Jancita Warrington appointed to governor’s administration

Jancita Warrington, a local consultant on Indigenous issues, has been appointed to Gov. Laura Kelly’s administration in the office that “serves as the liaison for the governor to ensure Native American voices are represented in state policymaking.”

Warrington, who is of Potawatomi, Menominee, and Ho-Chunk descent, will serve as executive director of the Office of Native American Affairs, according to a Monday news release from Kelly’s office.

“I am honored to be appointed to the Office of Native American Affairs and to build upon the progress the Kelly Administration has made for state-tribal relations,” Warrington said in the release.

Warrington is a graduate of Haskell Indian Nations University, and she holds a Master of Arts in Global Indigenous Nations Studies, according to the release.

She is “currently a cultural and research consultant and curriculum developer for the University of Kansas,” according to the release. “She also advises independent programs and projects as they relate to tribal historical accounts and diversity.”

“Jancita joins my team with deep experience in promoting the preservation of Indigenous culture,” Kelly said in the release. “I appreciate her stepping into this role to help my Administration continue its work to strengthen state-tribal relations.”

Warrington recently wrote a guest column about “Trace,” an Indigenous performance held in April at the Lied Center that combined dance, storytelling and contemporary media.

“‘Trace’ reaffirms that Indigenous peoples’ arts and cultures are not nostalgic remnants of the past but are alive and thriving in various forms across North America,” she wrote. “It awakens the soul and nourishes the spirit, enhancing humanity’s connection to the natural environment we all depend on, while allowing us to explore all things traceable in our lives and those with whom we share it.”

Read her full piece at this link.

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