Melanie Benjamin
Occupation(s)Chief executive, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
Websitemillelacsband.com/government/chief-executive

Melanie Benjamin is chief executive of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, a sovereign, federally-recognized American Indian tribal government in the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation in east-central Minnesota, USA.[1]

Biography

Benjamin was originally elected chief executive of the band in 2000, and re-elected in 2004 and 2008.[2] In October 2008, shortly after the start of her third term, she was removed from office following accusations of misappropriation of tribal funds.[3] She was again elected chief executive in 2012[4] and in 2016.[5] In 2020, Benjamin was again re-elected by the citizens of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe to her sixth consecutive four-year term.[6] In 2018, Benjamin addressed the Band's opioid crisis and provided harsh comments to traditionally Band-supportive groups on their lack of assistance to the Tribe.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "Constitution and Band Statutes". Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. Retrieved 2021-08-12.
  2. ↑ [s.n.] ([2008]) Benjamin elected to third term as Mille Lacs Chief Executive. News From Indian Country. Accessed November 2015.
  3. ↑ [Associated Press] (10 October 2008). Mille Lacs Band removes CEO for theft of tribe money. StarTribune. Accessed November 2015.
  4. ↑ Curt Brown (28 January 2014). Three Minnesota tribal leaders will be at Obama's speech. StarTribune. Accessed November 2015.
  5. ↑ Vivian LaMoore (13 April 13, 2016). Benjamin reelected Mille Lacs Messenger. Accessed May 2019.
  6. ↑ "Mille Lacs Band members reelect Benjamin as chief executive, elect Wind as District 1 rep". Brainerd Dispatch. September 1, 2020. Retrieved 2021-08-12.
  7. ↑ Zach Kayser (10 January 2018). In State of the Band speech, Mille Lacs leader takes on opioids, lawsuit opponents. Pine and Lakes. Accessed May 2019.
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