JOHN ECHOHAWK NAMED NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE HONOREE

BOULDER, CO – John Echohawk, Executive Director of the Boulder-based Native American Rights Fund (NARF) was recently named Native American Heritage Honoree by Rocky Mountain PBS (Public Proadcasting System). Echohawk was selected because of his on-going devotion to improving the lives of Native Americans throughout Colorado and the nation. John Echohawk, a member of the Pawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, has been a leading force in Indian Law and policy for nearly three decades. As one of the most sought after experts on Indian issues and Indian law, he is often called upon to serve on special commissions and committees that are assigned to develop state, regional and national policy that will affect Indian people everywhere. Over the years, Echohawk has received numerous service awards and recognition for his leadership in his field, including the Spirit of Excellence Award from the American Bar Association. He has been recognized as one of the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America by the National Law Journal. In 1995, he was appointed by President Clinton to serve on the Western Water Policy Review Advisory Commission and in 1992 he was a member of the Clinton-Gore transition team.

Today, Echohawk is the Executive Director of NARF, a non-profit organization that provides legal representation and technical assistance to Indian tribes nationwide in such areas as tribal sovereignty, natural resource protection, education, human rights issues and economic development.

Rocky Mountain PBS, through its Heritage Program, seeks to recognize outstanding leaders in the community while also celebrating diversity and recognizing the proud heritage of the members of the communities it serves.