January 20, 2015
The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation has sworn into office new Tribal Chairman Leland Kinter and its re-elected Tribal Officers and Council Members. The five member Tribal Council will lead the sovereign nation for the next three years.
· Leland Kinter – Tribal Chairman.
· James Kinter – Second term as Tribal Secretary, third term on Council.
· Anthony Roberts – Fourth term as Tribal Treasurer, sixth term on Council.
· Mia Durham – Third term as Council Member.
· Matthew Lowell, Jr. – Second term as Council Member.
“I am honored and humbled the Yocha Dehe citizens have chosen me as Tribal Chairman,” said Chairman Kinter. “Our nation has made great strides to rebuild and sustain our culture and provide a strong, secure future for generations to come. But, we still have much to do. I look forward to working closely with my fellow Council Members and our citizens – whose work on governing committees is essential to our success – to ensure we continue building an enduring and sustainable community.”
Chairman Kinter served as a Council Member from 1994 to 1999 and as Tribal Secretary from 2009 through 2012. He left the Council in 2012 to focus his full attention on leading Yocha Dehe’s efforts to restore the Tribe’s culture and its innovative programs to revive the Patwin language. A recognized leader in Native language education, Chairman Kinter has earned a California teaching credential for the instruction of Patwin.
“As leaders of our Tribe, one of our most important roles is to continually prepare the next generation for leadership,” said Chairman Kinter. “My election as Chairman speaks proudly to the work of the exemplary leaders who preceded me. I would particularly like to thank outgoing Chairman Marshall McKay for his tireless dedication, his commitment to mentoring the Tribe’s next generation and his statesmanship that gave our Tribe a strong public voice. Our former leaders are vital parts of who we are and their experience and knowledge continue to be important to our Tribe.”
Under the Tribe’s constitution, elections for Chairman, Tribal Secretary, Tribal Treasurer and two Council Members are held every three years. Leaders are chosen through open nominations and a popular vote of the adult citizens of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation.
The Yocha Dehe Tribal Council is the governing body of the Tribe. It oversees all areas of the tribal government and its businesses, evaluating and making final decisions on the recommendations of all of the Tribe’s departments, committees and commissions.
Among them are:
· Governmental operations including education, health and wellness, fire and emergency services, Tribal Gaming Agency and cultural resource programs;
· The Yocha Dehe Community Fund, the Tribe’s philanthropic branch, which over the past decade has distributed more than $25 million in grants and sponsorships to nearly 400 organizations; and
· Tribal business interests and investments, including the Cache Creek Casino Resort as well as Yocha Dehe Property, Farm and Ranch and its Séka Hills Olive Mill and Tasting Room and brand of premium products.
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Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation is an independent, self-governed nation that supports our people and the Capay Valley, CA community by strengthening our culture, stewarding our land and creating economic independence for future generations.
Contact: Greg Larsen 916.441.0160
glarsen@yochadehe-nsn.gov