In 2011 Casias was elected as the first chairwoman in the history of the Southern Ute Tribal council;[1] a symbol of the traditional egalitarian ways the Utes experienced prior to colonization.[2] The special election was held after former Chairman Matthew Box resigned. Clement J. Frost has preceded her as chairperson.[3]
During her term, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe became a major producer of natural gas and received a "AAA" credit rating from national credit rating agencies, the first American Indian Nation to receive the rating.[4][5]
After her retirement from the Tribal Council, Casias did consulting work for other Native American tribes.[6] In 2018, she exited political retirement to serve an additional term as a member of the Southern Ute Tribal Council.
