American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association Announces Leadership Changes

16.01.2024 - 20:45 / travelpulse.com / Patrick Clarke

AIANTA Board President Travis Owens (left) and AIANTA CEO Sherry L. Rupert (right) at the 25th Annual American Indigenous Tourism Conference. (Photo Credit: AIANTA)

WHY IT RATES: The latest additions will be key as the national nonprofit continues its ongoing efforts to transform the tourism industry.—Patrick Clarke, TravelPulse Senior Editor

The American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA), the only national organization dedicated to advancing cultural heritage tourism in Native Nations and communities across the United States, is pleased to announce its newly elected executive committee and board members who have joined the board of directors as the national nonprofit sets its sights on the future of the tourism industry.

AIANTA’s new executive committee is led by President Travis Owens (Cherokee Nation), Vice President Lora Ann Chaisson (United Houma Nation), Secretary Kate Anderson (Citizen Potawatomi Nation), and Treasurer Brian Wadsworth (Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe).

New members of the AIANTA Board of Directors include Jamey Cagle (Sitka Tribe of Alaska) representing the Southeast Alaska Region; Sarah Kazhe (Mescalero Apache Tribe) representing the Southwest Region; and Jimmy John Thompson (Timbisha Shoshone Tribe) representing the Central California Region.

Re-elected and returning to the AIANTA Board is Kate Anderson (Citizen Potawatomi Nation) representing the Southern California region and Brian Wadsworth (Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe) representing the Great Basin Region.
“As we look to the future of the travel and tourism industry, it’s imperative that AIANTA’s Board of Directors is represented by the best tourism professionals our Native Nations and communities have to offer,” said AIANTA CEO Sherry L. Rupert. “I’m thrilled to welcome our new board members and with AIANTA President Travis Owens at the helm, AIANTA will remain the expert in Indigenous tourism across the U.S. as we work together to enhance cultural tourism for American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-owned businesses.”

AIANTA Board President Travis Owens has served in various roles for AIANTA since 2015 before his new appointment to president. A devoted advocate of cultural heritage tourism, Owens began working for Cherokee Nation Businesses in 2008 and currently serves as vice president of cultural tourism at Cherokee Nation Businesses, managing the tribe’s robust tourism portfolio. Spanning 14 counties in northeast Oklahoma, those efforts include six museums, an interpretive site, a welcome center, research center, art gallery, gift shop and more. He also plays an integral part in the Nation’s approach to the restoration and preservation of historic sites, interpretive planning, cultural art, programs, and