AIANTA Seeks New Members for Board of Directors

Due to regular term expirations and an internal redistribution of AIANTA’s regions, the association is looking to fill nine 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. (September 17, 2021) – The American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA) is looking to fill nine open leadership positions on its Board of Directors.
 
 
The association, whose mission is to “define, introduce, grow and sustain American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian tourism that honors traditions and values,” has seen a tremendous growth in the need for its education, training and outreach programs. In response to that need, AIANTA recently rezoned its tourism regions to better provide equal representation across the country.
 
 
This rezoning has in turn created an opening for five new positions on AIANTA’s Board of Directors. The other four openings have been created due to regular terms ending.
 
 
“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:
 
  • Oklahoma, term expires 2024
  • Northeast (CT, DE, DC, KY, ME, MD, MA, NY, NJ, NH, PA, RI, VT, VA, WV), term expires 2024
  • Northwest (ID, WA), term expires 2024
  • Pacific Northwest (OR, Northern CA), term expires 2024
  • Central California, term expires 2022
  • Great Basin (NV, Eastern CA), term expires 2023
  • Rocky Mountain (MT, WY, ND, SD), term expires 2022
  • Central Plains (IA, IL, IN, KS, MS, NE, OH), term expires 2023
  • Southern California, term expires 2023
 
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 for a full three-year term.
 
 
All applications are due to AIANTA by Thursday, September 23, 2021 by 5pm MT. The application can be completed online here.
 
 
About AIANTA
 
For nearly two decades, the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA) has served as the national center for providing tourism and recreational travel technical assistance, training and capacity building to American Indian nations. AIANTA is a 501(c)(3) national nonprofit association of Native American tribes and tribal businesses and was incorporated in 2002 to advance Indian Country tourism. AIANTA’s mission is to define, introduce, grow and sustain American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian tourism that honors traditions and values.
 
 
For more information and images, contact:
Monica Poling
Marketing & PR Manager