Media

Media Contacts

Eric Pehle
Eric.pehle@epicassociatesllc.com
612-819-5776

Communications Department
PrairieIslandCommunications@piic.org

The Prairie Island Indian Community Fact Sheet

Federal Recognition

The Prairie Island Indian Community is a Native American tribe federally recognized under the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934.
Prairie Island Indian Community’s Constitution and by-laws were adopted by tribal members on May 23, 1936, and approved by the Secretary of the Interior on June 20, 1936.

People

Prairie Island Tribal members are Dakota and descend from the Bdewakantunwan (Mdewakanton) Band of Eastern Dakota.
As of February 10, 2023 there are 1,100 enrolled members of the Prairie Island Indian Community (nearly half of which are under 18 years of age).

Governance

Prairie Island is governed by a five-member Community Council (referred to as the Tribal Council).
The Tribal Council, elected to two-year terms, consists of a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and assistant secretary/treasurer.
The current Tribal Council includes:
- Grant Johnson, President
- Ronald Johnson, Vice President
- Valentina Mgeni, Secretary
- Michael Childs Jr., Treasurer
- Constance Campbell, Assistant Secretary/Treasurer

Reservation

Prairie Island is located on the shores of the Mississippi and Vermillion Rivers, just north of Red Wing in southeastern Minnesota’s Goodhue County.
The Prairie Island reservation was created in the late 1800s when approximately 120 acres of land were purchased and put into trust by the Secretary of the Interior for the landless Bdewakantunwan residing in Minnesota. Additional lands were put into trust for the Tribe following the passage of the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934.
The reservation consists of approximately 534 acres of original reservation land and 2,774 acres of other trust land.

Land

Prairie Island Indian Community is a land-poor Tribe because of a series of events that led to the flooding of a portion of the Tribe’s reservation and the locating of a nuclear power plant and nuclear waste storage site withing 700 yards of community homes.
With housing a major priority for the Tribe, Prairie Island has purchased additional lands, including more than 1,000 acres near Rochester, MN and more than 300 acres near St. Paul, MN. The Tribe is working with the Department of the Interior to put the land into trust for the Tribe.

Tribal Businesses

The Tribe operates a number of businesses, including Treasure Island Resort & Casino, Mount Frontenac Golf Course, Dakota Station, and Tinta Wita Tipi – a senior assisted-living community.
At 788 guest rooms and suites, Treasure Island Resort & Casino is the second largest hotel property in Minnesota.
Prairie Island is the number one employer in Goodhue County with more 1,500 employees across the government and business operations.

Tribal Council Bios

Johnny Johnson

President Johnny Johnson is serving his 14th term on Prairie Island Tribal Council and second term as President. Prior to serving on Tribal Council, Johnson served as education director for the Prairie Island Indian Community for seven years. In this role, Johnson achieved a marked increase in the graduation rate for the Tribe’s high-school students. During his tenure, Johnson saw the formation of summer school, driver’s education, GED and North Dakota Independent Studies programs as well as tutoring services. These programs and services have been very successful among Community members. Johnson currently serves on the board of the Red Wing Chamber of Commerce and is a former member of the Human Rights commission of Red Wing, Minnesota. He previously sat on the boards for the Red Wing School Foundation and the Red Wing Hockey Association. He supports youth sports for our community members. Johnson enjoys spending time with the elders and has served as chair of the Prairie Island elders committee for four years. Johnson has lived in and around Prairie Island his entire life. In his free time, Johnson enjoys spending time with his wife Terrie, their four children, Scott, Blake, Grant and Kennedy, and his seven grandchildren. He enjoys attending youth sporting events, watching hockey, golfing and traveling.

Shelley Buck

Vice President Shelley Buck is serving her sixth term on Prairie Island Tribal Council, including three terms as president. Prior to being elected to Tribal Council, Buck held other positions serving the Tribe, including enrollment clerk and government relations specialist. Buck has a Bachelor of Science in business accounting from Indiana University and a Masters of Art in sports management from Concordia University. She recently finished a second Masters of Jurisprudence in tribal Indian law from the University of Tulsa. Buck currently serves on the boards of the Minnesota Wild Foundation, and Great River Passage Conservency in St. Paul. She was recently re-elected Regional VP Alternate for the National Congress of American Indians. A native of Indiana, Buck has lived in Minnesota for 17 years and has two daughters – Kachina and Sage. In her spare time, Buck enjoys playing and watching sports, and hanging out and traveling with her daughters and friends.

Valentina Mgeni

Secretary Valentina Mgeni is serving her second term on the Prairie Island Tribal Council. Prior to being elected to Tribal Council, Mgeni worked for 12 years in the Tribe’s Finance department as a staff accountant. Mgeni’s been active in the Community, serving on The Enrollment and Pow Wow Committees, the Election Board and Green Team. Mgeni holds an associate degree in business administration from Globe University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in accounting from National American University. Mgeni grew up on St. Paul’s Eastside and lives in Maplewood with her husband, Rahkmon. They have four daughters (Monica, Marissa, Mahalia, Maia) and two sons (Rahkmon II and Alex), and are grandparents to eight granddaughters (Mah-Leigha, Jayciana, Milliana, Addyson Mae, Myla, Mni, Leilani and Aliya). Mgeni likes to spend time with family, crafting, and cheering on our Minnesota sports teams.

Michael Childs Jr.

Treasurer Michael Childs Jr. is serving his second term on the Prairie Island Tribal Council. Childs previously served on the Tribe’s Business Committee, Election Board and Election Committee. He had a 14-year career at Xcel Energy nuclear power plant, where he worked as an instrument and control specialist. He served as a technical consultant to Prairie Island during the relicensing of Xcel’s nuclear power plant in 2008. Childs earned an associate degree in computer and consumer electronics from Northwestern Electronics Institute, an associate of arts from Inver Hills Community College, and a bachelor’s degree in automotive engineering technology with a minor in manufacturing engineering technology from Minnesota State University Mankato, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude. Born in Minneapolis and living there until he was about 10, Childs finished growing up on Prairie Island. Childs’ father, the late Michael Childs, Sr., served on Prairie Island Tribal Council in the 1990s. His mother, Myra Childs, volunteered at schools by teaching Dakota culture and beading. Childs and his wife, Wendy, live in Welch. He has two daughters, Ally and Emmy, and two stepsons, Jaime, and Dylan. Child’s loves animals and has three cats. He also has a lifelong passion for repairing cars and general fabrication and has two racecars that he will race occasionally. He enjoys volunteering, exercising, and working outdoors.

Cody Whitebear

Assistant Secretary/Treasurer Cody Whitebear is serving his first term on the Prairie Island Indian Community Tribal Council. He ran for Council because he hopes to encourage a new generation of young leaders to emerge and help shape the Tribe’s future and elevate Tribal voices in the broader community. He is excited to walk in the footsteps of his elders and past esteemed Tribal leaders. Whitebear’s grandfather, the late James (Jim) White served on the Prairie Island Tribal Council in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. Prior to being elected to Tribal Council, Whitebear held other positions within the Prairie Island Indian Community government, including Commissioner of Licensing at the Prairie Island Gaming Commission, and federal government relations specialist. Whitebear graduated high school via the North Dakota Independent Studies program through the Tribe’s education department. Subsequently, he earned his real estate salesperson license in the state of Minnesota in 2007 and pursued a career in real estate sales. Whitebear was born in Red Wing and grew up in nearby Hastings. He and his son, Cayden, live in Cottage Grove. In his spare time, Whitebear enjoys cooking, exploring life through food, traveling, playing poker, and watching his son play hockey.

Prairie Island
Indian Community

Media

Tribal Council Bios

Johnny Johnson

Shelley Buck

Valentina Mgeni

Michael Childs Jr.

Cody Whitebear

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