Six nominated to run for Tribal Council

By Nicole Montesano

Smoke Signals staff writer

Six Tribal members were nominated during the 2026 Tribal Council nominations held in the Tribal Governance Center Sunday, June 28.

Running are Tribal Council incumbents Matthew Haller and Lisa Leno, along with Tribal members Valeria Atanacio, Chris Bailey and Tribal Elders Pamala Warren-Chase and Denise Harvey, each seeking one of three seats up for election in September. Current Tribal Council Vice Chair Chris Mercier, whose term is up this year, is not seeking re-election.

Atanacio, 36, was nominated by Mercier. She serves as chair of the Tribe's Education Committee and runs her own business, Native Mama Scholars, LLC. She ran for council in 2024 and 2025. 

Leno, 57, was nominated by Tribal Council Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy, and will be seeking her fourth three-year term on council. In 2020, she set a record for the most votes received in a Tribal Council election, with 1,047 votes.

Warren-Chase, 59, was nominated by Tribal Elder Kimberly Avery. She is employed as the administrative assistant for the Spirit Mountain Community Fund, and was nominated for election the last two years, as well as in the early 2000s. She serves as secretary on the Tribe’s Elder Board and also serves on the Culture Committee.

Bailey, 49, was nominated by Tribal Elder Joanna Brisbois. He works as a cultural protection specialist in the Tribe's Cultural Resources Department. He ran for Tribal Council for the first time in 2023.

Harvey, 64, was nominated by Tribal Elder Angie Blackwell. She served on Tribal Council for four consecutive terms, before losing her re-election bid last year. Harvey was first elected to Tribal Council in 2013 after five unsuccessful campaigns. She came in third in the 2022 election.

Haller, 42, was nominated by Tribal Council Secretary Jon A. George. He was elected to Tribal Council in 2023, as a first-time candidate.