SHI lecture to examine Alaska Native tribal status, sovereignty

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will sponsor a lecture this week as part of its ongoing fall series, featuring prominent voices in Indigenous knowledge, art and culture, wildlife conservation and science.

The event will feature Chris McNeil (Tlingit, Haida, Nisga’a), owner of Native Strategy Group and former president and CEO of Sealaska Corporation, who will explore the complex legal landscape of Alaska Native tribal sovereignty and federal recognition.

In his lecture, McNeil will examine the status of Alaska Native tribes as federally recognized entities, discussing key statutes including the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act. McNeil will also provide insight into the landmark Yellen v. Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation case and its implications for Alaska Native Corporations’ legal status.

Drawing from more than four decades of experience in Native governance and law, McNeil served as Sealaska Corporation’s president and CEO for 13 years, following roles as executive vice president and general counsel. His leadership experience includes serving as special counsel to the Alaska Federation of Natives, chairman of the Native American Rights Fund and chairman of the Native American Contractors Association.

McNeil’s distinguished career spans academia and tribal governance, including positions as the first director of Stanford University’s American Indian Program and second vice president of the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska.

The lecture is scheduled for noon, Thursday, Nov. 14, in Shuká Hít within the Walter Soboleff Building, 105 Heritage Way, in Juneau. The event will be livestreamed and posted on SHI’s YouTube channel.

Sealaska Heritage Institute is a private nonprofit founded in 1980 to perpetuate and enhance Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska. Its goal is to promote cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding through public services and events. SHI also conducts scientific and public policy research that promotes Alaska Native arts, cultures, history and education statewide. The institute is governed by a Board of Trustees and guided by a Council of Traditional Scholars, a Native Artist Committee and a Southeast Regional Language Committee.

CONTACT: Kathy Dye, SHI Communications and Publications Deputy Director, 907.321.4636, kathy.dye@sealaska.com.

Caption: Chris McNeil giving a lecture at Sealaska Heritage Institute in 2019. Photo by Nobu Koch, courtesy of SHI. Note: News outlets are welcome to use this photo for coverage of this story. For a higher resolution version, contact kathy.dye@sealaska.com.