Press Release – Chief Legal Officer Announcement
Press Release – Chief Legal Officer Announcement
Pembroke, N.C., January 13, 2023 – Lumbee Tribe Holdings, Inc. (LTH) has named Heather McMillan Nakai as its chief legal officer effective January 3, 2023. In this role, Heather will lead the company’s efforts regarding contracts and other negotiations, dispute resolution, and policy matters across all of the LTH family of companies and affiliated organizations. She will report to LTH Chief Executive Officer Joshua D. Malcolm.
With a juris doctorate from UCLA School of Law and bachelor’s degree in History and Native American Studies from Dartmouth, Heather has dedicated the past 16 years to representing the interests of tribes with respect to state and federal government matters. Heather began her career at the Indian Health Service as a policy analyst before transitioning to the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) where she spent 14 years as a staff attorney for the Oklahoma and Phoenix regions analyzing complex legal issues and drafting federal regulations to assist various tribal gaming interests in attaining and maintaining compliance across a wide spectrum of business operations.
“Heather is an accomplished and highly skilled attorney whose practice of law has enabled her to assist tribes throughout Indian Country. We are extremely pleased she has decided to join an organization dedicated to bringing economic prosperity and opportunities to Lumbee Tribal members – her people,” said Mr. Malcolm.
In addition to her professional endeavors, Heather has served the Lumbee Tribe in numerous capacities including as a member of the Constitutional Reform Committee and a consultant to the Federal Recognition Committee. Heather’s work resulted in an opportunity to challenge the Department of Interior’s interpretation of the Lumbee Act of 1956. “I have had a very rewarding federal career and I am now looking for an opportunity to use my expertise to contribute more directly to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina,” said Heather.
Heather is an enrolled member of the Lumbee Tribe and grew up in the Allenton community. She currently resides in Lumberton with her husband, Benjamin, and their daughter.
About Lumbee Tribe Holdings, Inc.
Lumbee Tribe Holdings, Inc. (LTH) is headquartered in Pembroke, North Carolina and serves as a holdings company for several subsidiaries – Lumbee Tribe Enterprises, LLC; Lumbee IT Solutions, LLC, dba Lumbee Federal Solutions, LLC; and Lumbee 56 Construction, LLC, dba Lumbee 56, LLC – who are committed to providing world class services to a diverse array of government customers. Established in 2011, LTH is wholly owned by the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and provides economic resources to the Lumbee Tribal Government for the benefit of its Tribal members.
