For the first time, the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi has elected a woman as its Tribal Chair.
Rebecca J. Richards has been elected Tribal Chairwoman, Sam Morseau has been elected Secretary, Mark Topash has been elected Member At Large, and Barbara Ann Warren has been elected Elders Representative. Chairwoman Richards placed first in a race that prominently featured three female candidates and has become the first female Chairwoman of the Pokagon Band since the Tribe received its federal restoration in 1994. Past Chairman Matthew Wesaw did not seek reelection.
New Pokagon Band Tribal Council members pictured from left to right: Sam Morseau, Secretary; Rebecca Richards, Tribal Chairwoman; Barbara Ann Warren, Elders Representative; and Mark Topash, Member At Large.
The Pokagon Tribal Council governs the sovereign government of the Pokagon Band and contains 11 members who are elected to staggered, three-year terms by Pokagon Citizens. Any adult Pokagon Citizen can run for Tribal Council. Within the Tribal Council, the executive officers include positions of Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. Pokagon Tribal Council Members also serve on the Pokagon Gaming Authority, which oversees the Pokagon Band’s Four Winds Casinos.
Richards said, “I’m looking forward to working with members of our Tribal Council and our wonderful staff to pioneer a new path for our people – one that leads to better outcomes for every member of our Nation and ensures our future together. It’s not lost on me that there’s a new era in politics at all levels of government today where women are in the driver’s seat. I think this election is a real testament to the notion that women of all colors and creeds are considered seriously as trailblazers. I’m excited to implement a style of leadership that puts the welfare of all members of our Nation first.”
Richards is a third generation member of the Pokagon Band. She was raised in Hartford, Michigan and is a 1993 graduate of Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. Upon graduation from college, Richards moved to Hawaii and worked as an executive for Geico Insurance but returned to Michigan when the Pokagon Band was granted federal recognition in 1994. Since 1995, she has served as Assistant Government Manager for the Band, leaving for a short stint as a grant manager at the Kellogg Foundation in Kalamazoo before being elected Chairwoman.
