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OST Home » About OST » Special Trustee's Advisory Board

Member:  Special Trustee's Advisory Board

James Roan Gray

James Roan Gray is the Principal Chief of the Osage Nation after being elected in June 2002. He is the youngest Chief in the history of the Osage Tribe of Indians.
Since taking office he has been elected Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Inter -Tribal Monitoring Association (ITMA), Co-Chair of the National Budget Council, and to the Executive Board of the Council of Energy Resource Tribes. Chief Gray has accepted appointments to the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Native American Rights Foundation, Intertribal Economic Alliance. He is a member of the American Indian Chamber of Commerce.

Formerly Chief Gray was a journalist and co-publisher of the largest independently owned Indian Newspaper in America, Native American Times. While at Native American Times, Jim helped pace public debate on issues important to American Indians in Oklahoma and across the nation.

Chief Gray’s work has been recognized over the years by numerous organizations like the Native American Business Development Center. The Greater Tulsa Area Indian Affairs Commission awarded him the Lewis B. Ketchum Award for Excellence in Business.

Chief Gray is married to Elizabeth Gaines Gray, and is the father of three children: Henry, Naomi, and James. He is culturally well versed in Osage traditions and has danced in tribal ceremonial dances since he was six years old.