AIANTA Seeks New Members for Board of Directors
AIANTA is looking to fill seven vacant leadership positions. AIANTA’s Nominating Committee is leading the recruitment, with Mary Goddard, the Board’s Southeast Alaska Representative, as Chair of the Committee.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (July 10, 2022) – The American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA) is seeking qualified candidates for seven open leadership positions on its Board of Directors. With representation from throughout Native Nations and communities, the AIANTA Board of Directors guides the organization’s work towards the association’s mission: to “define, introduce, grow and sustain American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian tourism that honors traditions and values.”
“We are looking for active, engaged leaders to join our Board,” said Sherry L. Rupert (Paiute/Washoe), AIANTA CEO. “Tribes look to AIANTA to help grow their economies through cultural tourism programming and we welcome hospitality professionals and others with subject matter expertise in the areas of accounting, legal, technology and fundraising who can help build partnerships and programs while advocating for Indian Country tourism at local, regional and national levels.”
AIANTA is currently seeking representatives from the following regions::
- Great Basin – NV and Eastern CA (3-year term)
- Central California (2-year term)
- Central Plains – AI, IL, IN, KS, MS, NE, OH (3-year term)
- Pacific Northwest – OR and Northern CA (1-year term)
- Southeast Alaska (3-year term)
- Southern California (3-year term)
- Southwest – AZ, NM, CO, UT, West TX (3-year term)
If selected to fill open vacancies, new Board members will fill these vacancies until that term expires. Board members can then run for election at the following American Indian Tourism Conference (AITC) for a full three-year term.
All applications are due to AIANTA by Monday, August 21, 2023 by 5pm MT. The application can be completed online here.
Founded in 1998, AIANTA was established by tribes for tribes to address inequities in the tourism system. Governed by an all-Native board of directors, AIANTA serves as a united voice for the $14 billion Native hospitality sector. AIANTA’s priorities are; 1) to provide technical assistance and training, research, and publications to American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities engaged in tourism and hospitality; 2) to facilitate conversations with the Native communities, federal agencies, non-profit associations, and elected officials on the economic and cultural importance of a healthy hospitality industry; 3) to highlight the importance of visiting authentic Native destinations, including cultural, heritage, historic, and artistic sites; and 4) to generate awareness, interest and demand for these destinations with domestic and international travelers, the travel trade and the media. www.aianta.org
For more information and images, contact:
Liz Slobodian on behalf of AIANTA
(904) 237-1285 or Liz@shipwrightcommunications.com