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The Roseburg News-Review---March 2, 2008
Sue Shaffer has dedicated her life to her family and to serving her tribe, her community and her nation.
One of her greatest achievements has been guiding the Cow Creek Band to being re-established as a federally recognized tribe; successfully suing the federal government for a land claims settlement; negotiating intensely with the BIA to keep the financial settlement as a tribal investment resource; effectively establishing the first tribal business—a bingo hall in Canyonville; wisely re-investing the profits to expand the business; diversifying into seventeen tribal businesses; achieving tribal business success employing almost 1400 Douglas County residents over $40 million per year and being the largest creator of new jobs in Douglas County.
Sue Shaffer is a woman of service and of visionary leadership.
TRIBAL SERVICE
- Chairman, Board of Directors, Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe of Indians, 20 years (member of the Board since re-organization in 1974).
- Delegate to National Congress of American Indians
- Delegate to Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians
- Cultural Committee, Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians
- Delegate to National Indian Women’s Leadership Conference
- Delegate to Indian Women’s Leadership, White House Conference
CIVIC SERVICE
- Charter member, Citizen’s Advisory Board, SU Bank
- Board of trustees, Umpqua Community College, chairman
- Canyonville Park Board, Secretary
- Organizer, South Umpqua Historical Society
- Douglas County Park Board, past chairman
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
- Native American Rights Fund, board member
- Councilwoman, City of Canyonville
- Oversight board, Oregon chapter, National Coalition to Support Indian Treaties
- Organizer and president Canyonville Business Women’s Association
- Witness, Oregon legislative hearings, SJM 12 (to rescind termination)
- Witness, Oregon HB 3274, Cow Creek Salmon Bill
- Witness, U.S. Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs, 1982
- Witness, U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, 1979, 1982 and 1985
- Federal Relations Team (Congressional Liaison on Community College issues, 1990-91
- Vice-Chairman, Oregon Commission on Indian Services
- Board Member, Advisory Board for the Institute for Tribal Government in the Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University
SPECIAL APPOINTMENTS
- Represented Umpqua Community College at the Association of Community College Trustees Legislative Seminar, Washington, D.C. 1987, 1988, 1989
- May 5, 1989, appointed by Interior Secretary Manuel Lujan, Jr. to serve on the Bureau of Land Management’s Roseburg District Advisory Council for a 3- year term, ending December 31, 1991
- Appointment by University of Oregon President David Frohnmayer to the Presidents’ Advisory Council on the University of Oregon Native American Initiative
EDUCATIONAL, CULTURAL SERVICE
- Work with Congressional Delegation and Oregon State Legislators on archaeological site laws, historic preservation legislation and Indian burial laws
HONORS AND AWARDS
- Oregon Democratic Party
- Eleanor Roosevelt Award – 2003, presented by Senator Ron Wyden at Oregon
- Democratic Party meeting
- Oregon Commission For Women
- Women of Achievement Award – 2000, statewide award given to three Oregon women
- Roseburg Area Chamber of Commerce
- First woman to Chair the Board of Trustees of Umpqua Community College
- Presented with an “Honorary Associate of Arts Degree” June 11, 1999
- Source: Sue Shaffer resume on Cow Creek Web site