Seminole Nation Executive Branch
The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma has elected Leonard Harjo as their new Principal Chief and Ella Colman the new Assistant Chief. The election went into a run-off between Principal Chief Harjo and Terry Spencer. Harjo won the election by a 60% margin. Assistant Chief Colman won the run-off between her and Cynthia Yerby.
Principal Chief Leonard M. Harjo was sworn into office by Enoch Kelly Haney on September 5, 2009 at the Mekusukey Mission. Assistant Chief Ella Colman was sworn in by Judge William Wantland in the Seminole language. There were over 200 in attendance from the Seminole community at the potluck dinner that followed.
Assistant Chief Ella Colman was elected with 75% of the votes. Assistant Chief Colman received her Bachelor of Science degree in Management and Ethics at Mid-American Christian University in May of 2009. She received her Associates in Business Administration at Seminole State Junior College in 1982. Assistant Chief Colman is of the Deer Clan and Ocese Band. She began her Federal Career in July of 1968 and Retired in September of 1998. She is the daughter of Hattie Cole, and the late Joseph Pennekee Jr. Her step-father was Charlie Cole. She has been married to Al Colman for 15 years. Asst. Chief Colman previously worked in the Soil Conservation Service, Tinker Air Force Base, Indian Health Service at the OKC Area office as Chief of Contracts Management. She worked at the Headquarters in Rockville, MD from 1987-1992 before transferring to the B.I.A. Central Office in Washington, D.C.
During her career she has served as Chief of the Contracts Operations Branch, Chief of Contracts Policy and Oversight Review Branch and Chief of Construction Contracts Management Branch. Assistant Chief Colman worked 18 years as a contract professional and 12 years as a manager.
Post retirement Assistant Chief Colman worked as a General Manager of a Retail Food Specialty store and part time Management Consultant. She has served on the Seminole Nation Development Authority Review Committee, the Interim SNDOC Review Committee and the Seminole Nation Finance Committee.
“I’m really excited about serving my Seminole people and working with Chief Harjo, General Council and communities in moving our nation forward,” said Assistant Chief Ella Colman upon being elected.
Principal Chief Leonard M. Harjo has a strong belief in the Seminole Nation and the value of our cultural traditions; as well as a family legacy of service to the Seminole People. In the 1960’s Leonard’s father led a successful campaign for a new Constitution to restore the right of the Seminole People to elect their Chief; during his many years in public office he served as General Council Representative for the Tusekia Harjo Band, Assistant Chief and Principal Chief. Leonard’s great grandfather was a member of the Seminole Light Horse.
Principal Chief Leonard M. Harjo was born near Sasakwa to Floyd L. Harjo and Esther Barnoski Harjo in 1957. The grandson of Tima and Ida Burgess Harjo, Chief Harjo was raised on his grandfather’s allotment near Wolf, Oklahoma. Like many rural Seminole families of the period, Leonard’s family lived the “old way”. They raised livestock, grew corn and other crops, and spent much of their leisure time at church. Chief Harjo’s parents were proud of their heritage and encouraged their children to live by the traditional values of self-reliance, respect for others, humility and community service.
Principal Chief Harjo is married to the former Sheila Little, together they have four children and four grandchildren. Chief Harjo belongs to the Panther Clan and is a member of the Tusekia Harjo Band. He is also a member of the Mekusukey Indian Baptist Church.
Principal Chief Harjo attended Wolf Elementary School and Bowlegs High School where he excelled academically, played sports, and participated in a variety of extracurricular activities. As a sophomore at Bowlegs, Chief Harjo began to think about his options beyond high school and Seminole County. He applied for and received a scholarship to the Northfield Mount Hermon School, a private preparatory school in Northfield, Massachusetts.
Upon completing his last two years of high school at Northfield Mount Hermon in 1975 Chief Harjo entered Harvard University. In 1979 he received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics with an emphasis in Economic Development.
In 1986 Chief Harjo received a First Nations Fellowship to attend the Yale School of Organization and Management in New Haven, Connecticut. He graduated in 1988 with a Master’s Degree in Public and Private Management.
After spending a year at the Harvard Graduate School of Education Leonard returned to Oklahoma in 1980. He worked for the Oklahoma Indian Affairs Commission; the United Tribes of Western Oklahoma and Kansas, Incorporated; and for what is now the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. At the Department of Commerce he coordinated planning activities for the State’s weatherization and anti-poverty programs, and helped create a business development program for Community Action Agencies.
In 1988 Chief Harjo returned from graduate school and entered employment with the Seminole Nation. For the next ten year years he served in a variety of positions including: Tribal Planner, Director of Economic Development, and the first Director of the Seminole Nation Development Authority. Accomplishments Chief Harjo helped the Seminole Nation achieve during this period of service include:
Completing the unfinished Wewoka convenience store project and turn the Seminole Nation Trading Post into the Nation’s best performing business.
Obtaining funds for and building critically needed facilities such as the Wewoka OAP/Office building, and the Mekusukey Food Distribution Center.
Creating the first comprehensive Tribal Code since 1903.
Creating a Usage Plan for the Judgment Fund that resulted in the range of benefits Tribal Members currently enjoy.
Developing and executing an economic development plan that resulted in construction of a new Bingo Hall at Mekusukey, acquisition of Rivermist, and construction of the I-40 Travel Plaza.
In 1998 Chief Harjo left the Seminole Nation to become the Executive Director of the Division of Health Administration for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. During his four year tenure Chief Harjo helped restore the Division’s financial integrity, and usher in a period of significant growth in funding and facilities. Since 2002 Leonard has provided project management and strategic planning services to tribes across the western United States through his company, The Harjo Group, LLC.
Principal Chief Leonard M. Harjo understands the importance of building partnerships to achieve our goals. He has served as a Regent for Seminole State College; a member of the Board of Directors for Rural Enterprises, Incorporated; a member of various state committees; and as liaison to various tribal organizations and federal agencies—including the Oklahoma City Area and National Indian Health Boards, and the IHS National Budget Formulation Team.
“I appreciate the opportunity the Seminole people have given me to help build a new era of prosperity for the Seminole Nation,” said Principal Chief Leonard M. Harjo of the Seminole Nation upon being elected.
Seminole Nation Executive Office
PO BOX 1498
Wewoka, OK 74884
Phone: (405) 257 7205
Fax: (405) 257 7209
