The Remarkable Legacy of Seminole Women in Government
We all know about Betty Mae Jumper Tiger, the first female Chairwoman for the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Her story is one that is often remembered and looked back on, especially during Women’s History Month. But, did you know that her legacy and example can still be felt today in the strong female presence in Seminole politics? This week, join us as we look towards the future and celebrate the Seminole women in politics today, as we look back on those who set the stage for them.
In our featured image, you can see the recently elected Tribal Council and Board on June 2, 2025. From left to right: Hollywood Councilman Chris Osceola, Brighton Councilman Larry Howard, Big Cypress Councilwoman Mariann Billie, Chairman Marcellus W. Osceola Jr., President Holly Tiger, Big Cypress Board Rep. Nadine Bowers, Brighton Board Rep. Bryan Arledge and Hollywood Board Rep. O’Hara Tommie. (Beverly Bidney via the Seminole Tribune)
The Mothers Who Came Before
The Seminole Tribe of Florida is a matrilineal society. That means that legacy, inheritance of clans, and the societal structure is centered around the woman. In camp life, the matriarch would head the camp. Children would be born into the woman’s clan and camp, and thus men would leave their mother’s camp when they married. Today, women are leaders, guiding and shaping their families and their community.
In a WINK News article from 2024, Tina Osceola spoke about what this means for women of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. “We mother our community, we mother our tribe, we Mother Earth,” she said. “Women in the Seminole Tribe of Florida, we have a really strong history of being part of that very fabric of the creation of the Seminole Tribe of Florida as a government.”
Osceola was speaking about how these first, influential women helped shape the Seminole Tribe of Florida since the beginning. These strong women would have an influence on the direction of the Seminole Tribe of Florida from its first government formation, paving the way for the Seminole women in politics today.
The First Women in Seminole Politics
That strong history led Betty Mae Jumper to be the first Chairwoman of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. It also led a young Laura Mae Osceola to become the first Secretary of the Seminole Tribe, travelling to Washington D.C. at just 21 years old to act as the voice of the Tribe. “I was the only woman,” Osceola recalled in a later interview. “But I had a big mouth, and I wanted to help my tribe” (09 Feb 1987, Tallahassee Democrat).
Seminole women chose to see their role as one that encompassed the entire community. They would hold a pivotal place in building the future of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, at the same time as raising families of their own.
Below, you can see the first Tribal Council of the Seminole Tribe of Florida seated together in 1958. Seated from left to right: Howard Tiger, Laura Mae Osceola, Billy Osceola, Mike Osceola, John Josh, and John Cypress. Charlotte Osceola stands to the left and Betty Mae Jumper to the right.
2015.6.29699, ATTK Museum
Charlotte Tommie Osceola
Betty Mae Jumper and Laura Mae Osceola, who we have spoken about in previous blog posts, would be joined with other pivotal Seminole woman, as they opened the door for Seminole women in politics from the beginning. One of these is Charlotte Tommie Osceola. A part of the original constitutional committee, Charlotte Tommie Osceola is remembered as being a strong advocate for Seminole culture and a community presence. She was also the Board Member for the Dania (Hollywood) Reservation, and married to Bill Osceola, the first elected President of the Seminole Tribe of Florida.
Billy Osceola, seated in the image above, was the first elected Chairman, and Bill’s cousin. Charlotte Osceola was a mother of Marcellus, Raymond, Priscilla Sayen, Judy Bill and Cynthia, and took a lot of pride in her role as mother and wife. Chairman Marcellus Osceola Jr. is her grandson.
Virginia Mitchell interviewed Charlotte Osceola later in her life, where she recalled the difficulties they faced from the beginning. “I remember that in the beginning it was kind of hard to get people from the other reservations together to start on organizing. There were just a few of us here in Hollywood, but we had to have Big Cypress and Brighton people involved….The second BIA superintendent, Mr.(Kenneth) Marmon had informed us that there were monies there for our people but we had to be organized before we could get those monies. So from there we started to organize. I was a Board member for Hollywood, Bill (my husband) was President, along with Frank Billie and Willie Frank.”
She would go on to state that “We still have problems today like we had back then. I didn’t look ahead. I live one day by day. Today I hear others say they thought this or that would happen today, but I think they are lying, for only the fortuneteller knew what was ahead of us, so I tend to not believe them when I hear someone say something like that.”
Below, you can see Charlotte Tommie Osceola showing off her new Western style house, which husband Bill built himself on the Dania Reservation. Mary Bowers is on the far right and Martha Osceola is second from the right. Examples like Betty Mae, Charlotte, and Laura Mae would create spaces for women in Seminole politics, leaving a legacy that is still felt today. Below, join us to celebrate just a few of the influential women working to shape the Seminole Tribe of Florida now and in the future.
Holly Tiger, President of STOFI
Elected via special election in 2023, Holly Tiger was installed as the first female President of Seminole Tribe of Florida, Inc. (STOFI), the Tribe’s business arm. As president of STOFI, Tiger also serves as vice-chairwoman of the Tribal Council. A Hollywood resident, she has dedicated the past twenty years to strengthening the Tribe through a variety of leadership roles.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and government from Queens University of Charlotte and a law degree from Nova Southeastern University. Over the course of her career, she has served as Director of Housing, Tribal Clerk, and Contract Administrator for the Board of Directors. Tiger also played a key role in establishing the Native Learning Center in Hollywood, where she later served as Executive Director. In addition, she previously worked as a special advisor to former STOFI President Richard Bowers.
Holly Tiger was also Miss Florida Seminole 1992, starting her lifelong commitment and work for the Tribe. Below, you can see her laughing and waving at a Discover Native America event during her reign in 1993. Junior Miss Seminole, Melissa Osceola Demayo, is to her right.
2015.6.23635, ATTK Museum
Tiger was installed as Board President on August 10, 2023. Below, you can see a shot from the installation. Holly Tiger, center, is joined by, from left to right, Brighton Councilman Larry Howard, Big Cypress Councilwoman Mariann Billie, Big Cypress Board Rep. Nadine Bowers, Brighton Board Rep. Bryan Arledge and Hollywood Board Rep. Christine McCall. (Calvin Tiger via the Seminole Tribune)
At her installation, President Tiger said that “Being the first woman as president, that’s not lost on me. I think it’s a great milestone for the tribe. It’s important to me that we recognize it, but it’s also important to know that the work is the same whether you’re male or female, and our job now is to keep moving forward and do the best that we can for the tribe.”
She continued that “I look around at a lot of young people in this room and I tell you, don’t give up. Everything comes with hard work, commitment and having a little bit of gumption. I encourage all of you to do that,” she said. “My goal is to lead with compassion, lead with empathy and love for your people, because that’s what’s going to get you through. That’s what’s going to make you shine.”
Mariann Billie, Big Cypress Councilwoman
Mariann Billie is the first woman to represent Big Cypress as the Big Cypress Councilwoman. She just recently was reelected as the incumbent in 2025. Billie holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Management from Nova Southeastern University. She is also a 2023 PACT Freedom Award Honoree. Protect All Children Against Trafficking (PACT), formerly ECPAT-USA, honored Billie because she “has dedicated her life to supporting young people through her work with various tribal programs such as education and human resources.”
At her inauguration in 2021, Billie stated that “We have shown that women are much more than clan lineage, the matriarchy is about strong Seminole women serving in our government and our businesses. I stand on the shoulders of those who came before me. I dedicate this to the late Betty Mae Jumper, a woman of true substance who paved the way many, many years ago.”
Mariann Billie at a Discover Native America event in 1996. 2015.6.12486, ATTK Museum
Since her inauguration and continued reelections, Billie has worked hard to support her growing community. She has been instrumental in developing and organizing the Indigenous Arts and Music Festival (IAMF), which just celebrated its fourth annual festivities in February. She also had a hand in the opening of a brand-new housing community on Big Cypress in winter 2024. “It means we’re improving, we’re expanding, the population is getting bigger,” Councilwoman Billie said in a Seminole Tribune article about The Groves. “It means a lot to people who live off-rez and want to come home. It means a lot to the younger generation who have always lived with their parents until they could get a house.”
Billie takes pride in her community, especially working towards supporting and enriching the next generation. At her reinauguration in 2025, Billie stated that “As a representative, I will continue to support initiatives that are in the best interest of our people. And let’s not forget, it is our duty as a tribe to empower the next generation. As Council members, it is our responsibility to ensure the policies that we enact today to lay that foundation,” Councilwoman Billie said. Below, you can see from left to right, Big Cypress Councilwoman Mariann Billie, Brighton Councilman Larry Howard and Hollywood Councilman Chris Osceola are sworn in. (Beverly Bidney via the Seminole Tribune.)
Nadine Bowers, Big Cypress Board Representative
Big Cypress Board Representative Bowers is also the first woman to represent Big Cypress in her position. On her first re-inauguration day in 2023, Bowers shared gratitude for her position. “Let us take a moment. Close your eyes if you will. And remember that we are in the exact place where it all began for us as the unconquered Seminole Tribe of Florida. It is acknowledgment of the gratitude that comes to my heart when I think of the magnitude of this moment [and] of the position we have each been honored to accept today,” She shared.
Bowers has since been reelected again in 2025. Below, you can see her being sworn in in 2025. From left to right, Hollywood Board Rep. O’Hara Tommie, Brighton Board Rep. Bryan Arledge and Big Cypress Board Rep. Nadine Bowers are sworn in. (Beverly Bidney via the Seminole Tribune.)
Bowers had been working for the Tribe for many years prior to her first elected position. She spent almost 12 years working for Big Cypress Elder Services as its Site Manager. She also worked as part of the Culture Department on Big Cypress. Below, you can see her participating in a clothing contest in 1998 at Okalee Indian Village.
2015.6.14023, ATTK Museum
