Governor Lewis Elected Secretary of National Congress of American Indians

Submitted by 

Executive Office

On Wednesday, February 2, 2022, Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis was elected Secretary of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), during a special election to fill a vacancy for the position. 

After being sworn in as Secretary, Gov. Lewis said of his appointment: “I am honored to be elected to serve as Secretary of the National Congress of American Indians.”

About the impact NCAI has on tribal communities he said, “NCAI holds a special place for me as the history of NCAI is intertwined with [our] growth as Tribal Nations across Indian Country to find ways to unify and strengthen our collective voice in ways that elevate our relationship with our federal partners.”

NCAI is the oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the United States.  NCAI’s mission is to advocate on behalf of tribal governments and tribal communities to promote strong government-to-government policies. 

Gov. Lewis was elected to the NCAI Board to serve as Area Vice President for the Western Region during the virtual Annual Meeting last October.  When the vacancy occurred, Gov. Lewis was asked by other tribal leaders to consider running for the Secretary position and he was unanimously elected to the post, which will run through October of 2023.

In looking at what the new position means, “After watching NCAI’s recent growth and rebuilding, I decided that I wanted to be part of the strong and committed board and know that, by working together, we will advance tribal sovereignty and usher in a new era of self-determination,” said Gov. Lewis.