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Oklahoma City's First Americans Museum announces CEO

Graphic of the First Americans Museum with the logo superimposed along with an image of their CEO
Brian Hammons
/
First Americans Museum
Graphic of the First Americans Museum new CEO

Oklahoma City’s First Americans Museum has a new leader.

Kelli Mosteller is a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and is currently Executive Director of the Harvard University Native American Program.

She has over 15 years of experience in tribal preservation, academia and museum management. She holds a doctorate in American History from the University of Texas at Austin with an emphasis on Indigenous studies.

Originally from Shawnee, she spent 12 years as the Executive Director of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Cultural Heritage Center.

Dr. Mosteller’s work has been recognized with numerous awards, including being named Oklahoma's "50 Women Making a Difference" by The Journal Record in 2017.

"It's an honor to join the exceptional team at First Americans Museum," Mosteller said in an announcement of her appointment. "FAM plays a vital role in celebrating and sharing the collective histories of 39 distinctive First American Nations in Oklahoma today. I look forward to working with staff, the board of directors, and community partners to expand FAM's impact as a landmark cultural institution."

Mosteller replaces former Executive Director and CEO James Pepper Henry, who left in March after shepherding the museum through its early stages.


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Katie Hallum (ᏧᏟ) covers Indigenous Affairs at KOSU.
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