DOE confirms Osage to Indian Country Energy and Infrastructure Working Group

Team advises Department of Energy and White House Council on Indian Affairs on matters related to Indian Country resources, energy business, and infrastructure

By ON Communications

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. (March 21, 2016) — Jill Jones, enrolled Osage citizen, has been confirmed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Indian Energy (IE) as a member of the DOE Indian Country Energy and Infrastructure Working Group (ICEIWG). Jones was nominated by Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear to represent the Osage Nation and serve in this position, and confirmed by Christopher Clarke Deschene, Director of the Office of Indian Energy.

“Jill Jones has years of experience in the energy business. She is another of our Osage people who has joined us in our effort to increase the value of our resources for all the Osage people. She also understands the role of the federal trustee and how the federal government needs to do much better here at the Osage,” said Chief Standing Bear. “Her leadership has already been exhibited as the Chair of Osage Nation Energy Services, LLC. I know she will keep us all well informed on United States energy policy matters.”

Composed of elected tribal government officials or designated tribal government representatives, ICEIWG provides advice and recommendations to the Director of the Office of Indian Energy, the U.S. Secretary of Energy, and the White House Council on Native American Affairs.

Jones said, “These recommendations cover strategic planning and implementation of energy resource, energy business, and energy infrastructure development policies and programs. In order to provide the most relevant and up-to-date perspectives, the composition of ICEIWG targets the inclusion of elected tribal leaders from tribes who have established energy projects, are actively developing them or can show an evidenced business interest in energy development. This composition enables ICEIWG to provide technical and experienced analysis and feedback to the Department on complex energy development issues.”

New members, in addition to the Osage Nation, this year include the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, Cherokee Nation (Okla.), Seneca Nation (NY), and the Association of Village Council Presidents (AK). The organizer of ICEIWG is the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Recently, ICEIWG developed a set of proposals and recommendations that were presented to U.S Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. About the proposals, Jones said, “These included a proposal and a structure for creating a Tribal Advisory Committee for the Secretary of Energy; creating a Tribal Energy Program modeled after other federal programs, for providing financial and technical assistance to tribes; proposals on tribal clean energy development; and proposals to promote STEM education opportunities in Indian Country.”

Jones currently serves as Board Chair for Osage Nation Energy Services, LLC and is employed by ConocoPhillips in Bartlesville. She has over 25years of experience in the petroleum industry with a focus on information technology. Raised in Skiatook, Oklahoma, she began her career at CITGO Petroleum in Tulsa where she held system analyst positions in petroleum refining, marketing, trading, and transportation. She later worked for Ernst & Young as a management consultant. For the past ten years, she has worked at ConocoPhillips in Bartlesville as a SeniorAnalyst/Consultant, responsible for projects to support the petroleum upstream business. Jones is a direct descendant of two original Osage allottees, A. Scott Bradshaw and John H. Stevens, both are her great-grandfathers on her mother's side.

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