Pearl Casias is a member of the Southern Ute Indian Tribal Council and former Tribal Judge. In 2011, she was elected to be the first female Chairperson of the Southern Ute Tribal Council.
Career
In 2011 Casias was elected as the first chairwoman in the history of the Southern Ute Tribal council;[1] a symbol of the traditional egalitarian ways the Utes experienced prior to colonization.[2] The special election was held after former Chairman Matthew Box resigned. Clement J. Frost has preceded her as chairperson.[3]
During her term, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe became a major producer of natural gas and received a "AAA" credit rating from national credit rating agencies, the first American Indian Nation to receive the rating.[4][5]
After her retirement from the Tribal Council, Casias did consulting work for other Native American tribes.[6] In 2018, she exited political retirement to serve an additional term as a member of the Southern Ute Tribal Council.
References
- ^ Scofield, Heather (13 April 2011). "S. Ute tribe swears in first woman leader". The Durango Herald. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- ^ "Southern Ute Indian Tribe - History of the Southern Ute". Southern-ute.nsn.us. Retrieved 2012-09-25.
- ^ "The Southern Ute Drum". Southern-ute.nsn.us. 2012-06-14. Retrieved 2012-09-25.
- ^ Casias, Pearl E. (1 December 2011). "Deficit Reduction and Job Creation: Regulatory Reform in Indian Country". United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Oversight Hearing. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- ^ Draper, Electa (8 June 2001). "Southern Utes get rare AAA bond rating" (PDF). Denver Post Four Corners Bureau. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- ^ "Indigenous Materials Institute" (PDF). Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, & Museums. Retrieved 15 January 2013.