KARIE MASKUNKASHEY (Citizen of the Cherokee Nation)

Indian Child Welfare Specialist, Osage Nation Social Services 

Secretary, Oklahoma Indian Child Welfare Association

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Karie Mashunkashey serves as an Indian Child Welfare Specialist with Osage Nation Social Services. A citizen of the Cherokee Nation, Karie lives in Barnsdall, Oklahoma, with her husband, Russell—who is a member of the Osage Nation—and their two children.

Karie holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Oklahoma. Throughout her career, she has taken on a variety of leadership roles, including serving as Member at Large on the Oklahoma Indian Child Welfare Association (OICWA) Board and held a seat on the Student Advisory Board for the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute (NCWWI). She currently serves on the Oklahoma Child Death Review Board as the Indian Child Welfare (ICWA) representative.

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Karie has spent more than half her life married into a family deeply rooted in Osage cultural traditions. Her personal and professional experiences have instilled in her a deep commitment to preserving Native American children's connections to their kin, culture, and community.

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Karie believes the ultimate goal in Indian Child Welfare is ensuring the safety of children—and, closely behind that, doing all that is possible to keep children with their families and immersed in their way of life. She is honored to serve Osage families and is deeply committed to supporting efforts to break cycles of addiction and abuse that have impacted Native communities for generations. Karie finds great reward in walking alongside families as they reclaim strength, stability, and healing.