The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska’s executive council says it has concluded its review of abuse allegations against its president, Chalyee Éesh Richard Peterson.
He returned from a brief personal leave last week. His time away from his role coincided with the wide circulation of sexual abuse accusations made by his former fiancée on social media.
On Friday morning, the tribe’s executive council — which includes the president — hosted its regular monthly meeting.
The tribe’s first Vice President, Ku.seen Jacqueline Pata, briefly acknowledged the allegations. Pata did not directly identify Peterson in her remarks.
“Tlingit and Haida has been reviewing an employment matter with the assistance of outside counsel following a social media post concerning the private personal lives of current and former employees,” she said.
Tlingit and Haida is Alaska’s largest tribal government. Peterson has been its president for more than a decade. He attended the meeting on Friday and did not speak to the allegations during his presidential report.
Pata originally informed Tlingit and Haida staff in an email earlier this month that the tribe’s executive council was aware of the online accusations. She wrote that the council was taking the matter “very seriously” and initiated a review. Pata served as acting president in Peterson’s absence.
Pata said the review focused on whether inappropriate conduct occurred in the workplace and whether the tribe has effective measures to uphold workplace respect and accountability. She said the council also conducted a broader review of the tribe’s policies, procedures and reporting mechanisms. She said that review led to the council adding a third-party reporting system and additional training to its policies and accountability systems.
“With the review of this matter now concluded, we are confident in moving forward with strengthened policies and supports in place,” she said. “Tlingit and Haida remains committed to providing a respectful and welcoming workplace that honors our traditions and culture and reflects tribal values.”
She did not disclose the results of the reviews and the tribe has not responded to questions regarding the allegations. In 2019, Pata stepped down as the executive director of the National Congress of American Indians after nearly two decades. Her resignation came after she was placed on administrative leave following allegations regarding her handling of sexual and workplace harassment reports.
The meeting was open for public comment. Multiple tribal members testified, asking for transparency regarding the allegations and what the tribe’s executive council is doing to address them. Stláay Cloud-Morrison testified that she is a survivor of sexual assault, and said the allegations made her think about what the tribe owes its citizens.
“It’s deeply troubling when serious complaints are not handled with [the] honesty and respect they deserve,” she said. “Only through genuine transparency can our tribe demonstrate respect for survivors and a real commitment to healing.”
Following the accusations earlier this month, local Alaska Native artist and activist Chloey Cavanaugh gathered more than 350 signatures demanding Tlingit and Haida hire an independent, trauma-informed investigator to review policy and leadership behavior. She testified at the meeting on Friday — and said the issue raised broader questions about accountability in tribal government.
“I realized through this process that there’s really no way for us tribal citizens to contact our delegates and talk to those that represent our communities to be able to voice our complaints or things that we’re seeing that we don’t like,” she said.
The tribe’s executive council is required to adhere to a code of conduct adopted by the tribe.
The code states that members must not engage in “any form of sexual harassment, coercion, or misconduct” and that members are required to self-disclose if they believe their actions fall short of council standards and may negatively impact the perception of the tribe. The code states that violations may result in disciplinary action, up to and including removal from office.
No criminal charges have been filed against Peterson as of Friday.
