Marshall Pierite
Chairman
Marshall Pierite is the proud Chairman and CEO of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana whose reservation is located in Marksville, Louisiana. For more than 30 years, he has held several elected positions on the Tribal Council including Secretary-Treasurer, Vice-Chairman, and Chairman of the Tribe. A Native Louisianan, Chairman Pierite began his career by serving in the United States Marine Corps with a military occupational specialty in administration. Following his military service, he worked for the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana as a medical clerk. After receiving progression promotions within the Tribe’s Health Department, he was promoted to Director of the Social Services Department.
Over the course of his time on the Tribal Council, Chairman Pierite worked on government operations, budgeting, infrastructure development, economic development, community development, and tax policy development. Chairman Pierite became well-versed in government operations throughout Indian Country, federal regulations, government-to-government negotiations, and relationship building between governmental organizations and private entities. Chairman Pierite is currently serving in his second full term as Chairman of Tunica-Biloxi and through this position he has been able to establish unity and purpose throughout the Tribe, create wealth and jobs, and provide accessibility and accountability.
Concurrent with Chairman Pierite’s service in Tribal Government, he also excelled in several positions in corporate governance. He served as the Chief Executive Officer of MobiLoans, a financial services corporation. Under his leadership, MobiLoans grew from a small start-up company to a multi-million-dollar national financial service institution. As CEO, he oversaw the multi-million-dollar portfolio all while creating workforce development opportunities for the citizens of Louisiana. Due to his outstanding service, he was named Chairman of the Board of Directors of MobiLoans, a position he currently holds. Chairman Pierite is also the founder and owner of The Pierite Group, LLC, a Louisiana-based company that provides business advisory services. He is also the co-founder and co-owner of Tribal Solutions Medical, a company dedicated to providing medical resources to underserved communities. He is also a founding member of Tribal Communications, a company created to connect the digital divide through technology and innovation in Indian Country and rural America.
Chairman Pierite has also served in key positions on several boards and committees with private, tribal, and non-profit organizations. He has served as Chairman and co-chairman of the Board of Carcieri Task Force; Board Member of the United States Chamber of Commerce/NAEI; Board Member of the United South and Eastern Tribes (USET); Board Member of the National Online Lending Alliance Board; Liaison Officer to the Tunica-Biloxi Economic Development Corporation; Mentor to the Tunica-Biloxi Youth Council; and Committee Member of the United South and Eastern Tribes (USET) Social Services Program. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Inter-Tribal Council of Louisiana; Committee Member of Southern Partners Fund; Founding Member of the Gulf States American Indian Chamber of Commerce; Board Member of the Tunica-Biloxi Economic Development Authority; Board Member of the Family Justice Center of Central Louisiana; Board Member of United Way of Central Louisiana; Board Member of the University of Louisiana-Lafayette Foundation Board; Board Member of the American 250 Louisiana State Commission; and Committee Member of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Governor’s Task Force.
Recently, Chairman Pierite was selected as the 2022 Tribal Leader of the Year by the Native American Finance Officers Association (NAFOA). He was also selected to serve on the first-ever Tribal Intergovernmental Advisory Committee through the Housing Urban and Development (HUD) agency which was created to strengthen nation-to-nation relationship building between HUD and Tribal Nations. Chairman Pierite’s tenure as the leader of Tunica-Biloxi is marked by his exceptional ability to secure substantial grants, totaling over $70 million. His advocacy for the interests of Indian Country led to his involvement in the historic signing of the Inflation Reduction Act in Washington D.C.
Chairman Pierite is currently running for the President of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), the organization that serves as a voice for over 570 Tribal nations across the country. His campaign focuses on prioritizing the needs and voices of all Tribal nations, with a focus on supporting Tribal women and youth, protecting Tribal lands and waterways, and upholding treaty rights.
Marshall Ray Sampson, Sr.
Vice Chairman
Marshall Ray Sampson, Sr. serves as vice-chairman of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana. He has served on the Tribal Council as a Council Member-at-Large since the spring of 1997. An employee of the Paragon Casino since its opening in June 1994, Sampson now holds the position of Assistant General Manager of Operations.
A native of Avoyelles Parish, Sampson is a graduate of Southwestern University of Louisiana, now known as the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where he received a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. He has served on numerous community and pan-Native American boards on local and regional levels. Sampson currently resides in Marksville, La., and is married to Carmanlita Sampson. Together, the couple has three sons, Marshall Sampson, Jr., Trey Sampson, and Dayton Sampson.
Beverly Chapman-Rachal
Secretary-Treasurer
Beverly Chapman-Rachal was currently re-elected to serve as the secretary and treasurer of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana. Prior to her role with the Tunica-Biloxi tribal council, Rachal worked at Paragon Casino Resort as the Hospitality Manager. She currently works for the Inter-Tribal Council of LA as a State Manager.
A native of Houston, Texas, Rachal lived on the Tunica-Biloxi reservation in Marksville where she attended and graduated from Marksville High School. Balancing an active lifestyle of work and family, Rachal currently resides in Marksville, La. with her husband Byron Rachal. She has two daughters, Nikki Lemoine and Lauren Abadie, and five grandchildren.
James Craig, III
Council Member
James Craig, III, from Chicago, IL, serves as a council member of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana. Before Craig was elected, he was a Relationship Manager at Bank of America, where he helped low-income and high-income clients by educating them on day-to-day personal finances, establishing new relationships with high clientele, and creating business relationships with business owners. Craig holds the rank of Staff Sergeant in the Illinois National Guard. His Military Occupation Specialty is Interrogation Operations Sergeant, where he oversees a special team of soldiers that conducts interrogations for international matters. During his tenure with the military, he has deployed two times to Iraq and once to Afghanistan, leading soldiers at the front lines. He has previously worked for MB Financial, Fifth Third Bank, and Harley Davidson.
Harold Pierite, Sr.
Council Member
Harold Pierite, Sr. serves as a board member of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana and has been a member of the tribal council for more than 15 years. Currently serving as the chief of police for the Tunica-Biloxi Police Department for more than 20 years, Pierite also sits on the board of directors for Mobiloans, LLC. In 2017 he was appointed to the Louisiana State Police Commission, representing the State’s 5th Congressional District. Pierite is a 1992 graduate of the Acadiana Law Enforcement Training Academy and received his Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in the same year.
Prior to his role with the Tunica-Biloxi Police Department, Pierite was employed as a Mansura patrol officer, Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office patrol officer, and a Tunica-Biloxi police officer, serving in some of these positions simultaneously. Pierite is a native of Avoyelles Parish and is married to Heather Walters-Pierite with three children.
Bobby Pierite
Council Member
Bobby Pierite, Sr. is an Associate Commissioner for the Tunica-Biloxi Tribal Gaming Commission. He has served aboard the Commission for over 24 years and presides over the Licensing, Inspector General, and Investigation Divisions. He is Vice President of the Tunica-Biloxi Housing Committee. A Marksville native, Pierite graduated from Marksville High School and attended Louisiana State University at Alexandria. Pierite attends Holy Ghost Church and serves as a Grand Knight for the Knights of Peter Claver.
Paulette Voiselle
Council Member
Paulette Gonzales Voiselle serves as a council member of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana. Voiselle works as an Administrative Coordinator in the Tunica-Biloxi Education Department and is also a member of the Economic Development Board. She currently represents the tribe on the Human Services Secretary’s Tribal Advisory Committee (STAC) and is an Education Board Member for United Southern and Eastern Tribes (USET). Prior to her role at the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe, she worked 24 years with Paragon Casino Resort as Human Resources Director.
A native of Avoyelles Parish, Voiselle currently resides in Simmesport with her husband, Todd of 32 years. They have three children, Amber, Tyler, and Jacob, and four grandchildren Annalane, Greyson, Trace, and Tatum. She is an active member of Christ the King Catholic Church where she serves as a eucharist minister.