I am the Daughter of Chief Hockeo, Running Deer, Sachem for Life of the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation, (EPTN) and Virginia Whatley Sebastian, Rose Basket, a Cherokee descendant. I am proud to be an Eastern Blanket Dance Champion and participate in tribal cultural ceremonies with Chief Hockeo. I have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education and a Juris Doctor Degree. I have worked in grant procurement, agency relations, and legal review of appeals to the US Court of Veterans Appeals.
I served on the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation Tribal Council from 1971 – 1973 when the tribe filed its letter of intent with the US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to become a federally acknowledged tribe. I also worked with the federal recognition petition team when the tribe received its preliminary positive determination in 2000 and again when it received its positive final decision in 2002. I have also represented the tribe at Congressional and BIA federal recognition hearings.
While serving on the Tribal Council from 2000-2007 and 2012-2016 I spearheaded programs in natural resources, preventative health and historical and cultural preservation. I procured grants through the US Department of Health and Human Resources, Administration for Native Americans in federal status clarification, environmental regulatory enhancement and emergency services.
Since 2003 I have worked administratively in the collaborative Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation/ University of Massachusetts, Boston archaeology field school with Dr. Stephen Silliman on our historic EPTN reservation established in 1683.
I co-authored an article in the Journal of the World Archaeology. “Authoring and Authority in Eastern Pequot Community Heritage and Archaeology”; Amerind Studies in Archaeology, Collaborating at the Trowel’s Edge, “Working on Pasts for Futures: Eastern Pequot Field School Archaeology in Connecticut.” Co-Presenter at Society for American Archaeology, 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, B.C. Canada March 2017.
I have served as Tribal Chairwoman since 2015 and am working with the Tribe on reservation development and regaining our federal recognition as the Historical Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation.
I served on the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation Tribal Council from 1971 – 1973 when the tribe filed its letter of intent with the US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to become a federally acknowledged tribe. I also worked with the federal recognition petition team when the tribe received its preliminary positive determination in 2000 and again when it received its positive final decision in 2002. I have also represented the tribe at Congressional and BIA federal recognition hearings.
While serving on the Tribal Council from 2000-2007 and 2012-2016 I spearheaded programs in natural resources, preventative health and historical and cultural preservation. I procured grants through the US Department of Health and Human Resources, Administration for Native Americans in federal status clarification, environmental regulatory enhancement and emergency services.
Since 2003 I have worked administratively in the collaborative Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation/ University of Massachusetts, Boston archaeology field school with Dr. Stephen Silliman on our historic EPTN reservation established in 1683.
I co-authored an article in the Journal of the World Archaeology. “Authoring and Authority in Eastern Pequot Community Heritage and Archaeology”; Amerind Studies in Archaeology, Collaborating at the Trowel’s Edge, “Working on Pasts for Futures: Eastern Pequot Field School Archaeology in Connecticut.” Co-Presenter at Society for American Archaeology, 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, B.C. Canada March 2017.
I have served as Tribal Chairwoman since 2015 and am working with the Tribe on reservation development and regaining our federal recognition as the Historical Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation.