Close

GOVERNMENT

MEET OUR TRIBAL COUNCIL

Chairman – Gerald Gray

Gerald, for 20 years has built a reputation as a leader in market research and media development for G&G Advertising. He has worked extensively with local, community-based organizations, and he advocates as a professional, volunteer, and leader. At G&G Advertising, Gerald has worked on state, regional, and national campaigns promoting behavioral change on many current health-related issues.

Gerald’s previous career was in a teaching position with the Box Elder Public School System where he created and implemented instructional materials for use in public classrooms. He developed and delivered a general education curriculum inclusive of all students and learning styles. He worked with and maintained a parent-to-teacher system knowing that his students’ successes came from encouraging and getting parents involved in their children’s education. His teaching experiences instilled in him the importance and commitment to increasing access to educational opportunities for many under served populations. It gave him the understanding of the importance of making certain the whole child was the center of reaching success – the child’s learning and successes in school were possible when paired with good health habits, a supportive home environment, a supportive social system, and a safe and healthy place in which to live.

Gerald currently serves on the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council as the Chairman, which serves 12 tribes in the Rocky Mountain region. He is also a commissioner that serves on the State Tribal Economic Development Commission and Gerald is also the current chairman of the Little Shell Tribe of Montana, in which he has served since 2012 as the elected chairman of the Little Shell Tribe. Gerald oversees tribal programs, economic opportunities for the tribe, and maintains government-to-government relationships with city, county, state and federal governments, and individuals on behalf of the tribe’s 5400 members.

1st Vice Chairman – Clarence Sivertsen

Graduated from CMR – 1973 in Great Falls, MT; Graduated from Northern MT College – 1981 in Havre, MT; 1981 – Pilot License; Cheyenne AeroTech – Airframe – Power Plant – Federal License.In 1973 went active Duty Army – 35+ years in; worked at MT Army National Guard on F16 Jet engines – Retired; Ranching to present

I have been involved and on the Little Shell Tribal Council for the last 12 years; currently 1st Vice Chairman.  I am currently on the Montana Veterans Board as Chairman.  I would like to stay on the Little Shell Tribal Council to finish the Federal Recognition process.  The Council has worked very hard to get Federal Recognition and working to finish the process that comes with the Federal Recognition along with getting the Economic Development in place.

2nd Vice Chairwoman – Leona Kienenberger

Leona (Doney) Kienenberger is an enrolled Métis member of the Little Shell Tribe. Her parents were John D. Doney and Clara Plummer and grand niece of Joseph H. Dussome past president of Little Shell for 36 years. 

She has been involved with the Tribe for many years and serves as the Vice-Chairman, a positions she has held since 2010.

She is a retired English Teacher who taught high school English in Harlem for 25 years. While employed there, she developed and mapped out the English Curriculum for grades 9th through 12th. She was part of the Awareness Team, mentor for the new English teacher, supervised 2 two new English teachers, belonged to MACIE Montana Advisory Council for Indian Education, on the board of Bear Paw Development, and presently serves as the Vice-President of County Commission of FSA. 

Leona has 4 children and numerous grand and great grandchildren. She resides in Dodson with husband Bruce. 

Secretary/Treasurer – Colleen Hill

I was born in Havre, MT to Caroline Trotchie-Murphy and Raymond Sivertsen. I have lived in Great Falls, MT for 50+ years and I love Montana! I have been married for 30 years to Roger and we have 5 amazing children and 16 beautiful grandchildren.  We enjoy having family gatherings and getting to create lasting memories.  I love the outdoors, taking pictures of everyone and everything, having grandma slumber parties, target shooting and the rivers/lakes/oceans. I love interacting with people and getting to know them and their history. Reading and research is important to me, as it keeps my mind sharp and informed. I love learning the history of our people and Indian Country. Plus, the information helps me make informed choices.  I have been involved with learning/teaching the Ojibwe language, what a beautiful language.

 

Since 2012, when I first was elected to the Little Shell Council, I have used every aspect of knowledge I have gained to help with the Little Shel business. I know the Creator has a plan for each of us, we just need to pay attention to when doors close and when the right ones open.

Councilwoman Alisa Herodes

Alisa Herodes was born in raised in Great Falls. She is self-employed and currently runs a cabinetry and design business she established in 2009.

 

Alisa is fully vested in serving the members of the Little Shell Tribe and will always place the tribe ahead of herself. She is a tireless advocate for the Little Shell members and strives for complete transparency while holding herself to high standards. In any decision-making Alisa will assess how it works for the tribe from a business point of view and then weigh how it impacts the tribe culturally. 

 

Alisa is very approachable, so if you have a chance to meet her, introduce yourself and tell her your story, she loves to listen. 

Councilwoman – Iris Kill Eagle

Iris has worked for the Postal Service for 35 years and is currently Postmaster at the Malta, MT Post Office.

 

Iris has served on her local school board in Dodson for 28 years 12 of those as chairman. As a school board member Iris serves on the State Indian School Board (ISBC) as Chairman. Iris has worked through ISBC to bring awareness of generational and historic trauma as well as cultural education to Montana’s School Board Members and Educational Leaders.

 

Iris represents the Little Shell Tribe on the Montana Advisory Council on Indian Education (M.A.C.I.E.) and the Missing Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) Task Force.