President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate two tribal members to posts within his administration.

Michael F. Tillman, a member of the Tlingit Tribe of Alaska, was nominated to serve on the Marine Mammal Commission. He is a former National Marine Fisheries Service employee and has extensive experience in marine conservation issues.

Cynthia Chavez Lamar, who is from San Felipe Pueblo in New Mexico, was nominated to serve on the Board of Trustees of the Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development. She is director of the Indian Arts Research Center at the School for Advanced Research and has worked for the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center and the National Museum of the American Indian.

Additionally, Obama nominated JoAnn Lynn Balzer to serve on the same board as Lamar. Balzer helped found the Institute of American Indian Arts Museum and the Institute of American Indian Arts Foundation.

All three positions require Senate confirmation.