Davis will debut his YouTube series “Litefoot’s Relentless Pursuit” Sept. 30
SEATTLE, Wash. – Gary “Litefoot” Davis, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, has been named the new Executive Director of the Native American Financial Services Association (NAFSA).
“The appointment of Gary Davis will be transformative for our organization and the tribal communities we serve,” said Otoe-Missouria Chairman John R. Shotton who serves as NAFSA’s Chairman. “Gary has been a passionate and tireless advocate for creating new economic opportunities for Indian Country and nobody has fought harder to ensure the preservation of our tribal sovereignty. We are thrilled to have him joining our NAFSA team.”
The mission of NAFSA is to advocate for tribal sovereignty, promote responsible financial services, and provide better economic opportunity in Indian Country for the benefit of tribal communities. “I am excited to begin serving as the new Executive Director of NAFSA where I believe we can help create greater awareness about the financial services provided by tribally owned companies and the positive impact those companies have in tribal communities,” Davis said. “Since its founding, NAFSA has been a catalyst to help its tribal members grow and flourish and I want to expand its portfolio to create even greater growth in the tribal financial services sector for the benefit of all of Indian Country.”
Davis previously served as President and CEO of the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (National Center) with nearly five years of service to the organization. During his tenure at the National Center, he inspired Indian Country with his vision and passion for economic empowerment, strengthened the National Reservation Economic Summit (RES) and launched regional RES events across the country. Davis was also instrumental in taking Indian Country's economic message to international audiences to promote business partnerships.
Davis, along with his wife Carmen, have also launched the Davis Strategy Group which specializes in providing business consulting services as well as providing clients strategic communication, marketing, branding, event planning, digital strategy, and video production services. “Davis Strategy brings together over 25 years of business experience, vision and industry knowledge to help our clients grow their businesses,” said Davis. “We couldn’t be more passionate about helping others achieve their business goals.”
Davis, who began a career in acting landing the starring role in the film, Indian in the Cupboard, and has since appeared in films such as Mortal Kombat Annihilation and Adaptation, as well as television shows CSI: Miami and House of Cards, will be back in front of the camera regularly releasing digital content in a variety of formats. Davis will debut launch his new YouTube series “Litefoot’s Relentless Pursuit” on Friday September 30, 2016. Litefoot’s Relentless Pursuit is a vlog of Davis' everyday business life and constant travel. “Relentless Pursuit gives viewers a front row seat into the hustle and bustle of my life and everything that goes along with it,” said Davis. “I believe the show will inspire and motivate viewers to relentlessly pursue their goals and aspirations.”
Davis will also soon be launching his own podcast, “The Litefoot Show.” “For over 20 years I have had the pleasure of speaking in countless Tribal communities and at conferences across the world. Podcasts are a rapidly growing medium and an excellent way for me to directly express my views, interact with listeners and engage with some of the most respected names in Indian Country and beyond,“ said Davis. “I believe the show will be very entertaining and a lot of fun.” Video recordings of the Litefoot Show will be available on Davis’ Youtube channel and online at litefoot.com. Audio episodes of the Litefoot Show will be available wherever podcasts can be found, including iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Soundcloud.
Davis has also been busy with several new music projects. As the first American Indian rap artist, performing under the moniker “Litefoot”, he has released 11 albums on his own record label, Red Vinyl Records and won both “Album of the Year” and “Artist of the Year” honors from the Native American Music Awards. He is currently in the studio recording his first full-length album in seven years and is set to perform his first concert since 2010 on November 3rd at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Red Vinyl Records has also recently signed up and coming Comanche musician, singer and songwriter, Liv, to the label.
He is also a sought-after speaker and an accomplished author. His book, The Medicine of Prayer, is available for purchase on iBooks and Amazon.com.