Jeannie Hovland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jeannie Hovland
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| Vice Chair of National Indian Gaming Commission | |
| Assumed office January 17, 2021 |
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| President | Joe Biden |
| Commissioner for the Administration for Native Americans | |
| In office June 21, 2018 – January 16, 2021 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Lillian Sparks |
| Succeeded by | Patrice Kunesh |
Jeannie Hovland is an important government official and a member of the Santee Dakota Sioux tribe. She currently serves as the Vice Chair of the National Indian Gaming Commission. This means she helps make sure that gaming (like casinos) run by Native American tribes is fair and honest.
Before her current role, Ms. Hovland was a Commissioner for the Administration for Native Americans. She also worked as a deputy assistant secretary for Native American affairs.
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Her Early Life and Education
Jeannie Hovland is an enrolled member of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe. This tribe is located in South Dakota. She went to school in North Miami Beach, Florida, to become a travel agent.
Her Career in Government
Jeannie Hovland is a member of the Republican Party. She started her career helping Native American communities as the CEO of Wanji Native Nations Consultants. Later, she worked for U.S. Senator John Thune, advising him on tribal matters. She also served as a senior advisor at the Department of the Interior, focusing on Indian Affairs.
Leading the National Indian Gaming Commission
Since August 2021, Ms. Hovland has been the Vice Chair of the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC). She started her second three-year term at the agency in May 2024. She was first appointed by the Secretary of the Interior in January 2021.
The NIGC makes sure that over 527 Native American gaming places are run correctly. These places are owned by more than 250 tribes across 29 states. Ms. Hovland is one of three commissioners who help regulate these activities.
Helping Native American Communities
Before joining the NIGC, Ms. Hovland was a Commissioner for the Administration for Native Americans. In this role, she managed a large budget of $57 million each year. This money was used to help American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders become more self-sufficient.
She oversaw grants that supported many important projects. These included social and economic development, bringing back Native languages, and improving environmental rules. Ms. Hovland also created a special program to help tribes and tribal groups become stronger.
She also worked as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Native American Affairs. This was at the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). The ACF is a big part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). She gave expert advice on policies that affected Native Americans.
Working on Important Issues
Ms. Hovland led a special council at HHS that focused on Native American issues. She advised the Secretary of HHS on how to work with tribal communities.
She helped bring attention to the serious issue of Missing and Murdered Native Americans. She was part of a special group called Operation Lady Justice. Under her leadership, a plan was published in October 2020 to address this crisis.
In her earlier role at the Department of the Interior, Ms. Hovland gave advice on many important topics. These included land leases, getting good water, and economic development for tribes.
