E. Sequoyah Simermeyer (Coharie) is the Chairman of the National Indian Gaming Commission. The United States Senate unanimously confirmed his nomination in November 2019 after which he was appointed by President Donald J. Trump to a three-year term. As Chairman, he is responsible for the federal regulatory agency’s daily operations including its eight regional offices as well as its national and local training and technical assistance efforts. He has the authority to issue civil enforcement fines and temporary closure orders for regulatory violations by gaming operations on Indian lands. As a member of the National Indian Gaming Commission’s three-member commission, he is responsible for regulating and ensuring the integrity of the more than 520 Indian gaming facilities, associated with nearly 247 tribes across 29 states. Prior to joining the NIGC, Simermeyer advised the Chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. In that capacity, he helped draft legislative proposals and committee reports, prepared oversight and legislative hearings, and advanced the Committee’s work on priority issues facing Indian country. Simermeyer also served as Deputy Chief of Staff and as counselor to the Department of the Interior’s Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs. Simermeyer graduated with a bachelor’s of arts degree from Dartmouth College, N.H., a Masters of Study in Environmental Law from Vermont Law School, Vt., and a J.D. from Cornell Law School, N.Y.