THE Georgia Harris Foundation

Bill Harris is a citizen of the Catawba Nation and served as the elected Chief of the Catawba Nation for 12 years. Bill has been involved in tribal politics for over 25 years. In 1997 he began fighting for the rights of the Catawba people in tribal government and for the enforcement of the Catawba Constitution. He was first elected Chief in 2011. He was re-elected in 2015 and 2019 to additional 4-year terms which ended in July 2023. He led many important projects while he was Chief including the creation of Catawba Two Kings Casino, which will provide economic benefit for the tribe for generations to come. One of the projects that he is most proud of is the Catawba Teen Center, which focuses on educational attainment and cultural education for youth. 

Bill's Catawba roots are deep and he is proud of his heritage. His grandfather, Douglas Harris, was a Chief of the Catawba Nation and his grandmother, Georgia, was a renowned Catawba potter who was instrumental in preserving the Catawba people’s 4000 year old art form. She passed her love for the artform to Bill by teaching him how to work with clay and create Catawba pottery. Bill founded The Georgia Harris Foundation to honor her dedication to quality Catawba artwork and ensure that the tribe is able to preserve this important traditional practice for 4000 more years. 

Bill Harris is a Master Catawba potter. When being taught how to make Catawba pottery, Bill’s grandmother taught him how to find the clay needed to make Catawba pottery at the tribal clay hole that has been used for over 500 years. She showed him how to process the clay and how to form the clay using coils. She also showed him how to use river rocks to rub the pots and create the smooth surface of Catawba pottery. Lastly, she showed him the final step of tempering the pots in an open fire, creating the black, gray, and earthy brown colors of the completed product. After his grandmother died, Bill inherited a box of seashells, broken spoons, and other primitive tools that she used for over 75 years to make her art. 

When Bill watches his hands making Catawba pottery, he sees his grandmother’s hands. The tradition connects Bill to his grandmother and to all Catawbas who have made Catawba pottery. While he enjoys creating Catawba pottery, the thing that Bill finds most important is to teach others just as his grandmother taught him. 

Elizabeth is an enrolled citizen of the Catawba Nation. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and a Master’s degree in Communications. Elizabeth spent fifteen years of her career working for her tribe, as Small Business Coordinator, then moving on to Community Planner, before spending seven years in the Tribal Administrator position. In the Tribal Administrator role, her projects included strategic planning with tribal leadership and department directors, updating the policies of the Nation, restructuring the organization based on current and future needs, overseeing COVID-19 funding, and the initial development of Catawba Two Kings Casino. During her time in this role the Nation grew significantly. Elizabeth now works as a Relationship Manager with FSAdvisors working with tribes throughout the country on policy development, financial and grant management, as well as strategic planning.

Elizabeth is a traditional Catawba potter who has studied under Master Potter Bill Harris for 6 years. During her time learning to work in clay, she has developed a passion for educating others on the importance of her tribe’s traditional art. 

Jeff Harris is a citizen of the Catawba Nation. He has a Bachelors degree in Political Science from Brigham Young University and graduated from Duke University Law School in 2011. Jeff works as a Management Analyst with the Bureau of Indian Education in the Office of Research and Policy. In this role he analyzes and provides guidance to the BIE Director, Senior Leadership and other staff regarding regulation and policy. Previous to this role, Jeff worked as the Tribal Attorney for the Catawba Nation for seven years. In this capacity, he led the in-house legal department of the Nation and worked on the establishment and development of a tribal public safety department, tribal courts, and related justice services. In addition, he served on the Tribal In-House Counsel Board of Directors, the University of Arizona Native Nations Institute International Advisory Council, the ISWA Head Start Policy Committee.

Jeff is learning to make Catawba pottery and enjoys bringing his sons to class as well. He enjoys the connection that comes from working with clay.