UKB Finance Official Raises Misconduct Allegations; Protective Order Filed Against Him
By Staff Reports | April 25, 2025
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — A former United Keetoowah Band finance official is alleging mismanagement and retaliation within the tribe’s administrative leadership following his dismissal — and a UKB court has since issued a protective order against him at the request of the tribe’s top administrator.
Ryan Harp joined the UKB in May 2024 and was later promoted to deputy comptroller. In an April 4 email to the UKB Tribal Council, Human Resources Director Michelle Downing, Lighthorse Police Director Charlie Dreadfulwater, and Media Director Troy Littledeer, Harp alleged that Tribal Administrator Jennifer Cole-Robinson delayed employee benefits, disregarded internal financial controls, and created a politically driven office environment.
“We need a clean administrative structure,” Harp wrote. “This role demands seriousness, not political alliances. Office politics under her watch have left me feeling unfairly treated.”
Harp subsequently published the contents of that email on his personal social media accounts.
In the same correspondence, Harp proposed that the tribal administrator position be restructured or eliminated and that department heads report directly to the Tribal Council. Tribal officials have not provided a public explanation for his termination.
Harp said the department had experienced turnover before his arrival and that he introduced new financial systems — including EUNA eCivis for grants, Microix for procurement, and Questica for budgeting — to address deficiencies identified in the tribe’s 2022 audit. He also identified his own delayed 401(k) enrollment as a potential liability for the tribe.
Four days after Harp’s email, Cole-Robinson filed a petition for an emergency protective order in UKB District Court, Case No. PO-2025-05. The court granted the order April 8, citing immediate danger of harassment or victimization. It prohibits Harp from contacting Cole-Robinson or visiting a Tahlequah residence. The order does not allege physical violence.
Following his dismissal, Harp posted a summary of his concerns in the comment section of the UKB Council’s April Facebook livestream. He said the comments were deleted and that he was blocked from the stream, which he characterized as censorship.
A continuance was granted in the proceedings. The next hearing is scheduled for May 16.
The UKB Court Clerk declined to comment and stated no court documents were available. Cole-Robinson had not issued a public statement as of press time.
Harp, who is pursuing a master’s degree in construction management at the University of New Mexico, said he has offered 10 unpaid hours per week to maintain continuity in the financial systems his team installed.
The record does not show a public response from the UKB Tribal Council or administrative leadership as of April 25, 2025.