DIRECTOR
Quinn West Godwin
Quinn West Godwin serves as Director of the North Carolina American Indian Heritage Commission within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. He provides strategic leadership for statewide initiatives that preserve, interpret, and promote American Indian history, arts, customs, and culture.
Godwin previously served as Associate Director of the Commission, where he helped establish its strategic framework and expand educational programming and community partnerships across North Carolina. He began his career in state government in the Office of the Governor, supporting statewide initiatives and working with diverse communities across North Carolina. His work focuses on strengthening collaboration with tribal communities, educators, and cultural institutions to advance accurate and inclusive public history.
He holds a Juris Doctor and has completed additional professional training in public leadership and cultural stewardship. Born and raised in Pembroke, North Carolina, Godwin is a citizen of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. He is married to his wife, Gianna.
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
Vacant
ORAL HISTORIAN
Mikayah Locklear
Mikayah Locklear serves as Oral Historian for the North Carolina American Indian Heritage Commission, where she leads the Commission’s National Archives–supported Oral History Project documenting the lived experiences of tribal elders, leaders, and community members from North Carolina’s eight state-recognized tribes. The project preserves these histories through the State Archives and expands public access through digital platforms.
Locklear is an enrolled citizen of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and was born and raised in Maxton, North Carolina. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with double minors in American Studies and Environmental Justice. She is currently pursuing a Master of Library Science with a concentration in Cultural Heritage Informatics from Simmons University.
Her work centers community-driven archiving and the responsible stewardship of Native stories for future generations.