Speaker: Governor Edwina Butler-Wolfe, Absentee-Shawnee
A lifelong resident of Shawnee, Oklahoma and a member of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, Edwina Butler-Wolfe, is the current governor of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe serving in her third two year term of office. Governor Butler-Wolfe is the first female Governor in the tribe’s history to serve and be elected a third term. As Governor, Mrs. Butler-Wolfe has worked hard to help the Absentee Shawnee Tribal membership in times of need and extend services to those who may have fallen on hard times.
She is Vice-Chairwoman of the United Indian Nations of Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas, Inc. Governor Butler-Wolfe has sat at Government to Government Round Table discussions many times in Washington D.C. on issues pertaining to Gaming, Indian Education, and Indian issues throughout Indian Country.
Governor Butler-Wolfe is a strong tribal leader in the Every Student Success Act (ESSA) an act that was implemented in 2015 by former U.S. President Obama. This is an act that requires public schools to inform Tribes of spending of federal dollars that schools receive from the federal government.
Governor Butler-Wolfe and her husband Leonard Wolfe resides in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Governor has one son Joshua Gibson, and one step-daughter Christie Wolfe Shaffer.