705 N. Elliott
Pryor, OK 74362
(918) 825-3674
E-Mail: swickliffe@cherokee.org
Stephanie Wickliffe-Shepherd is half Cherokee and resides in Pryor with her three children, Walter, Caroline, and Bill Buffalomeat. Mrs. Wickliffe-Shepherd is the daughter of Bill and Mary Lue Wickliffe of Pryor and the grand daughter of Caroline Wickliffe and the late William Wickliffe Sr., an original enrollee. Stephanie's great grandparents were of the Sixkiller, Smith, and Hair Cherokee families.
Work experience includes Sears Roebuck & Co. From 1987-1998. Recruited out of college, she was promoted into a variety of assignments from sales management in Maryland to headquarters in Illinois, to district manager in Human Resources for Wisconsin, servicing the needs of more than 3,000 employees, and 20 managers impacting sales to $310.3 million. She served as executive recruiter for nine years and a company representative for Native American student outreach four years.
Stephanie is an active member of the First Baptist Church of Pryor, serving in the music and ministry and as youth Sunday school teacher. She is currently a leader and delegate for Girl Scouts in Mayes County and received numerous honors during her 26 years in scouting, including being selected as one of six to represent the United States in India Girl Guide World Center.
What are your qualifications for this position?
I am a degreed professional with 11 successful years in business and human resource management, wherein the last four years my daily work involved meeting four to five days per week with employees in their environment and serving as their voice to help improve their workplace, compensation, training, development and delivery of customer service.
I've also been responsible for inventory management of $54million in goods to more than 700 retail units and served as liaison for these units to improve opportunities and solve problems to improve their business. My business career in store management grew from managing a $5.1 million business with approximately 50 employees to a district manager serving more than 3,000 associates and have been recognized for my accomplishments by being featured in college recruiting material, named buying team of the year in 1994.
In addition, my strong communication skills highlighted by the ability to work well with others and my proven track record of leadership.
What is the role of tribal council, in general, and in relation to other tribal branches of government?
As the legislative branch of our government, and the representatives of the people it is our role to uphold the people's trust and honor our laws. Each representative should not lose sight of the most important obligation and that is to represent the people who elected us to do so. This has to include having an open-door government, so that the tribal council is acting in the best interests of the Cherokee people in its handling of the nation's business and services, exemplifying high standards of personal and business ethics.
The tribal council must also work in unity with the judicial and executive branch, but when needed, to take a stand to make sure checks and balances of power are in place.
Why do you believe you can make a difference and what are the top priorities of your campaign platform?
I will uphold the people's trust and honor our laws; be readily available to listen to their needs and act on their behalf; restore Cherokee Nation to a place of honor; be dedicated to preserving our rich heritage and work diligently to ensure a brighter future for our children.
I am committed to economic development, health care, education and honoring our elders with passion, persistence and pride. And in pursuing these priorities the Cherokee people can count on me to handle the Nation's business and services with integrity, to act fairly and honestly in business practices and personal conduct, to be accessible to meet with and receive people's input, to use good judgement and respect in all interactions on behalf of our Nation.
What are the biggest problems facing the Cherokee people today and what solution(s) do you propose?
As I've talked to fellow Cherokees, the problems of health care, housing, poverty, seem to be overshadowed by today's current state of the Cherokee Nation leadership. The people are wanting and demanding a unified, honest and hardworking leadership to meet their needs. Some of the solutions I propose are to practice an open-door government policy, propose an ethics guide for business and personal conduct and demand term limits for elected leadership.
Then, with integrity and persistence we will meet the needs of the people in bringing about economic development, improving health care access and delivery, improving financial and academic resources for those wanting higher education or vocational training; and remembering and honoring our elders by meeting their needs.
The Cherokee people are tired of our government not putting the people first and we desperately need unity and peace so that we can rise out of the brokeness of the last four years and into the blessings of the 21st century.
During the 1999 Elections, a candidate questionnaire was given to the
candidates addressing the following questions:
- What are your qualifications for this position
- What is the role of tribal council, in general and in relation to other
tribal branches of government
- Why do you believe you can make a difference and what are the top
priorities of your campaign platform
- What are the biggest problems facing the Cherokee people today and what
solution(s) do you propose
To see the responses to those questions, please follow this link:
http://www.cherokee.org/TribalGovernment/Elections99Page.asp?ID=e99election