WASHINGTON, DC.- The Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer of the Smithsonian, Sheila Burke, announced the formation of a 10-member committee to assist in the nationwide search for a Director of the National Museum of the American Indian. The new Director will succeed W. Richard West Jr. (Southern Cheyenne), who will step down in November 2007.

The members of the search committee, in alphabetical order, are: Nina Archabal, Director, Minnesota Historical Society, Lonnie Bunch, Director, National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian, Sheila Burke, Chair, Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer, Smithsonian, Virginia Clark, Director, Office of External Affairs, Smithsonian, Doug Evelyn, former Deputy Director, National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian, Dwight Gourneau (Turtle Mountain Chippewa), Chairman of the Board, National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian, George Horse Capture (A’aninin), former Senior Counselor to the Director and former Special Assistant for Cultural Resources, National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian, Richard Kurin, Director, Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and Acting Director, Office of National Programs, Smithsonian, Henrietta Mann (Southern Cheyenne), Member of the Board, National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian, and Cristián Samper, Director, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian. The committee will hold its first meeting in January 2007 to discuss the organization and hiring of an outside firm to assist the committee.