NEWS RELEASE

Sept. 27, 2024

FLAGSTAFF – Ann Kirkpatrick is pleased to unveil her Navajo Advisory Group for the general election in Arizona’s Congressional District 1. She is also building advisory groups to represent other tribes from across CD1.

CD1 has 12 Native American tribes, and these tribal communities make up nearly a quarter of the district. The seven-member Navajo Advisory Group will continue to advise Kirkpatrick after the November election if she is elected.

“I am grateful for the support of these leaders and their willingness to advise me on matters that will improve the quality of life on tribal land,” Kirkpatrick said. “Working together is the way to get results – it’s how we’ve achieved important milestones such as the lifting of the Bennett Freeze and passing the Indian Veterans Housing Opportunity Act. And it's how we were able to bring members of the Veterans and Financial Services Committees to hold a congressional field hearing in Window Rock as well as U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki to meet with members of the Navajo Code Talkers Association.”

During her previous terms in office, Kirkpatrick convened such a group to advise her on issues related to tribal sovereignty, intertribal relations, education, health care and infrastructure, and other issues critical to Native Americans in CD1.

Members of the Navajo Advisory Group are as follows (in alphabetical order):

Mae-Gilene Begay – Program Director, CHR & Outreach Program, Navajo Nation Division of Health

Dr. Pauline Begay – Apache County School Superintendent

Percy Deal – Hardrock Chapter President

Lena Fowler – Coconino County Board of Supervisors

Jesse Thompson – Navajo County Board of Supervisors

Isabelle Walker – Executive Staff Assistant, Navajo Nation Office of the President & V.P.

Tom White, Jr – Apache County Board of Supervisors 

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