Scott Davis Scott Davis - City Magazine

Scott Davis
Life in Balance
Name: “My Lakota name is Oskate Tawa, ‘his
celebration,’ handed down from my uncle.”
Title: Executive Director,
North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission
“Brokering nations.” That’s how, in two words,
Scott Davis, executive director of the North
Dakota Indian Affairs Commission, describes
the delicate mission of the governmental entity.
“Overall, we’re here to create and strengthen a
working government-to-government relationship
between the state and the tribes.”
Created by the state legislature in 1949, the
North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission was
one of the first of its kind established in the United
States. The governor serves as the chairman of the
commission; members include Davis, the chairs
of the five tribal nations (Three Affiliated Tribes,
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Spirit Lake Nation,
Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Sisseton-
Wahpeton Oyate) and three at-large members.
The commission exists to address serious issues
such as jurisdiction, natural resources, economic
development, employment, health systems,
education, discrimination, transportation, court
systems and gaming. Complicating matters
considerably, these issues are between the state
and sovereign nations.
6 | THECITYMAG.COM | APRIL 2013
DOB: April 16, 1969
Breckenridge, MN
High School: Turtle Mountain Community
High School, Class of ‘87
College: University of Mary
Bachelors in Business
Masters in Business Management
Family: Wife, Lorraine (9 years);
daughters Angelina (8 yrs) & Santana (5 yrs)
sons Anthony (19 yrs) & Scotty Jr. (newborn)
Tribal Affiliation: Enrolled member of Standing
Rock Sioux Nation, descendant of Turtle
Mountain Chippewa
“Nothing stimulates me more
than watching a person succeed,
knowing that they have internal
sovereignty, an inner sobriety,
an inner peace of God, and
knowing that maybe I had a little
bit to do with
”
it.
“There is no script on how to do this,” said
Davis, 43, who was appointed commissioner by
Governor Hoeven and now serves Governor
Dalrymple. “If there was a script, it’s constantly
changing—each tribe is different, with evolving
leadership and its own set of traditions, laws and
tribal constitutions.”
According to Davis, North Dakota is one
of only three states where the Indian Affairs
commissioner serves at the cabinet level. That
status, achieved during the Schafer administration,
means Davis is on an equal plain with the state’s
other 16 cabinet members.
“It says how important tribal-government
relations are to the governor’s office and the
legislature,” said Davis. “Having direct access to
cabinet members—commerce, court systems,
human services, health, the others—is huge.”
Davis’ staff includes a deputy director, an assistant
and a program administrator.
Davis, the son of an educator (his father,
Dr. Jim Davis, is president of Turtle Mountain
Community College) and a dental assistant,
approaches the commissioner’s job with
respect, dedication, and a large measure of
responsibility. “My wife and I went back
and forth on whether or not to take this job
for a good three weeks,” recalled Davis. “I
didn’t want to be a token Indian; I wanted to
have the freedom to run the commission as
I thought it should be, and take it to a new
level. But you have to prove yourself, so I am
very grateful Governor Dalrymple trusts my
leadership.”
Davis is living up to his aspirations.
Through visible leadership, genuine humility
and a passion for his office’s mission, he
has engendered a greater understanding
among all North Dakota residents. “Trust
and understanding, whether it’s between
governments, or people, have always been
the main barriers,” said Davis. “But I know
we’re getting there.”
What is your number one goal as
cm: Indian Affairs Commissioner?
Scott Davis: To see the unemployment rate
for our tribal nations go below 10 percent.
That’s our internal office goal—achieving
that goal has to come through the tribes. We
want to partner with the tribes and develop
plans for addressing unemployment over
the next three, four or five years. Looking
back at the Hoeven administration, and now
Governor Dalrymple’s, it’s always been about
jobs and the economy. With all the growth,
what a perfect time in our state to take
advantage of opportunity! We could once
and for all reverse generations of poverty.
It’s going to take more diversification. Right
now there only three economies on the
reservation: either you work for the schools,
government or the casinos. There’s not a lot
of private business, and we need to build that
up.
Continued on page 8
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