Rory Wheeler

About Rory Wheeler

Rory Wheeler is a citizen of the Seneca Nation, Turtle Clan, and a descendant of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, Cayuga Nation, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. He has served in numerous elected and appointed positions within the Seneca Nation, one of the largest employers in Western New York, and has served tribal governments, tribal businesses, non-profit organizations, and philanthropies throughout the United States. Rory began at 15 as a legislative and executive intern in the Seneca Nation government. His work continued later as a White House Tribal Nations Youth Ambassador under President Obama, where he helped coordinate the first-ever tribal youth gathering hosted by the White House and several federal agencies and partners. Since then, he has served in the Office of U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Thomas J. Vilsack, the Executive Office of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, the Office of U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, the co-president of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Youth Commission, vice chairman of the Center for Native American Youth Advisory Board, and national vice president of United National Indian Tribal Youth, Inc. Rory has served in advisory positions with the Obama Foundation, the Tribal Law & Policy Institute, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, and helped lead the Biden-Harris presidential campaign\'s Native American Policy Committee as co-chair of the Native youth subcommittee. In addition, Rory has advocated for tribes on matters such as public health, self-governance, gaming, language & culture preservation, education, public safety, and various issues. He is a frequent speaker and presenter at conferences and events, such as the National Congress of American Indians, the National Indian Gaming Association, National Indian Health Board, Tribal In-house Counsel Association, the Aspen Institute, Native America Calling, United South & Eastern Tribes, United National Indian Tribal Youth, ANA I-LEAD, MTV’s Rebel Music, and Indian Country Today. He is a graduate of Niagara University with a BA, cum laude, and is now a J.D. Candidate at the Michigan State University College of Law specializing in Indigenous law & policy. Rory was raised on the Seneca Nation Cattaraugus Territory. He has also been a volunteer firefighter, emergency medical technician, and rescue technician for the Seneca Nation, & their surrounding communities.

Experience

1. Member, Board of Directors

   Seneca Gaming Corporation

   Apr 2025 — Present · Niagara Falls, NY, US

   Seneca Gaming Corporation is a wholly owned, tribally chartered corporation of the Seneca Nation of Indians, which operates the Nation’s Class casino gaming properties. Since opening Seneca Niagara Casino in 2002, the corporation has built and invested in the community at large by providing three premier gaming and entertainment destinations in Western New York: Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino in Niagara Falls, NY, Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino in downtown Buffalo, NY, and Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino in Salamanca, NY, as well as the award-winning championship Seneca Hickory Stick Golf Course in Lewiston, NY. Since 2002, the corporation has grown into one of the largest private sector employers in Western New York with over employees across its three locations. Seneca Gaming Corporation provides generous benefits including paid training, tuition reimbursement, paid free lunches, on-site health offices, employee discounts, and more. Across all three world-class facilities guests are offered more than 5,100 slot machines, 125 table games, over deluxe rooms and suites, luxurious spas & salons, award-winning fine dining, and high-end retail outlets.

Education

• The University of New Mexico School of Law

  Pre-Law Summer Institute, American Indian Law Center, Inc.

• Niagara University

  Bachelor of Arts - BA, Political Science

• Michigan State University College of Law

  Doctor of Law - JD

• Lake Shore Senior High School

  High School Diploma

  2011 — 2015