< PreviousThe FCC’s Office of Native Affairs and PolicyAGENCY UPDATESFCCLYLE ISHIDAActing Chief202-418-8240lyle.ishida@fcc.govSAYURI RAJAPAKSESenior Legal Advisor202-418-2579sayuri.rajapakse@fcc.govDANIEL MARGOLISLegal Advisor202-418-1377daniel.margolis@fcc.govJANET SIEVERTLegal Advisor202-418-1362janet.sievert@fcc.govCAROLYN CONYERSPolicy Advisor202-418-2002carolyn.conyers@fcc.govThe Office of Native Affairs and Policy (ONAP) was created in 2010 by the FCC. ONAP works across the agency and with the Chairman and the Commissioners’ Offices to develop policies and rules addressing the lack of communications services on tribal lands nationwide. Being the official FCC contact, ONAP consults and coordinates with American Indian tribes, Alaska native villages, Native Hawaiian governmental organizations and other native and tribal entities.Tribal Radio Priority Rules In 2010, the FCC established a Tribal Radio Priority to expand the number of radio stations owned by American Indian tribes broadcasting to tribal lands. The Tribal Priority is intended not only to provide radio service tailored to specific tribal needs and cultures, but also to streamline the application process. This will make it easier for tribal nations to obtain broadcast radio licenses.ONAP (along with the FCC’s Media Bureau, Native Public Media, National Federation of Community Broadcasters and ASU’s American Indian Policy Institute) hosted a National Tribal Radio Summit in July 2016 on how to apply for a broadcast license utilizing the Tribal Priority. The Summit can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCandbspb7Cg2NXBzI-LyZRRg. See: Tribal Priority Report and Order at https://www.fcc.gov/general/tribal-and-rural-radio.Tribal Engagement ObligationIn 2011, the commission adopted the Tribal Engagement Obligation. This requires all communications service providers who serve tribal lands and receive high-cost funds to undertake meaningful engagement with tribal governments concerning deployment and improvement of communications services on tribal lands. In 2012, the commission issued a public notice providing further guidance on this obligation to facilitate the required discussion between tribal governments and communications providers. The rules state that service providers must have meaningful engagement with tribal governments within their supported areas on an annual basis. Tribal Engagement Obligation Reports completed by the service providers must be filed with the commission, tribal governments, state governments, and the Universal Service Administrative Company on or before July 1 each year. The commission is interested in receiving information regarding the experiences that tribal governments have had in engaging with carriers under these rules.See: USF/ICC Transformation Order at https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-releases-connect-america-fund-order-reforms-usficc-broadbandSee: Further Guidance on Tribal Engagement Obligation Public Notice at https://www.fcc.gov/document/onap-wtb-and-wcb-issue-further-guidance-tribal-engagementModernizing the E-rate ProgramAs part of the overall effort to modernize the E-rate program, the FCC took several ac-tions in 2015 to raise the profile of the program on tribal lands and to ensure that tribal schools and libraries are able to participate effectively. The FCC is committed to enhancing the agency’s tribal consultation, training and outreach, in part, to gain a better understand-ing of the state of connectivity among tribal schools and libraries. This data will enable the FCC to take steps that will reduce the digital divide and promote high-speed connectivity to tribal schools and libraries. Tribal specific E-rate training sessions will be held in 2016. Once available, dates and locations will be posted on ONAP’s website: https://www.fcc.gov/general/native-nations.See: E-rate Modernization Order and FNPRM at https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-releases-connect-america-fund-order-reforms-usficc-broadband.See: Second E-rate Modernization Order at https://www.fcc.gov/document/onap-wtb-and-wcb-issue-further-guidance-tribal-engagement.61As leaders of IT departments, it is our responsibility to evaluate new and emerging technologies to see how they could support the organization’s needs in the future. This can be as simple as increasing bandwidth for guest wireless; or, it could be as complex as creating a new system designed to reach a different population base. Over the past two years, we have undergone a digital transformation by replacing all static wayfinding signs and marketing literature with digital media formatted signs and literature. Working with good partners has made this a win-win and exciting endeavor for the IT department and the operations. More recently, we have decided to work with a partner and create our own, rich multimedia experience dynamic bonus system.Our new system is called “Ca$h of the Titan’s” and provides a marketing bonus (extra credit) to our players who are actively playing with a valid player’s club card. At first, embarking on this new experience was very challenging.We partnered with a company called Advanced Creative Gaming (ACG) (http://www.advancedcreativegaming.com) and used their patent-pending solution to create a unique experience for our guests. Our partnership with ACG allowed us to immerse our guests into a multimedia realm providing rewards and excitement. The content is seamlessly integrated by 35 projectors linked to six individual display servers. A bonus activates a movie-type file that is seamlessly shown along an entire wall (not just a single screen or projector!). At Seven Feathers Casino and Resort, we developed our own marketing bonus system that rewards players with extra credit. The integration allows the entire room to transform when a bonus is about to hit. The pre-notification of the bonus allows us to drive traffic to an area before the bonus is awarded because people are excited to participate in the potential win. There are more themes available and the room can be refreshed purely through software that can change the theme with a click of a button.Along with the bonus, the rich multimedia environment allows us to display active sporting events in high-definition above slot machines. This also enables us to promote upcoming events and better engage with our customers. Through observation and research, we’ve found that the Millennial generation is most receptive to our digital transformation. This young generation tends to expect that their entertainment dollars are spent keeping them connected. They’ve grown up surrounded by technology at the forefront of their lives. During major sporting events, we have noticed that millennials migrate to our “Ca$h of the Titan’s” room where a 70+ inch high definition resolution is displaying the event over each slot machine in the area. Millennials can match the fantasy activities on their personal devices with the sporting event they’re watching AND continue playing a slot machine. The rapid rate of bonus activities (approximately every 45 minutes) keeps them excited and engaged. Building on positive experiences based on excitement and fun with the Millennial generation is an important strategic goal of our operation. Seven Feathers Casino and Resort wants to be known as “the place to play and stay” for entertainment. Providing these services for the Millennial genera-tion might not provide an instant return on investment, but it helps create a relationship built upon loyalty between the casino and the generation. Over time, there has been a steady increase in Millennials’ participation at our property which has generated more revenue (according to coin-in observations).IT leadership is more than just managing human resources of IT professionals. It entails having the necessary vision to prepare for upcoming technology challenges. One area that has been problematic for me, MULTI-MEDIA GAMINGReaching the New GenerationFEATURED COLUMNSRICHARD RADERChief Technology Officer for UIDCCow Creek Band of Umpqua IndiansRichard Rader, Chief Technology Officer for UIDCCow Creek Band of Umpqua Indians62TribalNetMULTI-MEDIA GAMINGpersonally, is the infrastructure of the building that was built 20+ years ago. There is a low ceiling and concrete slab flooring; so, how do I prepare for the future with these types of limitations? Working in a facility that was never designed for technological advancements, the team and I have had to be very creative in testing newer technologies such as wireless and 10Gb networking. We are always looking for better ways to provide a unique experience to our guests and, we’re also trying to better provide the operation with an infrastructure that they can use. A major component of being a successful IT provider (within and outside the organization) is choosing a great partner.Don’t be scared of new technologies. When you are at trade shows and events, think about the infrastructure needed to support a new FEATURED COLUMNSMy organization provides all IT support to the businesses inside the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Indians. Last year my organization was restructured from just the casino and some businesses to overseeing all IT operations for the tribe. I have a staff of 19 technologists over three different geographical locations supporting over 1,200 employees in the various businesses and government along with a tribal mem-bership of over 1,300. The tribal history of the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians is quite impressive and shows the resilience of the people and their culture moving forward. The story is located on the website at: http://www. cowcreek.com/tribalgovernment/tribal-story. A good resource of information showing how the tribe was forced to disband and collectively were able to reinstate their rights and work as a cooperative partner with the community.idea or system. Being prepared is strategic leadership and this will allow you to provide a real value back to the operation.We’ve all heard of the “natural-born leader.” Does that mean an individual has an innate ability to influence others and possess some superior aptitude that sug-gests fitness for leadership? I don’t doubt that there may be individuals who fall into this category; but, I suspect the vast majority of leaders evolve, or are groomed, into be-ing a leader.There was a time when I believed that the path to a leadership role required ob-taining a decent amount of formal educa-tion, possessing solid business acumen and above average communication skills. While those are certainly noteworthy attributes, I have concluded that there are other essential characteristics and prerequisites required for being more than just a good or serviceable leader. Leaders come in many forms with vary-ing degrees of skills, knowledge and tem-perament. Throughout my career I’ve been fortunate enough to be associated with some pretty good bosses who have helped shape my opinion and approach to leader-ship. These individuals had “smarts,” but they also had qualities that can’t necessarily be taught, such as integrity, commitment and humility. Leaders need to instill confidence and provide a vision for success. Truly great leaders have the ability to set and exceed expectations while creating an atmosphere filled with opportunity and pride. Some leaders are coaches while others are mentors. (Yes, there is a difference.) Both share the unique ability to garner trust through their ethics, fairness and consistent behavior. From my perspective, coach-ing is providing direction and formulat-ing a course of action, while mentoring is nurturing by example or being a role model. Some may disagree and say it’s just semantics. Well, that’s a discussion for another time.Being opened-minded, flexible, respon-sible and forthright are other qualities that I have come to expect from quality leaders. Leaders have to make decisions and be willing to assume the burden of responsibility for the outcome. The most well thought out decision, based on the information at hand, can potentially yield results that are unforeseen or unintended due to unknown or newly-introduced factors. That doesn’t mean the decision was wrong. You can be right and still be wrong.I’m not claiming to be the definitive authority on detailing the makeup of the perfect or ideal leader. I’m merely offering my personal assessment of what I deem great leadership to look like. I’m focus-ing specifically on the “top-tier” leaders, those that are in the position of rendering decisions that affect the outcome of busi-ness or impact the lives of the workforce or community. A leader that is devoid of empathy and well-constructed ideology can potentially be perceived as cavalier and uncertain. Quality leadership can be a sub-jective matter, depending on the audience and circumstances.I’ve relied on my past professional as-sociations and my upbringing to shape my own leadership style. I strive to be a leader that embodies the best qualities of those I have admired throughout my career. I am committed to being the type of leader that values and empowers his constituents and fellow team members in such a way that they feel empowered to achieve beyond the status quo.What about you? Who or what has influenced your leadership style? TEAM BUILDINGWhat Does It Take to be a Leader?FRAN MOOREVice President of Information Technology Cache Creek Casino ResortFEATURED COLUMNSFran Moore, Vice President of Information Technology, Cache Creek Casino ResortA proven leader with over 30 years of information technology experience. My previous entrepreneurial and corporate endeavors have allowed me to experience many facets of the business world. I am a resourceful and solutions driven individual that combines technical aptitude and man-agement acumen to elicit confidence from team members, stakeholders and business partners.64TribalNetWhen it comes to quality testing and services to get your products moving, trust Gaming Laboratories International (GLI®) to get thejob done right. Our professionals conduct rigorous cycles of continuous improvement to get your products over the line. gaminglabs.comGLI – Your one-stop shop for testing and support to help you with every move.LEAVE NOTHING TO CHANCE69Spring 2016Just Plain Cool YES PLEASE! See What’s Amazing About the iWash Faucet The best way to fight germs is washing hands often right? What if we could encourage hand-washing with the ability to visualize germs on our hands in a public restroom, or even at home? With the iWash faucet, you can! This innovative product gives a visual representation of the bacteria and other germs present on our hands, which diminish as we lather and get them clean. Next time your kids say they don’t need to wash their hands you can show them, “yes you do!” Take a closer look at this at: http://www.yankodesign.com/2014/09/09/iwash-for-germ-free-hands/ Tech News and FunInnovationWant A Sense of Living Forever?The Brain Preservation Foundation website states, “soon, people all over the world may have at least two reliable and proven ways to preserve their brains, including their individual memories and identities, after they die.” This organization has launched the Brain Preservation Technology Prize, to promote exploration of brain preservation technology in service of humanity. Crazy right? Check it out for more info at: http://www.brainpreservation.org/overview/Futurist FactorRoboticsHumanlike robots may seem creepy, but some roboticists are betting they are the key to unlocking a future in which humans and super-intelligent computers coexist, work alongside each other and even develop relationships.Take a look for yourself at: http://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/16/could-you-fallin-love-with-this-robot.htmlJust For FunThe purpose of sharing information on this page is not to promote any company or source but for general informational purposes only.Tribal Casino/Hospitality BoardAmy GatesIT DirectorSaginaw-Chippewa Tribe/CasinosAngela McKibbens Chief Innovation OfficerMille Lacs Corporate VenturesVirgil DebrosseExecutive Director of Casino & Hospitality ApplicationsChickasaw NationChris DeCamp Director of Technical ServicesWin-River Resort CasinoFran Moore VP of ITCache Creek Casino ResortJohn OrmondExecutive Director of Technology ServicesChumash CasinoBryant Santini CIOSalt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community & CasinosPatrick TinklenbergDirector of ITSycuan CasinoRam PatrachariCIO/VP of ITViejas EnterprisesTribal Government/Health BoardRenee FondrenHealth IT ManagerSovereign Technology Solutions Terry Honeycutt MIS DirectorPueblo of Isleta Government ProgramsJon JamesCIOCherokee NationDustin StarkDirector of ITChoctaw NationCharles ScharnagleCIOMohegan TribeDennis DyerDirector of ITCitizen Potawatomi NationShannon BouschorTribalNet Executive DirectorMike DayVP of IT and CIO - Cannery Casinos, TribalNet Founder & Director of Advisory Boards and TribalNet AssistSPECIAL THANKSTribalNet’s Advisory Board Liaison Toni Potts, Director of Health ApplicationsCherokee Nation Health ServicesHealth IT Com Lead- Lisa Lyon, MS-Healthcare Informatics, RN, CDE, CHTS-CP, CHTS-TR,Clinical Informatics Coord:Cherokee Nation Health ServicesAmy Coapman, FNPClinical Applications Coordinator and Meaningful Use CoordinatorKaruk TribeCindy Chancellor, BSN, RNEHR Nurse SpecialistChoctaw Nation Health Service AuthorityMatt ClayDirector of Health ServicesPokegnek BodewadmikPokagon Band of PotawatomiAshley Tuomi, DHScChief Executive Officer American Indian Health and Family ServicesJames SpillaneHealth Innovations and Quality DirectorSitnasuak Health SolutionsAmy Rubin, PharmD, MMI, CHTS-ISCAPT-United States Public Health ServiceCAC and MU CoordOklahoma City Area I.H.SKatie Johnson, Pharm D, CDR USPHSIntegrated Care CoordNorthwest Area Indian Health BoardHealth IT Committee MembersThe 2016 Advisory Board and Committee MembersToni PottsDirector of Health ApplicationsCherokee Nation Health ServicesRichard Rader Chief Technology Officer of UIDCCow Creek Band of Umpqua IndiansConference SponsorsTribal Casino/Hospitality BoardAmy GatesIT DirectorSaginaw-Chippewa Tribe/CasinosAngela McKibbens Chief Innovation OfficerMille Lacs Corporate VenturesVirgil DebrosseExecutive Director of Casino & Hospitality ApplicationsChickasaw NationChris DeCamp Director of Technical ServicesWin-River Resort CasinoFran Moore VP of ITCache Creek Casino ResortJohn OrmondExecutive Director of Technology ServicesChumash CasinoBryant Santini CIOSalt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community & CasinosPatrick TinklenbergDirector of ITSycuan CasinoRam PatrachariCIO/VP of ITViejas EnterprisesTribal Government/Health BoardRenee FondrenHealth IT ManagerSovereign Technology Solutions Terry Honeycutt MIS DirectorPueblo of Isleta Government ProgramsJon JamesCIOCherokee NationDustin StarkDirector of ITChoctaw NationCharles ScharnagleCIOMohegan TribeDennis DyerDirector of ITCitizen Potawatomi NationShannon BouschorTribalNet Executive DirectorMike DayVP of IT and CIO - Cannery Casinos, TribalNet Founder & Director of Advisory Boards and TribalNet AssistSPECIAL THANKSTribalNet’s Advisory Board Liaison Toni Potts, Director of Health ApplicationsCherokee Nation Health ServicesHealth IT Com Lead- Lisa Lyon, MS-Healthcare Informatics, RN, CDE, CHTS-CP, CHTS-TR,Clinical Informatics Coord:Cherokee Nation Health ServicesAmy Coapman, FNPClinical Applications Coordinator and Meaningful Use CoordinatorKaruk TribeCindy Chancellor, BSN, RNEHR Nurse SpecialistChoctaw Nation Health Service AuthorityMatt ClayDirector of Health ServicesPokegnek BodewadmikPokagon Band of PotawatomiAshley Tuomi, DHScChief Executive Officer American Indian Health and Family ServicesJames SpillaneHealth Innovations and Quality DirectorSitnasuak Health SolutionsAmy Rubin, PharmD, MMI, CHTS-ISCAPT-United States Public Health ServiceCAC and MU CoordOklahoma City Area I.H.SKatie Johnson, Pharm D, CDR USPHSIntegrated Care CoordNorthwest Area Indian Health BoardHealth IT Committee MembersThe 2016 Advisory Board and Committee MembersToni PottsDirector of Health ApplicationsCherokee Nation Health ServicesRichard Rader Chief Technology Officer of UIDCCow Creek Band of Umpqua IndiansConference SponsorsNext >