A Personal Reflection on a Legacy of Leadership: George Valliere’s Retirement Celebration
A Personal Reflection on a Legacy of Leadership: George Valliere’s Retirement Celebration
By Cara Cowan Watts, Cherokee 411
I recently had the honor of attending the retirement celebration for George Valliere, longtime CEO of the Claremore Indian Hospital, held Thursday, July 31, 2025, at the Rogers County Building. As someone who has worked with George and as a patient of CIHS, it was a meaningful and emotional day—filled with pride, memories, and gratitude.
The room was filled with the people who mattered most to this work: CIHS staff past and present, IHS employees from the area office, and community members who came to say thank you. The celebration was a true reflection of the impact George has made since taking the helm in 2009.
The slideshow prepared by staff highlighted achievements under his leadership that spoke volumes. CIHS became the first hospital in Oklahoma to receive Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation and the first IHS hospital in the State to receive Baby Friendly designation. It was also the first Indian Hospital to earn Team Birth Accreditation. A five-star Medicare.gov patient rating, a lower-than-average RN-to-patient ratio, and national recognition for centering pregnancy care were just a few more milestones that demonstrate how the hospital under George’s leadership always prioritized people—patients and staff alike.
I remember when the previous CEO retired and the CIHS Tribal Advisory Board I chaired started the search for a replacement. George had just started at the Pawnee Service Unit, which is a clinic. Knowing his heart was with the Claremore facility, where his mother, Anita Louise Washington Valliere, had worked until her retirement in 1984, I called Assistant Principal Chief John Red Eagle of the Osage Nation. We both served on the CIHS Tribal Advisory Board. I asked Red Eagle if he would help bring George back to Claremore. Without hesitation, he agreed. That was the beginning of a new era.
The advisory board at that time included a coalition of Tribal leaders who valued accountability and collaboration. George’s appointment brought leadership grounded in respect, cultural knowledge, fairness, and a deep love for Indian people and those who serve them. Under his leadership, CIHS transformed into not just another Indian Health Service hospital but our Indian hospital.
As a patient of CIHS, I have seen that transformation firsthand. I’ve felt the compassion from the nurses, the clarity from the doctors, and the care that runs deeper than any policy manual. That experience is not by accident. It is the result of strong leadership and a commitment to service.
During the celebration, I contributed a banana pudding cake from Cherokee411.com—just a small gesture to honor someone who has given so much. The staff came together to gift George a Pendleton blanket, which Rear Admiral Watts, IHS Oklahoma City Area Director and a citizen of the Choctaw Nation, placed on his shoulders in a moment full of respect and symbolism.
Pictures from the day captured George alongside me for a selfie, the staff taking time to shake his hand, give farewell hugs, say thank you and reflect on the end of something bigger than all of us, service to others. I have included a picture of George with the late Assistant Chief John Red Eagle, reminding us of the relationships and shared mission that shaped the hospital’s success.
George Valliere’s departure marks the end of an era, but his impact will remain in every hallway, exam room, and office at CIHS. His story is one of returning home, of lifting others, and of holding high the standard of what Tribal health care leadership can and should be.
Wado, George. You made your mother and all of us proud.
