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.

Randy’L Teton is born and raised in southeastern Idaho and a member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation. She serves as the Public Affairs Manager for the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and is the point of contact for all external media, public relations and cultural tourism in partnership with regional, tribal, state, and federal agencies.

Teton’s educational background includes U.S. history, Native American history, Museum Studies (conservation and exhibition planning) and Public Speaking. She has a degree in Museum Studies from Institute of American Indian Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art History from the University of New Mexico. She also interned at each of the National Museum of American Indian (NMAI) Museums in New York City and Washington DC; Peebles Island, New York; the Money Museum in Fort Collins, Colorado, and Buffalo Bill Center of the West Museum in Cody, Wyoming.

Randy’L currently serves as the Native Vote Coordinator for federal and state elections and is actively involved with several tribal and state organizations such as COLT (Coalition of Large Tribes) organization, American Indian Association (AIANTA) Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council (RMTLC) organization, Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI) organization, American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA) organization and National Congress of American Indian (NCAI).

Randy’L received the Southeast Idaho Business Journal’s “Twenty under 40” award and the “Idaho Hometown Hero Medal Award” that recognizes significant dedication and achievement to the Southeastern Idaho community; in 2021, she was selected as a “Trailblazing Women of Idaho” only 100 women, historically and contemporary, were chosen statewide. In addition, Teton was chosen nationally for the “100 Years, 100 Women Project.” Which celebrates artists, scholars, activists, students and community leaders which interrogate the complex legacy of the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which in 1920 granted some women the right to vote. Teton was recognized for her commitment to her community.

Randy’L is active in the local community and serves as a member of the Pocatello Rotary Club, as a tribal liaison to the Idaho State Historical Society, a Board member of Southeast Idaho High Country Tourism, a Board member for Museum of Idaho, member of the local city Chamber of Commerce, a Board member of Lillian Vallely Foundation (a Native American youth foundation), and served as a former elected Chair of Blackfoot Indian Education Committee (2017-2020).

In her spare time, she devotes her time with her three children and collecting Native American currency, specifically Sacajawea Dollar coins.

Public Affairs Manager
(208)478-3818
rteton@sbtribes.com

Yvette Tuell, Policy Analyst.

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 received a Master of Arts in History from the University of Utah in 2019, along with Certificates in Public History and Historic Preservation. She is particularly interested in American Indian history, and incorporating Tribal history into federal land management and public history.

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.