federal agencies and programs, including those that serve Tribes, their citizens, and descendants. (GAO generally does not audit Tribes' activities.) GAO reviews span a broad range of topics of concern to Tribes, including health care, education, economic development, environmental protection, justice, and infrastructure, among others.

The TIAC advises GAO on vital and emerging issues affecting Tribal Nations and their citizens and informs GAO’s strategic goals and priorities with respect to the agency’s related work. Among other things, this may include:

  • Alerting GAO to emerging factors or circumstances of interest or concern;
  • Providing advice to GAO on building its internal capacity for tribal work and GAO’s processes for working with Tribes;
  • Providing advice on GAO’s development of strategic goals and objectives regarding its tribal work;
  • Helping identify relevant tribal stakeholders to ensure GAO tribal work includes a diverse range of tribal perspectives; and
  • Providing perspectives on new and ongoing GAO tribal work.

Council Members (as of September 2025)

Cheryl Andrews-Maltais, Chairwoman, Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head Aquinnah (term expires 2028)

Tehassi tasi Hill, Chairman, Oneida Nation (term expires 2028)

Erica Schenk, Chairwoman, Cahuilla Band of Indians (term expires 2027)

Tracy Charles-Smith, President, Native Village of Dot Lake (term expires 2028)

Rick L. Harrison, Vice President, Chickaloon Village Traditional Council (term expires 2028)

Thomas Cupis, Treasurer, Pascua Yaqui Tribe (term expires 2028)

Ronette Stanton, Secretary, Kenaitze Indian Tribe (term expires 2028)

Myra Pickering, Second Member, Tribal Council, Otoe-Missouria Tribe (term expires 2027)

Juliann Spotted Bear, Councilwoman, Oglala Sioux Tribe (term expires 2028)

Phillip Williams, Council Member, Yurok Tribe (term expires 2027)

Scott Freeny, Senior Legal Director, Division of Commerce, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (term expires 2027)

Kasie Nichols, Senior Financial Policy Advisor, Chickasaw Nation (term expires 2028)

Virginia “Ginger” Fuata, Consumer Board Member, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, Native Hawaiian Communities (term expires 2028)

Nicole Borromeo, President, Alaska Native Settlement Claims Act Regional Corporation (term expires 2028)

Contacts

Contact TIAC@gao.gov, Estelle Bowman (bowmane@gao.gov or 202-512-9220) or Paige Gilbreath (gilbreathp@gao.gov or 214-777-5724) with questions.

Visit GAO’s Tribal and Native American Issues web page for more information.