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Jeannie's son, Blake
Former Commissioner of the Administration for Native Americans, Serving Indigenous Communities through Federal Programs and Combating Human Trafficking - Meet the Incredible Jeannie Hovland
 
Jeannie Hovland is the Vice Chair and Director of the Office of Self-Regulation for the National Indian Gaming Commission. She is the former Commissioner of the Administration for Native Americans and has spent a significant portion of her work combating human trafficking.

What key moments defined you as a leader?

I am an enrolled member of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe, I am also Oglala Lakota and half Norwegian. I was born and raised in South Dakota, in a small town away from my reservation lands. I have two adult sons, Branden and Blake.

In 2005, I went to work for Senator Thune in South Dakota. I spent nearly 13 years traveling as often as possible to the nine Lakota/Dakota/Nakota nations in South Dakota. What an honor to meet with tribal leadership, some of the greatest leaders in history in my opinion. The time I spent meeting with tribal leaders, elders, youth, veterans, program offices, and community members, helped to gain insight on important legislation such as the Tribal Law and Order Act, as well as advocate for access to quality healthcare, bring awareness to housing shortages, and basic infrastructure needs.

In 2018, I was confirmed by the senate as the Commissioner of the Administration for Native Americans, and I moved to Washington, D.C. I then had the opportunity to serve all 574 federally recognized tribes, state tribes, and our Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Indigenous peoples. Through visits and consultations, I was overwhelmingly asked to prioritize my time on helping with our Missing and Murdered Indigenous persons and victims and families affected by human trafficking. I worked with tribes and the Administration for Children and Families and produced the Missing and Murdered Native American’s Public Health Framework for Action, as well as other resources to assist with combating human trafficking.

My role and responsibility as leader is to serve our Indigenous people and carrying their voices. Leadership is being humble, remembering where you came from, seeking community input, and developing initiatives that will improve the lives of those you serve.

What community-driven projects have you spearheaded/participated in that you are proud of? What did you take away from these experiences?

I have witnessed the struggle of economic prosperity in many of our tribal nations, especially in the rural areas where basic infrastructure lacking such as roads, safe drinking water, and cellular service. Federal funding can be difficult to secure because of the regulations and requirements that come along with the funding. Tribes may have employees that wear several hats and simply don’t have the time or the capacity to secure and/or comply with the federal funding requirements. When I became the ANA Commissioner, I looked forward to seeing how I could support building strong tribal economies. Under my leadership, the ANA created the Social and Economic Development Strategies for Growing Organizations (SEDS-GO) program. The SEDS-GO is designed to help strengthen Tribes and Tribal organizations capacity building in order to compete for and sustain compliance with federal grants. I am grateful that the ANA continues to fund this program.

In 2021, I was appointed as the NIGC Director of the Office of Self Regulation. This is a program under the NIGC that is an expression of Tribal Self Governance, allowing tribes to regulate certain areas of their tribal gaming conducted on Indian Lands. I was surprised to find out that currently there are only five Self-Regulation tribes. I have been working hard to get the word out about the self-regulation program and sharing the benefits of it. As a commission, we also sought consultation on self-regulation and have updated our regulations to help make the process more seamless. In addition to this, coming from a state where many of our Tribal Nations are in very rural areas, small and charitable gaming can be very beneficial in supporting community programs. I was asked to look into existing regulations and the financial burdens for tribes conducting small or charitable gaming. Through consultation, the NIGC recently created new regulations that will help reduce some of those financial burdens. 

In my personal capacity, I am a board member for the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), a non-profit organization committed to building safe, healthy, drug free communities. CADCA created an Indigenous Peoples Advisory Committee that I am also part of. This work is so important as substance use is often an underlying factor to violence, homelessness, children in the foster care system, trauma, human trafficking, and our missing and murdered Indigenous relatives. The training provide from CADCA is top notch and is also an opportunity to fo network with other tribal communities, federal agencies, and state coalitions. We have created an Indigenous Communities training that is culturally appropriate and is led by Indigenous trainers that have experience in substance use prevention and building community coalitions. You can learn more about CADCA at CADCA.ORG.

My takeaway is that tribes know what is best for their communities and seeking community input and community driven solutions is a must.

How do you connect with your ancestral roots professionally and personally?

Growing up off the reservation, I did not learn my language or traditions. Working for the federal government, as ironic as it sounds, has allowed me the opportunity to visit my ancestral lands and learn our traditions, customs, and our beautiful language. I have started dancing in pow wows, I am learning my Indigenous language; and if I can learn in my later life, anyone can, it’s never too late! I feel as a Dakota/Lakota winyan, it is my responsibility to do this as to honor and carry on the legacy and sacrifices of our ancestors. In all the work I do, I always strive to ensure it is culturally infused.
 
As a leader, what motivates you to move forward in adversity? Where do you find your passion? 

What motivates me is being a mother of two young adult sons Branden and Blake. I love being their mom, it is the toughest role but also the most rewarding. They have taught me so much about perseverance and overcoming adversity. My passion is serving, learning from others, and showing compassion without judgement.

What do you see yourself doing in the future? Next five years? Ten?

I am not sure what the Creator has planned for me in the next five to ten years, but whether in my professional or personal life, I try to always speak up for those who cannot speak up for themselves. Every family has a journey, and part of my family’s journey has been advocating for my son Blake, who has autism. I would like to work on much needed reform for adult citizens with disabilities so that when I am gone one day, I know my son is cared for and in a safe and loving environment where he can thrive. While my son has access to resources in the urban areas, that is not always the case for our tribal citizens with disabilities that want to remain in their communities. I hope I can help to make sure that the most vulnerable of vulnerable are not overlooked and are given the opportunities and resources that they deserve.
June 2022 Conference Summary in Photos and Videos
We had an inspiring conference in June after two years of virtual gatherings due to COVID. If you missed that, you can still be a part of the experience through the photos from the 2022 GlobalMindED conference, as well as seeing the complete program for connections and inspiration.



Video remarks:
Honoring the 2022 Inclusive Leader Award Winners. Please see their stories:
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