Judi M. gaiashkibos, Executive Director

Judi M. gaiashkibos has served as the Executive Director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs since 1995.  She is an enrolled member of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska.  Judi earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Relations in 2000 from Doane College, and in 2007, she earned her Master's in Management with a Leadership Emphasis from Doane College.

In 2006, Judi was elected as the President of the Governor's Interstate Indian Council (GIIC), a national organization with the mission of improving and promoting cooperation between state and tribal governments.  She serves on several state advisory boards including the Nebraska Minority Justice Committee, the P-16 Leadership Council, and the Nebraska Partners in Prevention Coalition.  She was also appointed to the University of Nebraska's Presidents Advisory Council in 2008.  Judi was the recipient of the Douglas County Historical Society 2009 Door Keeper Award in recognition of opening new doorways in the spirit of Unity, Equality and Understanding.  In 2009, she was a lecturer and advisor for the first Native Daughters project at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications.  She is also currently an adjunct professor for the second Native Daughters project focusing on Indian women of Oklahoma also through UNL.  She is a member of the Racial Profiling Advisory Committee and of the U.S. Census Advisory Board as well.  Judi is a Board Member of Interchurch Ministries/Grants to American Indians in Nebraska (GAIN), the Nebraska Rural Development Commission, and recently completed a 3-year term on United Way.  She was the 2012 recipient of the prestigious Nebraska Humanities Sower Award and was appointed to the Doane Board of Trustees in 2012 as well.  She is a member of the Sheldon Museum of Art's Advisory Council.  She is also actively involved in non-profit service.

Scott Shafer, Administrative Assistant II

Scott Shafer began working for NCIA in October 2008.  He previously worked for the Nebraska Department of Corrections and The American Legion.  Scott's background is in public relations and marketing.  He currently leads NCIA's Sovereign Native Youth Leadership Program and assists in grant and program development for the Commission as well as planning and coordination of the annual Chief Standing Bear Breakfast.  Scott is currently engaged with the Chief Standing Bear Trail project by NCIA and participates in the Ponca gray corn project.  He also recently graduated from the Seward County Leadership Development Program.

 Racheal White Hawk Strong, Administrative Secretary

Racheal Strong is an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of South Dakota and began working for NCIA in November 2011.  Racheal earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies and Economics in 2009 from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL).  She began working for NCIA after completing a Fulbright research grant studying water pollution and Mandarin in Chengdu, China.  Her duties at NCIA include assisting with the Sovereign Native Youth Leadership Program and organizing various NCIA programs and events as well as administering NCIA's website and social media outlets.  Racheal is also a graduate student in the Native Daughters journalism project at UNL and Media Co-Chair for the Southeast Nebraska Native American Coalition.

Khloe Keeler, Graduate Assistant Intern

Khloe Keeler is an enrolled member of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska and began working for NCIA in January 2013.  Born and raised in Newport Beach, Calif., she recently graduated from Creighton University in 2012.  She is currently a graduate student at the UNL College of Journalism and Mass Communications.  As a graduate student, she is a part of the Native Daughters Oklahoma project, which includes a publication, website and documentary that focuses on strong Native women.  Before serving as an intern for NCIA, she worked for non-profit organizations, most recently at NET.  She also spent her summer in 2012 with a public health internship through Johns Hopkins, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Sanford Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.