Lisa Johnson Billy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lisa Johnson Billy
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| Member of the Chickasaw Tribal Legislature from Pontotoc District, Seat 5 | |
| Assumed office 2016 |
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| In office 1996–2002 |
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| Member of the board of trustees of the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation | |
| Assumed office December 27, 2017 |
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| Appointed by | Donald Trump |
| Oklahoma Secretary of Native American Affairs | |
| In office January 2019 – December 2019 |
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| Governor | Kevin Stitt |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Brian Bingman |
| Member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from the 42nd district |
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| In office 2004–2016 |
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| Preceded by | Bill Joel Mitchell |
| Succeeded by | Timothy J. Downing |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 21, 1967 Purcell, Oklahoma |
| Nationality | American Chickasaw Nation |
| Political party | Republican |
| Alma mater | Northeastern State University, University of Oklahoma |
| Profession | Educator, small business owner |
Lisa Johnson Billy was born on February 21, 1967. She is a leader from the Chickasaw Nation and an American politician. She has served in important roles in both the Oklahoma state government and the government of the Chickasaw Nation.
Since 2016, she has been a tribal legislator for the Chickasaw Nation. She also served in this role earlier, from 1996 to 2002. From 2004 to 2016, she represented district 42 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. In 2017, President Donald Trump chose her to join the board of trustees for the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation.
In 2019, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt appointed her as the first Oklahoma Secretary of Native American Affairs. She also served as the Oklahoma Native American Affairs Liaison during that time.
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Early Life and Education
Lisa Johnson Billy was born in Purcell, Oklahoma, on February 21, 1967. Her father, Frank Johnson Sr., was a respected Chickasaw elder and had also served as a tribal legislator. Her mother was Beverly (Jones) Johnson.
Lisa Billy studied at Northeastern State University, where she earned her bachelor's degree. Later, she earned a master's degree from the University of Oklahoma.
Career Highlights
Before she was elected to public office, Lisa Billy worked as a teacher. She taught for the Department of Continuing Education at the University of Oklahoma. She also volunteered with youth groups, serving as a board member for Girl Scouts of the USA and a leader for cub scouts in the Boy Scouts of America.
Serving the Chickasaw Nation
Lisa Billy first served as a member of the Chickasaw Nation's tribal legislature from 1996 to 2002. This was an important step in her career, helping to make decisions for her people.
Oklahoma State Representative
In 2004, Lisa Billy was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives. She represented district 42. During her time there, she held several leadership positions:
- From 2004 to 2006, she was the deputy whip.
- From 2006 to 2008, she was the vice chair of the Republican caucus.
- From 2014 to 2016, she served as the majority floor leader.
She made history as the first Native American, the first woman, and the first citizen of the Chickasaw Nation to represent her district. She also helped create Oklahoma's first Native American caucus. This group worked together on issues important to tribal communities. One of her achievements was supporting a law that allowed Native American language classes to count as foreign language credit in Oklahoma high schools. She looked up to Helen Cole as a mentor during her time in the House.
National Service: Udall Foundation
On November 21, 2017, President Donald Trump chose Lisa Billy to be a member of the board of trustees for the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation. This foundation works to promote environmental policy, Native American health care, and tribal public policy. The United States Senate approved her nomination on December 21, 2017. She officially began her role on December 27, 2017.
Oklahoma Secretary of Native American Affairs
In January 2019, Governor Kevin Stitt appointed Lisa Billy to a new role: the first Oklahoma Secretary of Native American Affairs. In this position, she worked to improve relationships and policies between the state of Oklahoma and its tribal governments. She resigned from this position in December 2019.
Return to Tribal Legislature
In 2016, Lisa Billy was elected again to serve a three-year term in the Chickasaw Nation legislature. She was sworn into office on October 3, 2016. She ran for re-election in 2019 and 2022 and faced no opponents, showing strong support from her community.
