Woods to represent Oklahoma on White House Aging Council

Pat Woods

Contributed by Tony Choate, tribal media relations

Pat Woods, administrator of the Chickasaw Nation Division of Program Operations, will be one of the representatives from Oklahoma at the 2005 White House Conference on Aging.

Mrs. Woods was appointed as a delegate by Fourth District Congressman Tom Cole (R-Okla.) to attend at the recommendation of Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby.

“Mrs. Woods has the ability and experience to well represent the elders of this area,” said Gov. Anoatubby. “She has worked in the aging field for more than 20 years and is very familiar with the problems and issues of Indians and non-Indians alike.”

Held once every 10 years, the White House Conference on Aging is designed to make aging policy recommendations to the president and Congress. Another goal is to assist the public and private sectors in promoting dignity, health, independence and economic security of current and future generations of older persons.

The theme of this year’s council is “The Booming Dynamics of Aging: From Awareness to Action.”

Mrs. Woods was a member of the National Indian Council on Aging from 1978 until 2003.

As a member of the NICOA, she was the first and only woman to serve as the chairperson of the board, and served two consecutive terms.

As a board member in the early years of the organization, Mrs. Woods was instrumental in bringing about legislation which assured direct funding to Indian tribes for services to their elders.

As a member of the Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes, Mrs. Woods gained support of the council and tribal leaders on Oklahoma for more and better services for Indian elders.

Mrs. Woods is a charter member of the Oklahoma Indian Council on Aging, and played a major role in organizing that group.

She also served on the task force of NICOA and advocated for passage of amendments to the Older Americans’ Act which established the senior employment program for Native Americans.