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Edwina Butler-Wolfe

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Edwina Butler-Wolfe
Governor of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Indians
In office
2013–2019
Personal details
BornOklahoma, U.S.
SpouseLeonard Wolfe
Children1
Alma materOklahoma Baptist University
ProfessionPolitician
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Edwina Butler-Wolfe is a Shawnee politician. She served as governor of the Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma from 2013 until 2019, totaling three terms. She is the only woman to serve as Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma governor. She is also the only Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma governor to be elected for a third term.

Early life and education

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Edwina Butler-Wolfe was born in Oklahoma. She attended Dale High School in Dale, Oklahoma. She attended Seminole State College, Rose State College, St. Gregory’s University and Oklahoma Baptist University.[1]

Career

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Butler-Wolfe has worked as a project manager, grant writer, fund development manager, and event planner.[1]

She became governor of the Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma in 2013. She served three terms.[1] During her tenure, she was a member of the National Congress of American Indians and she opposed the use of Native American stereotypes and images in professional sports.[2] She also signed the first memorandum of understanding between the tribe and the American Red Cross, ensuring the Red Cross would provide emergency response support to the tribe.[3]

John Raymond Johnson was her successor in 2019.[1]

After her governorship, Butler-Wolfe became education director of the Sac and Fox Nation.[4]

Personal life

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She plays basketball. She is married to Leonard Wolfe. She has one son.[1]

Butler-Wolfe credits Wilma Mankiller as an inspiration for her becoming involved politically.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "NASNTI Celebrates Welcome Week" (PDF). Seminole State College. 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  2. ^ Florio, Mike (27 November 2013). "Native American leaders speak out against Redskins name". ProFootballTalk. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  3. ^ "Red Cross and Absentee Shawnee Tribe sign first MOU in Oklahoma". Norman Transcript. 18 December 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  4. ^ a b Spears, Nancy Marie (26 October 2021). "Female leaders in Oklahoma tribes say Cherokee chief Wilma Mankiller was inspiring". Enid News & Eagle. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
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