The National Indian Council on Aging (NICOA) is governed by a 13-member board of directors composed of American Indian and Alaska Native elders representing each of the 12 Bureau of Indian Affairs regions, as well as a representative of the National Association of Title VI Grantees.
Board members must be 55 years of age or older and an enrolled member of an American Indian or Alaska Native tribe. New board members are voted in by regional caucuses at NICOA’s biennial conference, and all board members elect the executive board.
The regions are Alaska, Eastern, Great Plains, Midwest, Navajo, Northwest, Eastern Oklahoma, Pacific, Rocky Mountain, Southern Plains, Southwest and Western. Your region is based on where you live, not on the location of your tribe.
Each position, except for Title VI, holds a four-year term that is up for election every two years during our biennial conference. If a position becomes available, a person may apply for the open position, and NICOA’s board of directors will determine if they can hold the position until the next scheduled election.
How to Become a Board Member
Interested in joining us? NICOA is seeking board members to fill our vacant positions!
If you are interested or know of an outstanding elder representative or professional who can represent your area, please provide them with this information. You are qualified to apply if you are 55 years old or older, an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe, and a current dues paying voting member of NICOA.
If you have any questions, please email [email protected] or call (505) 292-2001.
Roles & Responsibilities
- Ensuring the organization’s mission and purpose are realized.
- Supporting and evaluating the executive director’s performance.
- Ensuring the organization has adequate resources through fundraising to carry out its mission.
- Monitoring the allocation of these resources and ensuring the legal and ethical integrity of the organization.
- Representing the organization at local, regional, and national events.
Attending bi-monthly board meetings. These meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of every other month, at 12 p.m. MST. There is usually a face-to-face meeting three times a year at the Albuquerque office. If funds are available, NICOA will pay for your travel, per diem, and hotel accommodations.- Working cooperatively with fellow board members and the NICOA executive director to proactively represent the elders from the area that elected you.
- Avoiding conflicts of interest between the work of NICOA and other organizations to which you belong.
NICOA’s board members also serve on elder committees such as the National Congress of American Indians and National Indian Health Board. When considering whether to serve as a board member of NICOA, you must evaluate the time you have to devote to fundraising, advocacy, and the governance responsibilities required of each board member.
It is truly an honor to represent and serve fellow elders, but it is also a substantial time commitment that should be considered very carefully. Board members are not allowed to be paid for the services they provide on behalf of NICOA, a nonprofit organization.
(NOTE: It is a requirement to have access to a computer and have some basic computer skills to access meeting materials online and attend the Zoom video meetings, or conference calls. If you have any questions about this requirement, please email [email protected] or call (505) 292-2001.)
Board Members Regions & States
NICOA Board Regions, States, Nations and Counties
| Board Member | Region | State or Counties |
| James De La Cruz | Northwest | Washington, Oregon, Idaho (3) |
| Vacant | Rocky Mtn | Montana, Wyoming (2) |
| Betsey Foote | Pacific | California (1) |
| Phyllis Antone | Western | Nevada, Utah, Arizona (3) |
| Leonard Mose | Navajo | Navajo Nation (1) |
| Eileen Lujan | Southwest | Colorado, New Mexico (2) |
| Robert LaFromboise | Great Plains | North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska (3) |
| Vacant | Southern Plains | Kansas, Parts of Oklahoma, Texas (3) |
| Donna Ennis | Midwest | Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois (5) |
| Lillian Thomas | Eastern OK | Adair, Atoka, Bryan, Carter, Cherokee, Choctaw, Coal, Craig, Creek, Delaware, Garvin, Grady, Haskell, Hughes, Jefferson, Johnston, Latimer, LeFlore, Love, Marshall, Mayes, McClain, McCurtain, McIntosh, Murray, Muskogee, Nowata, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Osage, Pittsburg, Pontotoc, Pushmataha, Rogers, Seminole, Sequoyah, Stephens, Tulsa, Wagoner, Washington and perhaps Ottawa (40 or 41 counties) |
| Eddie Tullis | Eastern | Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia (26) |
| Edna Riley | Alaska | Alaska (1) |
Meet the Board of Directors
Chairperson
James DeLaCruz
Quinault Indian Nation
Northwest Region
2021-2025
Vice Chairperson
Donna Ennis
Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
Midwest Region
2023-2025
Secretary
Edna Riley
Athabascan
Alaska Region
2018-2025
Treasurer
Eddie Tullis
Poarch Band of Creek Indians
Eastern Region
2021-2025
Phyllis Antone
Gila River Indian Community
Western Region
2021-2025
Betsey Foote
Tule River Indian Tribe
Pacific Region
2023-2025
Robert LaFromboise
Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation
Great Plains Region
2018-2025
Eileen Lujan
Taos Pueblo
Southwest Region
2023-2025
Leonard Mose
Navajo
Navajo Region
2023-2025
Lillian Thomas
Muscogee (Creek) Nation
Eastern Oklahoma Region
2021-2025
