Vice Chairman

April Cook Wyatt:  Vice-Chairman of the Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana

April is the daughter of Rickey Cook and Anita Mora and the granddaughter of William Mora and Lorena Bernard Mora.   She currently resides on the Chitimacha Reservation with her husband, Joshua, and their children Hayden and Isabella. She attended Chitimacha Tribal School from K-8th grade and graduated from Hanson Memorial High School in 2000.  Following high school, she attended the University of Louisiana-Lafayette where she obtained a Bachelor’s Degree with a major in Political Science/Pre-Law and a concentration in Business. 

Following graduation, April accepted a position in the private industry with a prominent sales company located in the Lafayette, Louisiana area.  While she enjoyed her time working in the sales industry and the valuable experience she gained, her true ambition was to work for her Tribe.  So, in 2007, she applied for and was offered a position as Administrative Assistant.  Since then, April has held various positions such as Financial Executive Assistant, Executive Manager, Human Resources Director, Deputy Tribal Administrator, Acting Chief Administrative Officer/Tribal Administrator and currently holds the position of Chief Administrative Officer/Tribal Administrator. 

April ran unopposed for Vice-Chairman in 2013 and was re-elected in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2021.  She is currently serving her 5th term as Vice-Chairman and has gained tremendous experience in many aspects of our Tribal government and Tribal enterprises.  She has also been a member of several boards such as:

Current Delegate for the National Congress of American Indians which represents many Tribes all over the United States

Current Board member for the United South and Eastern Tribes which represents thirty-three (33) federally recognized Tribes of the South and Eastern part of the United States

Current member of the National Congress of American Indians Violence Against Women Act Task Force

Former Acting Tribal Chairman

Former Board member for the Inter-Tribal Council which represents all four (4) of the federally recognized Tribes in Louisiana

Former member of the Sitimaxa Holdings Board

Former member of the Economic Development Committee

Former member of the Chitimacha Tribal Election board