Ned Norris Jr. (born 1955) is
chairman
The chairperson, also chairman, chairwoman or chair, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the grou ...
of the
Tohono O'odham Nation of southern
Arizona. He previously held the office for two consecutive terms from 2007 to 2015, and was returned to the office in 2019. Norris previously worked as the director of
marketing and
public relations for the O'odham Gaming Authority.
Biography
Early life
Ned Norris Jr. was born in 1955 and raised in
Tucson, Arizona.
[ Norris attended both ]elementary school
A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ed ...
and middle school in Flagstaff, Arizona
Flagstaff ( ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Coconino County, Arizona, Coconino County in northern Arizona, in the southwestern United States. In 2019, the city's estimated population was 75,038. Flagstaff's combined metropolitan area has ...
before graduating from Sunnyside High School in Tucson.[ He received a certification in ]social work
Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social work ...
from Pima Community College and enrolled at some classes at the University of Arizona, where he later was awarded an honorary Human of Letters doctorate.[
]
Career
Norris began working for the government of the Tohono O'odham nation in 1978 as a nonattorney tribal judge.[ He served as a trial judge until 1993.][ He also served on the school board of the ]Sunnyside Unified School District
Sunnyside Unified School District is a school district in Pima County, Arizona, United States. The district extends from Tucson south to Sahuarita and from Interstate 19 to Wilmot Road. It has one early learning center, one 2-8 school, one interme ...
in Pima County, Arizona
Pima County ( ) is a county in the south central region of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,043,433, making it Arizona's second-most populous county. The county seat is Tucson, where most of the population ...
, from 1997 until 2000.[
Additionally, Norris was employed as the director of public relations and marketing for the Tohono O’odham Gaming Authority.][ He resigned from this position in 2003 when he was elected the Vice Chairman of the Tohono O'odham nation.][ Norris has also worked for the Desert Diamond Casino as assistant director of public relations.][
]
Vice Chairman of the Tohono O'odham (2003–2006)
In 1999, Vivian Juan-Saunders
Vivian Juan-Saunders is an American politician who became the first woman to lead the Tohono O'odham Nation of southern Arizona in 2003. She served as Chairwoman of the Tohono O'odham from 2003 until 2007.
Juan-Saunders is from New Fields com ...
announced her intention to challenge incumbent Tohono O'odham Chairman Edward Manuel
Edward D. Manuel (born ?) is an American politician and current Chairman who previously served the post of the Tohono O'odham nation of southern Arizona from 1995 until 2003. He is from Pisinemo, Arizona
, native_name_lang = ood
, se ...
, who was seeking a second term in office.[ Juan-Saunders chose Norris as her running mate in the election.][ Manuel defeated Juan-Saunders to win a second term as chairman.][
In 2003, Vivian Juan-Saunders once again sought the chairmanship with Ned Norris Jr. as her running mate.][ She and Norris won the election with 59% of the vote in a rematch with Edward Manuel, who was seeking a third term.][ Norris became the Vice Chairman of the Tohono O'odham under Chairman Vivian Juan-Saunders, the first woman to lead the Tohono O'odham.][ He held the post until his resignation in June 2006.]
Chairman of the Tohono O'odham (2007–2015, 2019–)
In 2007, Norris challenged incumbent Chairman Juan-Saunders in the Tohono O'odham executive election.[ Norris ousted Juan-Saunders in the election, which was held on May 26, 2007.][ He received 1,766 of the 3,105 total votes cast by Tohono O'odham voters.][ His running mate, Isidro Lopez, became the Vice Chairman of the Tohono O'odham.][ Norris and Lopez were formally inaugurated as Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Tohono O'odham Nation on Friday, August 3, 2007.]health care
Health care or healthcare is the improvement of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people. Health care is delivered by health profe ...
and the alleviation of unemployment.[http://www.tonation-nsn.gov/tribal-government/#:~:text=Ned%20Norris%20Jr.%2C%20Chairman]References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Norris, Ned Jr.
1955 births
Chairmen of the Tohono O'odham
Native American leaders
Arizona politicians
People from Flagstaff, Arizona
Politicians from Tucson, Arizona
Living people
2020 United States presidential electors
Arizona Democrats
Native American people from Arizona