Advancing and improving the lives of Native people has always been important to me, and has been instilled in me by my Mother, Barbara Hicks and my Grandfather, Frank E. Hicks and my Grandmother, Alice J. Mills.

With that guiding purpose, I have spent much of my career helping others find gainful employment. In the early 90’s, I worked as both the Job Developer and interim Director of the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA), the employment & training and education program administered by the Tribe. In both these roles, I counseled Tribal members on employment and education issues and was instrumental in helping dozens of individuals obtain viable jobs and further their education. These positions lead me to my work with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe and Foxwoods where I served as the Indian Preference Officer and, later, the Director of Employment.

In addition to my work in the tribal community, I have also immersed myself in the world of business and finance. As a Senior Vice President at Sovereign Bank New England, I managed a multi-million operating budget and was instrumental in strategic planning, business development and human resource management. My objective as Tribal Councilor is to combine this business experience with traditional tribal leadership and implement an integrated approach to tribal governance.

Currently, I am President/CEO of Wakeby Fire & Associates, a consulting company that focuses on fundraising and membership development. This sense of community stewardship is also evidenced in my volunteer work with the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts where I served on the Board of Directors as well as Treasurer of the Mashpee One Room School House Preservation Council.

My motivation is simple: to serve my tribal community and be a representative for positive change.