STAFF

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
BARBARA A. WARNER, Executive Director, M.B.A. (1993 - Present)

BARBARA A. WARNER, an enrolled member of the Ponca Nation of Oklahoma, is the first female Executive Director of the Oklahoma Indian Affairs Commission. She is a graduate of Putnam City High School in Oklahoma City and received a M.B.A. in Management and Bachelor's degrees in Sociology and English from the University of Central Oklahoma.

Before assuming her position with the Commission in November 1993, Barbara's employment history included positions with state government, the private sector, tribal government, and Indian organizations, as well as several years with the American Indian Institute at the University of Oklahoma. As President of her own consulting firm, Roaring Thunder & Associates, she has provided consulting services to tribal housing authorities, primarily in the areas of needs assessment, program evaluation, grant writing, and substance abuse prevention. Barbara represents the Commission on a number of boards including the Native American Cultural & Educational Authority as an ex officio; the Red Earth Board of Directors; the Oklahoma Capitol Complex Centennial Committee; the Oklahoma Native American Business Development Center Advisory Board; and the Oklahoma Native American Heritage Day Celebration Committee, among others. On a national level, she has served as the Year 2000 President of the Governors' Interstate Indian Council (GIIC), the national organization for state Indian affairs offices across the U.S., and was National Treasurer for GIIC in 1995 and 1996. She currently serves as a member of the GIIC Board of Directors.

Because of her work in Indian affairs, Barbara was presented with her own song in 1995, which was composed by Eli Warrior of the Ponca Nation of Oklahoma. In 1996, she was presented the American Indian Chamber of Commerce "Leadership Award" for outstanding leadership and advocacy and the Chamber's "Advocate of the Year" award in 1999. In 1997, she was selected as the "Outstanding Indian of the Year" by the American Indian Exposition and the Ponca Nation subsequently presented her with a personal and professional achievement plaque in recognition of her work and selection as "Indian of the Year". She was the recipient of a "Certificate of Recognition for Service to Native Americans of Oklahoma", which was presented by Mayor Susan Savage of Tulsa in 1998. In the annual reader poll for the "Native American Times", Barbara was named as the "Best of Indian Country Activist" for Indian advocacy in 2000 and "Best of Indian Country Leader (non-elected)" in 2001. Barbara was presented with the Oklahoma Supreme Court "2001 Friend of the Court" medal at Sovereignty Symposium XIV.

Barbara is the granddaughter of the late Louis and Mattie (Roughface) McDonald and the late Samuel and Mima Warner. She is the daughter of Cynthia Warner and the late S. A. "Pat" Warner and sister to Victoria Goodwin and Norma Aldridge, all of Oklahoma City. She is the mother of two sons, Make' Samuel Ross and the late Louis Dekeneks Ross.

CAROL FORBES JONES, B.A., Projects Coordinator (2004 - Present)

CAROL F. JONES, an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation, joined the Oklahoma Indian Affairs Commission on November 16, 2004. Ms. Jones is a 1996 graduate from the University of Oklahoma where she obtained a Bachelor's of Arts degree in Journalism, with an emphasis in Professional Writing.

She has worked with Indian Health Service, Department of Labor Native American Employment and Training programs, Administration for Native Americans and National Congress of American Indians, both in Washington D.C., and the American Indian Institute at the University of Oklahoma. While at the Institute, she wrote a training manual for Idaho State employees titled "Native American Cultural Awareness of the Six Tribes of Idaho." Ms. Jones won two Outstanding Performance Awards for her service with the Administration for Native Americans. She most recently assisted in the editing of Oklahoma Home, an elementary Oklahoma history book. As Projects Coordinator, Ms. Jones coordinates special projects such as OIAC's publications and events.

Ms. Jones has two sons, Jason Jones of Dallas, Texas, and Jonny Homer of Washington, D.C., who is both Cherokee and Mohave. Ms. Jones resides in Oklahoma City.

ANGIE ATAUVICH, B.A., Administrative Assistant (2007 - Present)

ANGIE ATAUVICH joined the OIAC in March 2007 as the agency's Administrative Assistant. As the agency's Administrative Assistant, Angie's duties include but are not limited to office reception, fiscal duties, OIAC Board coordinator, records management, and development and coordination of various agency activities.

Ms. Atauvich is a 2004 graduate of the University of Oklahoma's Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication with a minor in Native American Studies. After graduation, she wrote many stories covering state, city and tribal government and business, agricultural and education issues in various publications such as the Ada Evening News, Shawnee Sun and Capitol Network News. She also wrote legislative bill summaries and tracked bills considered by the State Legislature. In addition to writing, Angie shot photos of community events for publication. 

Atauvich has worked with the American Indian Institute at the University of Oklahoma and Little Axe Public Schools as a substitute teacher. While in college, she was a television reporter for News4Norman, the university's student produced newscast; a disc jockey for the WIRE, the campus alternative television station; and a writer for the Oklahoma Daily, the campus newspaper. She was also the Public Relations Representative for the American Indian Student Association.

Angie is an enrolled member of the Comanche Nation and is also Absentee Shawnee and Kickapoo. She is the daughter of Mary and Richard Birdtail of Newalla and DeRoy Atauvich Sr. of Lawton. Although she is a native of Cache, Oklahoma, she currently resides in Shawnee.