SEATTLE – Nov. 22, 2025 – Officers elected to serve on the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Executive Committee for the 2025 - 2027 term were sworn in Friday during the final general assembly of the 82nd Annual NCAI Convention & Marketplace in Seattle, Washington. The Convention brought together Tribal leaders, delegates, and citizens from across Indian Country to conduct the vital business of the organization and elect its leadership.

Following nominations and candidate speeches earlier in the week, NCAI delegates and individual members voted Thursday to elect the following leaders who will guide the organization’s work for a two-year term:

President

Mark Macarro, Chairman, Pechanga Band of Indians

1st Vice President

Brian Weeden, Chairman, Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe

Recording Secretary

Christie Modlin, Secretary, Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma

Treasurer

Ashley Cornforth, Secretary/Treasurer, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community

A full list of NCAI’s Executive Committee, including Regional Vice Presidents and Alternates is available on NCAI’s website at ncai.org/about-ncai/ncai-leadership.

“These elections are more than a procedural step — they are a statement of who we are as Tribal Nations,” said NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright Jr. “At a time when a federal government shutdown, funding uncertainty and travel disruptions could have kept people home, Indian Country chose to show up. Our delegates and members traveled long distances, navigated changing flight schedules and worked through real hardships because they understand the power of coming together. That commitment is what strengthens Tribal sovereignty and ensures our voices are heard at every level of government.”

The record turnout and successful elections demonstrate the resilience of Tribal leaders and communities. “Even when the federal government is gridlocked, Indian Country is not,” Wright continued. “We come together to debate, even disagree at times, but ultimately unite around a shared agenda for our people. The leaders elected this week carry the trust of their Tribal Nation and Indian Country as a collective. Together, we will press for stable funding, respect for Tribal sovereignty and solutions that reflect our Nations’ priorities.”

The newly elected Executive Committee will work alongside NCAI’s team, members, partners, and allies to advance policy priorities — including those reflected in the nearly 100 resolutions passed via consensus by NCAI membership this week — that uphold Tribal sovereignty, protect treaty and trust obligations and improve the lives of Native people across the United States.

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About the National Congress of American Indians:

Founded in 1944, the National Congress of American Indians is the oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country. NCAI advocates on behalf of Tribal governments and communities, promoting strong Tribal-federal government-to-government policies and a better understanding among the general public regarding American Indian and Alaska Native governments, people, and rights.