National Indian Gaming Commission appoints associate commissioners

The NIGC  has reappointed vice chair Jeannie Hovland.

US.- The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) has announced the reappointment of vice chair Jeannie Hovland and the appointment of NIGC associate general counsel Sharon M. Avery as associate commissioners for a three-year term. It’s Hovland’s second term as an agency associate commissioner and Avery’s first appointment.

Hovland is a member of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe of South Dakota. Before joining the NIGC, she served as commissioner of the Administration for Native Americans and deputy assistant secretary for Native American Affairs for the Administration for Children and Families at the US Department of Health and Human Services. She worked for nearly 13 years in the office of South Dakota Senator John Thune.

Avery is an enrolled member of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan. She served for more than 10 years in the Legal Department. Most recently, she served as general counsel for tribal operations.

Hovland said: “I am truly honored to be appointed to serve on the Commission for a second term. I look forward to collaboration between the Agency and tribal nations, as we continue our important work to meet the ever-changing landscape of the tribal gaming industry.”

Avery added: “It is with great privilege that I accept this appointment as an Associate Commissioner with the NIGC. I am excited to be a part of the continued work between the agency and tribes within the framework of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act to ensure the continued integrity of Indian gaming.”

In February, the NIGC announced the resignation of E. Sequoyah Simermeyer as its chairman.