CARSON CITY, N.V. (January 7, 2026) – The American Indigenous Tourism Association, the only national organization dedicated to advancing cultural heritage tourism in Native Nations and communities across the United States, is pleased to announce its newly elected board members who have joined the board of directors as the national nonprofit continues to usher in a new era of Indigenous tourism and the $11.6 billion Indigenous hospitality sector.
The association’s executive committee will continue to be led this year by President Travis Owens (Cherokee Nation), Secretary Kate Anderson (Citizen Potawatomi Nation), Treasurer Brian Wadsworth (Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe); and the role of Vice President will be held by Charlene Virgilio (Penobscot Nation) who was newly elected to serve in this capacity.
New members of the Board of Directors include Sondra Corbitt (United Houma Nation) representing the Southeast Region, and Stacey LaCompte (Standing Rock Sioux Tribe) representing the Rocky Mountain Region.
Re-elected and returning to the American Indigenous Tourism Association Board of Directors is Mālia Sanders (Native Hawaiian) representing the Hawaiʻi Region.
“The addition of our new board members and their deep expertise in Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) perfectly aligns with our strategic direction as we move to the next level of Indigenous tourism,” said Sherry L. Rupert (Paiute/Washoe), CEO of the American Indigenous Tourism Association. “Following our rebranding to the American Indigenous Tourism Association in October 2025, we have entered a new era of Indigenous tourism characterized by rapid growth and professional transformation. Bringing leaders like Sondra and Stacey onto our board—alongside the proven leadership of Travis and Charlene—ensures that we are not only participating in the national tourism conversation but leading it. Their collective experience will be vital as we continue to scale our impact, strengthen our regions, and showcase the power of Indigenous-led destination management,” Rupert said.
To represent all Native Nations and communities in the U.S., the American Indigenous Tourism Association Board of Directors is composed of representatives from 15 designated regions. Each representative is Indigenous and is elected by their respective region to serve a three-year term and eligible for re-election at the association’s annual American Indigenous Tourism Conference, now in its 28th year. Each member of our Board of Directors brings expertise and resources to the organization and many of our valued Board members serve on other national advisory boards, state cabinets and commissions that all work to strengthen Indigenous tourism across the United States.
Brief bios of the newly elected and reelected Board Members can be found as follows:
- Newly elected American Indigenous Tourism Association Board Member Sondra Corbitt (United Houma Nation) – Southeast Region: Sondra Corbitt serves as the President and CEO of Explore Houma, where she leads efforts to promote the unique culture, heritage, and natural beauty of Louisiana’s Bayou Country. A proud member of the United Houma Nation, Sondra is deeply committed to honoring and sharing the traditions of her community while fostering tourism growth and economic development in the region.
- Newly elected American Indigenous Tourism Association Board Member Stacey LaCompte (Standing Rock Sioux Tribe) – Rocky Mountain Region: Stacey LaCompte is an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and a descendant of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. She is the Executive Director of the North Dakota Native Tourism Alliance and Native Cultural Tours, and a board member of the South Dakota Native Tourism Alliance. She has held various leadership roles, including Executive Director for the North Dakota Indian Business Alliance and the Wakpa Sica Reconciliation Place. She was also a member of the first cohort of Native Nation Rebuilders selected by the Bush Foundation in 2010. LaCompte’s work focuses on sustainable economic development through tourism and empowering Native people to share their own stories.
- Newly reelected American Indigenous Tourism Association Board Member Mālia Sanders (Native Hawaiian) – Hawaiʻi Region: Mālia is a Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) executive with more than 24 years of experience in the hospitality industry. She is the Executive Director of the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association (NaHHA), a non-profit organization that promotes Native Hawaiian culture in the visitor industry. She is an expert in regenerative tourism and holds certifications from Cornell University, Arizona State University, and George Washington University. Mālia has been recognized for her leadership and work in cultural and regenerative tourism, including being named one of “Hawaiʻi’s 20 For the Next 20” by Hawaiʻi Business Magazine and receiving the Social Impact Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2022. She is also the President of the Hawaiian Civic Club of Honolulu.
- Newly elected American Indigenous Tourism Association Board Vice President Charlene Virgilio (Penobscot Nation) – Northeast Region: Charlene Virgilio is from the Penobscot Nation and is based in Orono, Maine. Charlene has deep experience in leading a multi-year Indigenous Tourism initiative through successful partnerships and raising more than $1.26M in funds to support the effort. She has more than eight years of service as a tribal council person, five years of experience in a Native American Certified Community Financial Institution and is currently the Northeast representative for the American Indigenous Tourism Association. Her expertise includes leadership of multiple community events, served as the USET Economic Development co-chair, and served on other non-profit boards.
For more than 27 years, the American Indigenous Tourism Association has worked to address inequities in the tourism system and has served as the national voice for U.S. Indigenous peoples engaged in cultural tourism, while providing technical assistance, training and capacity building to Native Nations and communities and Indigenous-owned enterprises engaged in tourism, hospitality, and recreation.
Native Nations and communities who are looking to start or expand their cultural tourism footprint can find resources at www.AmericanIndigenousTourism.org and visitors interested in learning more about Indigenous culture can visit www.DestinationNativeAmerica.com.
About the American Indigenous Tourism Association
For more than 27 years, the American Indigenous Tourism Association has served as the only national organization dedicated to advancing a mission to define, introduce, grow, and sustain American Indigenous tourism that honors traditions and values across the United States and its territories. Established by tribes for tribes to address inequities in the tourism system, the American Indigenous Tourism Association is a 501(c)(3) national nonprofit governed by an all-Indigenous board of directors and serves as a united voice for the $11.6 billion Indigenous hospitality sector. Its successful legislative work led to the industry-changing Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience Act (NATIVE Act) funding in 2018, as Indian Country Tourism was recognized through federal appropriations via NATIVE Act implementation. Native Nations and communities who are looking to start or expand their cultural tourism footprint can find resources at www.AmericanIndigenousTourism.org and visitors interested in learning more about Indigenous culture can visit www.DestinationNativeAmerica.com.