CHIEF HOSKIN & THE CHEROKEE NATION RECOGNIZED BY OETA
The Oklahoma Educational Television Authority (OETA) and the Board of Trustees of the Friends Of OETA, Inc. (Friends) has announced that Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. of the Cherokee Nation has been recognized as an OETA Champion.
“Chief Hoskin has been a vocal and steadfast advocate of OETA’s mission in public safety, education, and civic engagement,” said Friends Board President Mr. Garrett King of Weatherford. “The Cherokee Nation and Chief Hoskin have generously and thoughtfully worked with OETA for many years to help Oklahomans in all 77 counties receive emergency alerts, access preschool curriculum, and connect with policy makers and elected officials. We are truly grateful to Chief Hoskin and congratulate him on being honored as an OETA Champion.”
The Friends, along with OETA governing board members and executives, celebrated Hoskin at a luncheon held recently at the Robert Allen Communications Center in Oklahoma City (OETA’s headquarters).
“My family and I are honored to be longtime supporters of OETA,” said Chief Hoskin. “The work done by OETA to strengthen communities and assist others is in direct alignment with all that we do at the Cherokee Nation. It is a privilege to be named an OETA Champion.”
Hoskin serves as the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, the largest tribe in the United States with more than 460,000 citizens. Prior to being elected in 2019, and re-elected in 2023, he was Cherokee Nation’s Secretary of State and also served as a member and Deputy Speaker of the Council of the Cherokee Nation. As Principal Chief, he increased minimum wage at Cherokee Nation and Cherokee Nation Businesses and secured the largest language investment in the tribe's history to expand Cherokee cultural preservation. He appointed the tribe's first delegate to the U.S. Congress. He prioritized health and wellness initiatives, including record investments in behavioral health and addiction treatment. Chief Hoskin has also expanded tribal workforce training programs, sustainable housing, protections for natural resources, and educational opportunities for Cherokees of all ages. He, along with First Lady January Hoskin, has elevated the voices of women and children, and their safety, within the Cherokee Nation Reservation.
In addition to King, the Friends Of OETA, Inc. Trustees include:
Board Vice President, Suzanne Lair, Tulsa
Board Treasurer, Ken Fergeson, Altus
Board Secretary, Sharon Neuwald, Oklahoma City
Trustee, Randy Beutler, Weatherford
Trustee, Kenneth Busby, Tulsa
Trustee, Philip Busey, Jr., Oklahoma City
Trustee, Jennifer Eve, Edmond
Trustee, Deena K. Fisher, Woodward
Trustee, Andrew Harris, Oklahoma City
Trustee, Glen D. Johnson, Jr., Oklahoma City
Trustee, Jonna Kauger Kirschner, Oklahoma City
Trustee, Lisa Millington, Norman
Trustee, Seth Paxton, Oklahoma City
Trustee, Robert Spinks, Oklahoma City
Trustee, Harold Wright, Weatherford
Friends Of OETA, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that exists to raise funds and support the activities and programs of the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority (OETA), America’s most-watched Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) station, by receiving, investing, managing, and expending non-state-appropriated funds and properties.
For more information, please visit www.OETA.tv
Photo caption: Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. (center) is congratulated on being named an OETA Champion by OETA Executive Director Ms. Polly Anderson (left) and Friends Of OETA, Inc. Board President Mr. Garrett King (right) during a recent luncheon held at the Robert Allen Communications Center (OETA headquarters) in Oklahoma City.