Mary Baker Shaw | |
|---|---|
| Cherokee Nation Tribal Councilor for the at-large district | |
| In office August 14, 2017 –August 2021 | |
| Succeeded by | Johnny Jack Kidwell |
| Personal details | |
| Citizenship | Cherokee Nation United States |
Mary Baker Shaw is a Cherokee politician who served as an at-large tribal councilor for the Cherokee Nation from 2017 to 2021.
Baker Shaw won the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council's At-Large seat in the June 3,2017 election. [1] She secured a victory with 56.77% of the vote,receiving 847 votes out of the total cast. [1] This margin was sufficient to avoid a runoff election. [1] Her closest competitors in the election were Shane Jett,who received 19.64% of the vote (293 vote) and Linda Leaf-Bolin,who finished third with 11.33% of the vote (169 votes). [1] Baker Shaw was one of nine Cherokee Nation Tribal Councilors sworn into office on August 14,2017,at a ceremony held in the Sequoyah High School gymnasium. [2] She represented Cherokee citizens living outside the tribe's jurisdictional boundaries as one of two at-large councilors alongside Wanda Hatfield. [2]
Baker Shaw co-sponsored legislation with fellow at-large councilor Julia Coates to provide glasses to at-large Cherokees who have their eyes examined at Cherokee Nation health clinics. [3] She served as chair of the Health Committee,where she addressed the issue of physician turnover. [3] She formed a subgroup that implemented solutions,resulting in a reduction in provider turnover from losing 100 out of 125 physicians in a 5-year period to less than 4% turnover. [3] Baker Shaw supported the launch of cherokeesatlarge.org to provide timely information to the at-large Cherokee population. [3] She did not run for reelection when her four-year term concluded in 2021. [3] She was succeeded by Johnny Jack Kidwell.