Carleton P. Albert, Sr.
Carleton P. Albert Sr. is serving his first term as Head Councilman of the Zuni Tribe. He is a graduate of Central Oklahoma University, Edmond Oklahoma and holds a Bachelors of Science in Community Health. Albert was formerly employed by the University of New Mexico Health Sciences department and worked on the Zuni Kidney Project, a research initiative designed to determine why Zuni is burdened with end stage kidney disease. Prior to this, he was Program Manager for the Zuni Wellness Center under the Division of Health Services.
Fitness and wellness is a natural fit for Albert who was one of the outstanding long distance runners in his high school and on Zuni, a tribe known for its long distance runners. He began long distance running sheep herding with his grandfather. His grandfather often asked him to run to get the water and other supplies.
In high school, Albert's team took the state championship and he was selected all district and all state. He was recruited by Haskell Indian Junior College in Lawrence, Kansas and then by Central Oklahoma University in Edmond, Oklahoma. Both schools provided him with scholarships for long distance running.
"I trained to be a long distance runner as I was too short for basketball and too small for football," said Albert who is married to a self-employed silversmith. They have five children and nine grandchildren, with another on the way.
Explaining that Zuni is a very cultural tribe in terms of its traditions and customs, Albert sees his challenge as helping to position his tribe for economic development while still working within its religious community. Another priority of the Head Councilman is education. "A high school diploma is no longer enough," he said. "We need to move up to college degrees. The way the world is driving on modern technology, we must be well educated.
Albert's interest in community involvement inspired him to run for office. "I wanted to take my involvement to the next level to make a difference," he said. "Sometimes people tend to want to make a big difference by impacting with a big gathering. If I can make a difference with one individual, it is a reward in itself. If I can make a change for one individual, I've done my job. This is how I relate to our community, one individual at a time."