WASHINGTON, D.C.– The National Congress of American Indians mourns the passing of Robert Tippeconnie, who walked on July 3, 2025. For more than a decade, he served on NCAI’s Executive Committee—first as Southern Plains Alternate Vice President and later as Regional Vice President—bringing the voices of Comanche, Kiowa, Apache, Wichita, and other Southern Plains Nations to the national stage. A lifelong public servant, he also held multiple leadership roles within the Comanche Nation, most recently as Secretary/Treasurer, where he championed transparent governance and sound stewardship of tribal resources.

Secretary/Treasurer Tippeconnie’s advocacy resonated far beyond any single title. He was instrumental in shaping NCAI’s positions on land and water policy, advancing the HEARTH Act and other laws that strengthen tribal self-determination. He pressed federal partners to adopt budgets that honor the trust responsibility and insisted that Native students have equal access to quality education. Colleagues remember him for his calm wisdom, his ability to find consensus, and his unwavering belief that sovereignty and culture must guide every decision.

Indian Country has lost a steady and generous leader, but his legacy lives on in the institutions he helped shape and in the generations of young people he mentored to lead with courage and compassion. NCAI extends its deepest condolences to the Tippeconnie family, the Comanche Nation, and all who were touched by his life of service. May his memory continue to inspire us in the work ahead.