Meet your current at-large councilors
Johnny Jack Kidwell
Johnny Jack Kidwell
Johnny Jack Kidwell
Tulsa, OK
Phone: 918-931-1466
Email: johnny-kidwell@cherokee.org
Johnny Jack Kidwell, a native Oklahoman born in Claremore and raised in Spavinaw, is a
dedicated public servant and retired military officer. He is serving his second term on the
Cherokee Nation Council, representing over 332,000 citizens worldwide. He serves as
Chairman of the Ru
Tulsa, OK
Phone: 918-931-1466
Email: johnny-kidwell@cherokee.org
Johnny Jack Kidwell, a native Oklahoman born in Claremore and raised in Spavinaw, is a
dedicated public servant and retired military officer. He is serving his second term on the
Cherokee Nation Council, representing over 332,000 citizens worldwide. He serves as
Chairman of the Rules Committee, is a member of all council standing committees, and is a
member of the Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes. Johnny served one year as
Secretary of the Council and, in September 2025, was honored to be elected by his peers to
serve as Speaker of the Council.
His distinguished career in public service began in 1991 when he enlisted in the U.S. Coast
Guard and, after more than 20 years of honorable service, retired at the rank of Lieutenant
Commander. Kidwell's military career encompassed a wide range of critical, high-stakes
assignments worldwide. His operational expertise included intelligence, law enforcement, and
humanitarian missions, both shoreside and at sea.
In 2008, he was selected for a classified assignment within the U.S. intelligence community,
providing executive-level support to worldwide maritime initiatives. In this role, his efforts
were critical to national security, contributing to four successful capture-or-kill operations
against high-value terrorist targets in Southeast Asia in support of Operation Enduring
Freedom.
Kidwell's exemplary service has been recognized with numerous decorations, including the
Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism
Expeditionary and Service Medals. He is a proud recipient of the Cherokee Medal of
Patriotism and an inductee to the U.S. Coast Guard Officer Candidate School "Wall of
Gallantry" for valorous service during high-risk overseas operations.
He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma and three master’s degrees:
San Diego State University (M.Ed.), Southern Nazarene University (MBA), and the University of
Oklahoma College of Law (MLS IPL).
Johnny resides in Tulsa, OK, with his wife, Charybel, and their two sons, Jonathan and Joseph.
Julia Coates
Johnny Jack Kidwell
Johnny Jack Kidwell
Los Angeles, CA
Phone: 918-772-0288
Email: julia-coates@cherokee.org
Website: https://www.juliacoates.com/
Julia Coates is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. Born in Pryor, Oklahoma and raised in northern California, she holds BAs in Anthropology and English from San Francisco State University, and a PhD in American Studies from the Univer
Los Angeles, CA
Phone: 918-772-0288
Email: julia-coates@cherokee.org
Website: https://www.juliacoates.com/
Julia Coates is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. Born in Pryor, Oklahoma and raised in northern California, she holds BAs in Anthropology and English from San Francisco State University, and a PhD in American Studies from the University of New Mexico. She has worked for Native American non-profits, tribal governments, and non-governmental organizations. Dr. Coates was a delegate to the Cherokee Nation Constitutional convention and the Project Director for the award-winning Cherokee Nation History Course. She is presently serving her fourth term on the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council. Dr. Coates is the author of a textbook on the Trail of Tears for high school and lower division college students. She has worked on research, grant writing, and conference production for the American Indian Studies Center at UCLA, and presently is an adjunct professor of American Indian Studies at California State University, Northridge. She also conducts trainings in tribal governance for the Washington DC-based Falmouth Institute, working with tribal leaders and tribal employees from across the country.
Read more about Julia on her website (link above.)