2012 Tribal Council

Dyáni Brown, Chairperson
Nishwé Williams, Vice Chair
Susan Soto, Recording Secretary
Roberta Hunter-Cuyjet, Corresponding Secretary
Kenneth Coard, Treasurer
Angela Coard
Paula Bess-Collins
Saundra  Dennis                                                                                                                             
Jason King
Charles K. Smith II                                                     
Josephine Smith                                                            
Terrell Terry
Fordel Willis
 

Shinnecock Nation Tribal Council is an official arm of the Shinnecock Indian Nation governing body and serves as an advisory board for assiting the Board of Trustees. The Council was established in 1993 and is made up of 13 members who are elected by the Tribe for two-year staggered terms.  For six months before the actual for-mation, Tribal members gathered every Saturday morning at Tribal Council Formation Meetings held in the Church’s Parrish Hall, to discuss the pros and cons of establishing a Council. The decision was yes, and the Council was formed by the community so that the membership could be kept more informed of tribal business.

SHINNECOCK YOUTH COUNCIL

The Shinnecock Nation Youth Council's primary goal is to fortify the youth of Shinnecock with the richness of their Eastern Woodland culture and all that is indigenous to the Shinnecock people.  -The SNYC has been in existence for eighteen years with its membership ranging in age from 13 – 23 and residing on or near the Shinnecock Indian Reservation.
Throughout the years the names and faces have changed but the goals and objectives have remained constant…to empower our young people and groom them to make the transition from youth leadership to tribal leadership. The SNYC is an affiliate of UNITY (United National Indian Tribal Youth) and attends the Mid-Year and National Conferences.  The SNYC was one of thirteen UNITY councils chosen to be the recipient of the Roberts Wood Johnson Foundation and UNITY grant, “Celebrate Native Health,” which was created to combat childhood obesity.  The youth spent four years successfully developing healthy lifestyle programs and activities for the community, and were named one of the top Councils in UNITY. Involvement in the Shinnecock Nation Youth Council helps the youth develop self-esteem and confidence through support and encouragement from their peers.  They also organize and conduct their own meetings using parliamentary procedure, plan fund raising events, perform community services and hold two non-voting seats on the Shinnecock Nation Tribal Council.

                                                                                                                   The Shinnecock Indian Nation Council of Elders was formed in the summer of 2009 and voted on at a duly convened Tribe Meeting under Resolution C.E. 12.04.09. Co-chairs of the Council of Elders consist of two of the oldest living Shinnecock Tribal Members on the Rolls. The mission of t he Council of Elders is to serve as traditional wisdom keepers of the Nation and to provide guidance, advisement and support to the leadership of the Shinnecock Indian Nation, consisting of both Board of Trustees and Tribal Council.