Tribal Technical Advisory Committee (TTAC)
The Tribal Technical Advisory Committee helps build and maintain SAMHSA’s government-to-government relationship with American Indian and Alaska Native tribes.
About TTAC
In 2008, in recognition of Presidential Executive Orders and Memorandum on Tribal Consultation, SAMHSA formed the Tribal Technical Advisory Committee (TTAC). SAMHSA established this committee to enhance the government-to-government relationship and to honor the Federal responsibilities and obligations to Tribes and American Indian and Alaska Native people.
The SAMHSA TTAC membership is comprised of 14 elected Tribal leaders from federally recognized Tribes. The SAMHSA TTAC provides a venue wherein Tribal leadership and SAMHSA staff can exchange information about public health issues, identify urgent mental health and substance abuse needs, and discuss collaborative approaches to addressing these behavioral health issues and needs.
Council Charter
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has adopted a Tribal Consultation Policy that applies to all HHS Divisions and includes SAMHSA. The HHS Tribal Consultation Policy (PDF | 190 KB) directs Divisions to establish a process to ensure accountable, meaningful, and timely input by Tribal officials in the development of policies that have Tribal implications.
Pursuant to Presidential Executive Order No. 13175, November 6, 2000, and the Presidential memoranda of September 23, 2004, November 5, 2009, and January 26, 2021, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) adopted a Tribal Consultation Policy that applies to all HHS operating and staff divisions, including SAMHSA. The HHS Tribal Consultation Policy directs operating divisions to establish a process to ensure accountable, meaningful, and timely input by Tribal officials in the development of policies that have tribal implications.
Consistent with the HHS Tribal Consultation Policy, SAMHSA established the SAMHSA TTAC as one method of enhancing communications with Tribal Nations. The SAMHSA TTAC Charter complies with an exemption within section 204(b) of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) (Pub. L. 104-4) to the Federal Advisory Committee Act that promotes free communication between the federal government and tribal governments. In accordance with this exemption, the SAMHSA TTAC facilitates the exchange of views, information, or advice between federal officials and elected or traditionally appointed officers of tribal governments acting in their official capacities (or their designated employees with authority to act on their behalf).
Committee Roster
CAPT Karen Hearod
Director
Office of Tribal Affairs and Policy
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Rockville, MD 20852
Primary Delegate – Mary Ann Mills
Alternate Delegate – Marilyn Andon
Technical Support – Alberta Unok
Technical Support – Seth Green, Ph.D.
Mary Ann Mills
Council Member
Kenaitze Indian Tribe
150 North Willow Street
Kenai, AK 99611
Marilyn Andon
Health Services Deputy Director
Tanana Chiefs Conference
201 1st Ave., Ste. 300
Fairbanks, AK 99701
Alberta Unok
(Village of Kotlik)
Chief Operating Officer
Alaska Native Health Board
Seth Green, Ph.D.
Behavioral Health Director
Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association
Anchorage, AK 99503
Primary Delegate – Dillon Shije
Alternate Delegate – Jacqueline Platero
Dillon Shije
Tribal Councilman, Pueblo of Zia
1219 Zia Blvd
Zia Pueblo, NM, 87053
Jacqueline Platero
Board Representative
P.O. Box 3353
Tohajiilee, NM 87026
Primary Delegate – Vacant
Alternate Delegate – Vacant
Primary Delegate – Lenore Myers-Nault
Alternate Delegate – James Steele Jr.
Lenore Myers-Nault
Tribal Business Committee
Chippewa Cree Tribe
96 Clinic Road North
Box Elder, MT 59521
James Steele Jr.
Treasurer/Councilmember
Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation
P.O. Box 278
Pablo, MT 59855
Primary Delegate – Juana Majel-Dixon
Alternate Delegate – Vacant
Juana Majel-Dixon
TTAC Co-Chair
Legislative Council
Pauma Band of Mission Indians
P.O. Box 734
Pauma Valley, CA 92025
Primary Delegate – Sonia Weston
Alternate Delegate – Peter Lengkeek
Technical Support – Jerilyn Church
Technical Support – Tosa Two Heart
Sonia Weston
Wakpamni Councilmember
Oglala Sioux Tribe
P.O. Box 2070 / Highway 18 Main Street
Pine Ridge, SD, 57770
Peter Lengkeek
Chairman
Crow Creek Sioux Tribe
P.O. Box 485
Fort Thompson, SD 57339
Jerilyn Church
Executive Director
Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s Health Board
Tosa Two Heart
Director of Community Behavioral Health
Great Plains Tribal Chairmen's Health Board
Primary Delegate – Beverly Cook
Alternate Delegate – Paulette Voiselle
Technical Support – Annie Bero
Beverly Cook
Tribal Chief
Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe
71 Margaret Terrance Memorial Way
Akwesasne, NY 13655
Paulette Voiselle
Council Member
Tunica Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana
PO Box 1589
Marksville, LA 71351
Primary Delegate – Dr. Buu Nygren
Alternate Delegate – Curtis Yanito
Technical Support – Dr. Michelle Brandser
Dr. Buu Nygren
President
The Navajo Nation
PO Box 7440
Window Rock, AZ 86515
Curtis Yanito
Delegate, HEHSC
25th Navajo Nation Council
P.O. Box 3390
Window Rock, AZ 86515
Dr. Michelle Brandser
Health Services Administrator
Division of Behavioral and Mental Health
Primary Delegate – Jack Austin Jr.
Alternate Delegate – Vacant
Technical Support – D. Shauna Humphreys, MS, LPC
Jack Austin Jr.
Assistant Chief
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
P.O. Box 1210
Durant, OK 74702
D. Shauna Humphreys, MS, LPC
Director of Behavioral Health
Choctaw Nation of OK
Primary Delegate – Vacant
Alternate Delegate – Vacant
Primary Delegate – Marilyn M. Scott (Whe-Che-Litsa)
Alternate Delegate – Jeremy (J.J) Wilbur
Technical Support – Candace Jimenez
Technical Support – Sarah Sullivan
Marilyn M. Scott (Whe-Che-Litsa)
Chairwoman
Upper Skagit Indian Tribe
25944 Community Plaza Way
Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284
Jeremy (J.J) Wilbur
Senator
Swinomish Tribe
11404 Moorage Way
La Conner, Washington 98257
Candace Jimenez
Technical Advisor
Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs
Chief of Staff/Health Policy Analyst
Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (NPAIHB)
Primary Delegate – Vacant
Alternate Delegate – Vacant
Primary Delegate – Del Beaver
Del Beaver
Second Chief
Muscogee (Creek) Nation
Clan: Aktvyahcvlke
Tribal Town: New Tulsa
PO Box 580
Okmulgee, OK 74447
Nomination and Membership for the TTAC
The TTAC composition and selection process is described in the TTAC Charter. Information regarding membership can be addressed to Karen Hearod, Director of the Office of Tribal Affairs and Policy (OTAP) at karen.hearod@samsha.hhs.gov. Learn more about the open TTAC Committee Positions.