Lisa Johnson Billy
{{Short description|American politician (born 1967)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Lisa Johnson Billy
| image =
| image name = Lisa Johnson Billy.jpg
| party = Republican
| nationality = American
Chickasaw Nation
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|2|21}}
| birth_place = Purcell, Oklahoma
| alma_mater = Northeastern State University,
University of Oklahoma
| profession = Educator, small business owner
| office = Member of the Chickasaw Tribal Legislature from Pontotoc District, Seat 5
| constituency =
| term_start = 2016
| term_end =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| term_start1 = 1996
| term_end1 = 2002
| predecessor1 =
| successor1 =
| office4 = Oklahoma Secretary of Native American Affairs
| governor4 = Kevin Stitt
| term_start4 = January 2019
| term_end4 = December 2019
| predecessor4 =Position established
| successor4 = Brian Bingman
| appointer2 = Donald Trump
| office2 = Member of the board of trustees of the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation
| term_start2 = December 27, 2017
| state_house6= Oklahoma
| district6= 42nd
| predecessor6 = Bill Joel Mitchell
| successor6 = Timothy J. Downing
| term_start6= 2004
| term_end6= 2016
}}
Lisa Johnson Billy (born February 21, 1967) is a Chickasaw and American politician who has served in the legislatures of Oklahoma and the Chickasaw Nation. She has served as a tribal councillor for the Chickasaw Nation since 2016 and previously served on the council between 1996 and 2002. She represented Oklahoma House of Representatives district 42 from 2004 to 2016 and was appointed by President of the United States Donald Trump to the board of trustees of the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation in 2017.
She held the positions of Oklahoma Secretary of Native American Affairs and Oklahoma Native American Affairs Liaison in 2019 after her appointment by Governor Kevin Stitt.
Early life and education
Billy was born on February 21, 1967, in Purcell, Oklahoma. She is the daughter of Frank Johnson Sr. and the late Beverly (Jones) Johnson.[https://dc.library.okstate.edu/digital/collection/legislature/id/277/rec/4 Lisa Billy -- Women of the Oklahoma Legislature Oral History Project] Her father Frank was a Chickasaw elder and former tribal legislator.
Billy earned a bachelor's degree from Northeastern State University and a Master's degree from the University of Oklahoma.
Career
Prior to serving in elected office, Billy worked as a teacher for the Department of Continuing Education at the University of Oklahoma and was a board member of Girl Scouts of the USA and cub scout leader for the Boy Scouts of America.{{cite news |title=50 Making a Difference profile: Lisa Johnson-Billy |url=https://journalrecord.com/2011/10/06/50-making-a-difference-profile-lisa-johnson-billy-general-news/ |access-date=6 September 2023 |work=The Journal Record |date=October 6, 2011}}
Billy served as a member of the Chickasaw Nation's tribal legislature between 1996 and 2002.
=Oklahoma House of Representatives=
In 2004, she was elected to represent house district 42 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. She served as the deputy whip from 2004 to 2006, vice chair of the Republican caucus from 2006 to 2008, and majority floor leader from 2014 to 2016.{{cite news |title=Lisa Billy receives Leadership Legacy Award |url=https://journalrecord.com/2020/02/12/lisa-billy-receives-leadership-legacy-award/ |access-date=6 September 2023 |work=The Journal Record |date=February 12, 2020}}
She was the first Native American, the first woman, and the first Chickasaw Nation citizen to represent her district. She formed the state's first Native American caucus. During her term, she supported legislation related to tribes in Oklahoma such as allowing Native American language classes to be taken for a foreign language credit in Oklahoma high schools.{{cite news |last1=Bolitho |first1=Tom |title=GOP Floor Leader; Lisa Billy Completing Oklahoma House Term |url=http://www.chickasawtimes.net/Web-Exclusives/Archive/2016/May/GOP-floor-leader;-Lisa-Billy-completing-Oklahoma-H.aspx |access-date=6 September 2023 |work=Chickasaw Times |publisher=Chickasaw Nation |date=May 2016}} She cites Helen Cole as her mentor.
= Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation =
On November 21, 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Billy to be a member of the board of trustees of the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation for a term expiring August 25, 2024.{{Cite news|url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/president-donald-j-trump-announces-key-additions-administration-25/|title=President Donald J. Trump Announces Key Additions to his Administration|access-date=2018-02-02|via=National Archives|work=whitehouse.gov|language=en-US}} On December 21, 2017, the United States Senate confirmed her nomination by voice vote.{{Cite web|url=https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/2017/12/21|title=Congressional Record|website=www.congress.gov|language=en|access-date=2018-02-02}} She officially took office on December 27, 2017.{{cn|date=September 2023}}
=Oklahoma Secretary of Native American Affairs=
In January 2019, Governor Kevin Stitt appointed Billy to serve as the first Oklahoma Secretary of Native American Affairs. She resigned in December 2019 citing the Stitt administration's conflict with tribal governments over gaming compacts in the state.{{cite news |last1=Savage |first1=Tres |title=Lisa Billy resigns as Gov. Stitt's secretary of Native American affairs |url=https://nondoc.com/2019/12/23/lisa-billy-resigns-as-gov-stitts-secretary-of-native-american-affairs/ |access-date=6 September 2023 |work=NonDoc |date=December 23, 2019}}
=Return to Chickasaw Nation legislature=
In 2016, Billy was elected to a three-year term in the Chickasaw Nation legislature.{{cite news |title=5 Chickasaw Nation leaders sworn into office |url=https://www.kxii.com/content/news/5-Chickasaw-Nation-leaders-sworn-into-office-395723701.html |agency=Associated Press |date=October 3, 2016}} She was sworn in October 3, 2016.{{cite news |title=Chickasaw Nation elected officials take oath of office |url=https://www.theadanews.com/news/local_news/chickasaw-nation-elected-officials-take-oath-of-office/article_e2bc7acb-6f35-5e77-ac4a-7c82e8885d1f.html |access-date=6 September 2023 |work=The Ada News |date=October 6, 2016}} She was unopposed in her campaign for re-election in 2019 and 2022.{{cite news |title=Pontotoc District Seat 5 |url=https://reader.mediawiremobile.com/ChickasawTimes/issues/204912/viewer?page=5 |access-date=6 September 2023 |work=Chickasaw Times |issue=June 2019 |publisher=Chickasaw Nation |page=5}}{{cite news |title=Pontotoc District Seat 5 |url=https://reader.mediawiremobile.com/ChickasawTimes/issues/207947/viewer?page=3 |access-date=6 September 2023 |work=Chickasaw Times |publisher=Chickasaw Nation |date=June 2022 |page=3}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.chickasaw.tv/profiles-of-a-nation/list/lisa-billy Lisa Billy Profile and Videos] – Chickasaw.TV
- [http://www.odl.state.ok.us/almanac/2005/14-histry.pdf 2005-2006 Oklahoma Almanac Online--Oklahoma History]
- [http://www.library.okstate.edu/oralhistory/wotol/ Women of the Oklahoma Legislature Oral History Project--OSU Library]
{{Authority control}}
{{Kevin Stitt cabinet}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Billy, Lisa Johnson}}
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:21st-century Native American politicians
Category:Republican Party members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
Category:21st-century members of the Oklahoma Legislature
Category:Chickasaw Nation state legislators in Oklahoma
Category:Chickasaw people of Choctaw descent
Category:Native American women in politics
Category:Northeastern State University alumni
Category:People from Purcell, Oklahoma
Category:University of Oklahoma alumni
Category:Women state legislators in Oklahoma
Category:20th-century Native American women
Category:21st-century Native American women
Category:State cabinet secretaries of Oklahoma