NIGC Announces Departure of Vice Chair

(AsiaGameHub) –   Jean C. Hovland has held the post since 2021.

US.- The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) has confirmed that Vice Chair Jean C. Hovland is stepping down, effective immediately. Hovland, a member of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe, has held this office since 2021. The commission noted that it will share information regarding the transition in leadership as soon as it is available.

Prior to her tenure at the commission, Hovland occupied multiple senior federal leadership roles, such as commissioner of the Administration for Native Americans. She also functioned as the deputy assistant secretary for Native American Affairs at the Administration for Children and Families under the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Chief of Staff Dustin Thomas stated: “Vice Chair Hovland’s unwavering dedication has made a lasting and significant impression on the agency and Indian Country. Her dedication to enhancing tribal sovereignty, promoting regulatory excellence, and fostering the welfare of tribal communities represents the finest aspects of public service. We are profoundly appreciative of her contributions and wish her ongoing success as she goes back to South Dakota.”

Hovland remarked: “This was a difficult choice, but after careful thought and prayer, I have decided that the time has come to return to South Dakota. It has been an honour to serve in the federal government for over twenty years, with eight of those years spent in Washington, D.C. I could not imagine a better agency to end my federal career with than the National Indian Gaming Commission.

“I am inspired every day by the skill, knowledge, and enthusiasm of the NIGC team in maintaining the agency’s mission and upholding the integrity of Tribal Gaming. It has been an honour to visit Tribal Nations, speak with Tribal leaders and gaming regulators, and observe directly the resilience and positive influence of tribal gaming.”