At our 2026 Conference and Trade Show, Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association (OIGA) awarded 11 John Marley Scholarships to high school, college, and adult learning students pursuing higher education. OIGA established the John Marley Scholarship Foundation in 2008 and has awarded 85 scholarships since.
High school and college recipients:
Jayden Emmanuel Bezzell graduated from Broken Arrow High School and held a 3.8 GPA. He plans to attend Tulsa Community College.
Cayden Little Coyote graduated from Seiling High School with a 4.0 GPA and will attend Haskell Indian Nations University.
Ella Herron attends Southern Arkansas University with a GPA of 4.32
Preciosa Chyna Jade Ballard is a student at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, where she holds a 3.2 GPA and plans to graduate in 2027.
Taylor Kay Bass attends Northwestern Oklahoma State University, holds a 3.8 GPA, and plans to graduate in 2028.
Tessa Burris attends the University of Northern Colorado, where she holds a 4.0 GPA and plans to graduate in 2030.
Emma L. Thompson attends The University of Oklahoma, where she holds a 3.73 GPA and anticipates graduating in 2029.
Lucy Belle Worley. Lucy attends Texas Tech University, where she holds a 4.0 GPA and plans to graduate in 2030.
Gaming employee recipients:
Ida Daugomah. Ida is an employee of Lucky Star Casino. She attends Southern Nazarene University and holds a 3.905 GPA.
Carlie Moreland. Carlie is an employee of the Muscogee Creek Nation in the office of public gaming. She attends Northeastern State University and holds a 3.785 GPA.
Sarah McKinley Williams. Sarah is an employee of Elk Creek Kiowa Casino. She attends The University of Oklahoma and holds a 3.0 GPA.
Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association (OIGA) also recognized eight individuals with its highest honors, the Chairman’s Award and the Modern Day Warrior Award at the 2026 .
The Chairman’s Award honors those in Oklahoma Indian Gaming Operations who have worked through the ranks and made a significant impact in their own workplaces and communities, and who have also been living examples of the positive impacts that Oklahoma’s tribal gaming industry has had on our state.
The Modern Day Warrior Award is designed to honor professionals in the Indian gaming industry who have dedicated tireless effort and support to champion the cause of Oklahoma tribal government gaming.
Chairman’s Award honorees:
Melanie Heskett, a proud member of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, is one of the most respected and long-term leaders in the casino industry. With more than 35 years of experience, she serves as the general manager of Indigo Sky Casino & Resort and Outpost Casino — two of the northeast Oklahoma region’s most successful gaming enterprises. She leads with compassion, accountability, and determination, creating a culture where team members feel valued and supported. She has also been a strong advocate for innovation and growth, including continued efforts surrounding sports betting and future opportunities for tribal gaming advancement.
Jacob Keyes is currently chairman of the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma and serves as an officer of OIGA. His gaming career began as Chief of Security at Ioway Casino. Through his work ethic, leadership abilities, and commitment to excellence, he steadily worked his way through the ranks, eventually becoming assistant general manager in 2014. In 2015, Chairman Keyes accepted a leadership role overseeing the Iowa Distribution Center. In 2022, Chairman Keyes was appointed vice chairman of the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma Business Committee; in 2023, he was elected as chairman. While continuing to serve his community, he pursued his dream of business ownership and successfully founded Skydance Brewing Company. Even as his business grew and earned recognition throughout Oklahoma, he remains deeply connected to his people.
Matt Kilgore. During his 20-year career with the Chickasaw Nation Office of the Gaming Commissioner, Kilgore has exemplified dedication, professionalism, and leadership, beginning as a field investigator and advancing through increasingly responsible positions, including lead field investigator, project manager, and his current role, manager of regulatory compliance. Throughout his career, he has played a vital role in strengthening compliance programs, regulatory oversight, and operational integrity across the Nation’s gaming enterprises. Matt’s deep industry knowledge, commitment to excellence, and unwavering support of tribal gaming have earned the respect of colleagues and regulators alike.
Wendi Long. Director of Marketing at Indigo Sky Casino, Long is a proud member of the Wyandotte Nation and a second‑generation casino employee. Over the past 21 years, she has demonstrated exceptional mastery in every role she has taken on, beginning her rise at just 18 years old as a cocktail server and progressing through positions as poker dealer, poker manager, and ultimately into her long‑standing and highly respected role as marketing director. Her technical expertise is matched only by her unwavering commitment to creating a warm, memorable experience for every guest.
Victor Pate serves as Deputy Gaming Commissioner for the Chickasaw Nation. Throughout his 20+ year distinguished career, Pate has demonstrated unwavering dedication to the integrity, growth, and advancement of tribal gaming in Oklahoma. His leadership, professionalism, and deep commitment to regulatory excellence have earned the respect of industry professionals across Indian Country. His service reflects the highest standards of tribal gaming leadership, and his contributions have had a lasting positive impact on the Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma tribal gaming, and tribal sovereignty.
Modern Day Warrior Award honorees:
Lottie Coody. There are a handful of people without whom our industry simply would not be what it is today. Lottie is one of those people. She has been a part of the tribal gaming industry since 1970 and continues to be an anchor for us today.
Thomas Cunningham, Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, has enjoyed a distinguished career spanning tribal gaming regulation, federal oversight, and law enforcement. Cunningham has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to protecting and advancing the integrity of Indian gaming. From his service as Chairman of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma Gaming Commission to his rise through the ranks of the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) — from field investigator and Oklahoma City Region Director to his current role as Chief Compliance Officer — he has been a tireless advocate for tribal self-regulation, compliance, and operational excellence.
George Wright, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, is widely regarded across Indian Country as an exceptional attorney and trusted advisor. Citizen Potawatomi Nation has benefited from his wise counsel, and so have many other tribes, particularly those with smaller footprints and staffing capabilities, many of whose leaders and attorneys view Wright as someone whose voice genuinely carries weight in the room when gaming and tribal issues are discussed. In recent years, his consistent service to groups like OIGA, United Indian Nations of Oklahoma, and the Oklahoma Intertribal Tax Association has helped shape tribes’ approach to a challenging Oklahoma gubernatorial atmosphere related to a host of tribal issues, gaming being one of the most paramount.
