For Immediate Release

Maurice Calistro Appointed as Director of Family and Community Services

CHOCTAW, Miss. – (January 11, 2008) – Maurice Calistro was appointed Director of the Family and Community Services Program in the regularly scheduled Tribal Council meeting held on January 8, 2008.

Calistro resides in the Pearl River Community. She is the daughter of the late Clay and Margie (Billy) Gibson.

In appointing her to the position, Miko Denson pledged his vote of confidence in her abilities and applauded her well-rounded background and experience.

"Ms. Calistro has a solid background in social work. She has gone to great lengths to attain the education that a position such as this requires. I readily recommend and appoint Maurice to this position. I know she will serve our tribal people well."

Calistro has a history of work in tribal community services that spans more than three decades. She has been serving as the acting director of the Family and Community Services department for the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians since late last year.

Her broad range of experience includes serving as Director of the Community Services for Indian Centers, Inc. based out of Los Angeles, Calif., She also sat on the board of directors of the Indian Centers, Inc. While in California, she also worked as the Director of the Los Angeles Urban Indian Health Center and sat on the board of the California Urban Indian Health Centers, Inc. Additionally, she worked with the City of Santa Monica, Calif.

Upon returning to the reservation in 1984, she began working with the Tribe in various capacities primarily in the areas of social work.

She is a licensed Social Worker (LSW) with the State of Mississippi. She currently sits on the University of Southern Mississippi's School of Social Work Advisory Committee. She is a field placement instructor for undergraduate and graduate social work students from the University of Southern Mississippi, Mississippi State University and the University of Alabama.

In addition, she currently is a member of the Choctaw Federal Credit Union.

She is a graduate of Choctaw Central High School and has attained her Bachelor of Arts from Pitzer College in Claremont, CA and a Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Southern Mississippi.

In accepting her appointment, Calistro stated, "I would like to thank you for your vote of confidence and I will do my best to run the department efficiently and effectively. Many times we look at social services as a way to put a band-aid on the problems. I hope that our department will work to help strengthen families. I'd also like to add that rather than to rely on tribal revenue, we will seek other funding sources. I appreciate your vote of confidence."

Ms. Calistro is a single parent caring for five nieces and nephews, aged 4 to 21. She is a member of the Pearl River Baptist Church and is active in church, school and community activities.

Please direct all questions to the Office of Public Information at 601.650.1537.