Public Affairs | Shoshone-Bannock Tribes

Office of Public Affairs.

The Office of Public Affairs serves as the primary point of contact with external media and coordinates the tribes’ governmental affairs activities at the state and national levels. The Office of Public Affairs works with several organizations - in press, private, governmental and consulting arenas. We are always striving to strengthen the mission of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and would love to contact you about feature stories or press releases.

Randy’L Teton, Public Affairs Manager.

Ms. Teton’s responsibilities include assisting Tribal, state and federal legislative issues and handles all external media relations for the Tribes with a focus on building relationships with key stakeholders. Randy’L is active in the tribal and regional community and sits on various committees and boards including: former Board member of Blackfoot Chamber of Commerce Board (3 year term), Pocatello Rotary, Southeast Idaho High Country tourism board member, member of Pocatello Chamber of Commerce, Idaho State Historical Society Tribal representative, member of the State of Idaho Indian Education Board and Museum of Idaho Board member.

Yvette Tuell, Policy Analyst.

As a Shoshone-Bannock Tribal member, Ms. Tuell is responsible for providing policy guidance for the Fort Hall Business Council, in support of Tribal inherent and Treaty reserved rights. She is also responsible for the development, implementation and administration of Tribal policies; and assisting in the internal and external relations with state and federal agencies. She also assists or addresses any economic, political or environmental issues, on reservation or on the unoccupied lands of the United States. She has over 17 years of experience in Tribal consultation, natural resources, and cultural resource management.

Yvette Towersap Tuell was born and raised on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation, in the Ross Fork District. She graduated from Blackfoot High School, and went on to college at Washington State University, attending the Natural Resource/Environmental Program for American Indians. She later graduated from Idaho State University with a Bachelors of Arts in Anthropology, with a minor in American Indian Studies. Ms. Tuell studied at Vermont Law School in 1998-2000, earning a Masters of Studies in Environmental Law. She is currently enrolled at the University of Utah History Department, seeking her Doctorate in US History, with minor fields in Historic Preservation and Comparative Gender. She is particularly interested in American Indian history, and incorporating Tribal history into federal land management and public history. Her dissertation proposal is to examine the history of removal of the Shoshone, Bannock and Paiutes from the Boise Valley.
Her professional appointments and memberships include:
Idaho State Historical Society, member; American Historical Society, member; Western Women’s Historians, member; Western Historical Association, member; Bureau of Land Management Resource Advisory Committee for Twin Falls District, appointed by Secretary of Interior (2 terms); Forest Service Recreational Resource Advisory Council for Boise, Payette, and Sawtooth National Forests; National Association for Environmental Professionals, American Indian Science and Engineering Society; American Association of University Women.

Ms. Tuell has received numerous awards and scholarships, including:
The Cobell Scholarship for Graduate Students from the American Indian Graduate Center; The Floyd O’Neil Fellowship in Western American Studies; the University of Utah History Department Scholarship; the First Nations Environmental Law Fellowship for Vermont Law School, and scholarships from the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, the American Association of University Women, the Idaho Archaeological Society Scholarship, J.R. Simplot Scholarship, the Idaho At-Risk Scholarship, and has been listed on the Dean’s List.