About Chief Smith
Principal Chief Smith comes from a long line of Cherokee patriots and leaders. He is the great grandson of Redbird Smith, a Cherokee Senator and traditionalist who resisted the federal policy of forced allotment at the turn of the century. His grandmother, Rachel Johnson Quinton, worked tirelessly throughout her life to enable the Cherokee government to recover from the devastating effects of that policy. As Principal Chief, Chad has carried on that legacy, fighting to uphold the inherent rights and sovereignty of the Cherokee Nation. Chad has served the Cherokee people in many capacities since the early 1970’s, including as a Tribal Planner, Educator, Attorney, Director of Justice and Historian. As Principal Chief, he has overseen an unprecedented growth in economic development, job creation, education and tribal services.
Chief Smith holds a B.A. in Education from the University of Georgia; a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Wisconsin and a Juris Doctorate, Law from the University of Tulsa. He recently earned an additional Master’s Degree in Hospitality Management from UNLV in Nevada.
Chief Smith holds a B.A. in Education from the University of Georgia; a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Wisconsin and a Juris Doctorate, Law from the University of Tulsa. He recently earned an additional Master’s Degree in Hospitality Management from UNLV in Nevada.
The Right Time
Chief Smith’s wife, Bobbie Gail Scott Smith, is a bi-lingual full-blood Cherokee from the Rocky Mountain community in Adair county. The daughter of Lincoln and Martha Scott, Bobbie Gail attended Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, and was Miss Cherokee in 1975. She worked many years for the Federal Bankruptcy Court in Tulsa. Since becoming the First Lady of the Cherokee Nation in 1999, as a volunteer she has taken a leadership role in language and cultural preservation programs.