ᎤᏓᏩᏗᏍᎬ, Howard Paden is the son of Homer and Betty Paden. He was born in Stilwell, where his family have been since the time of Cherokee removal. Howard graduated from Vian High School and received his Pre-Law degree from Northeastern State University. Howard and his wife, Alecya, have three children Uganasda, Kiyuga, and Awati. Their children attend the Cherokee Nation’s Cherokee Language Immersion Charter School. 

Currently, Howard is the Executive Director of Department of the Cherokee Language. This Department brought all the Cherokee Language Programs together and is building the Durbin Feeling Language Center.  Before this position Howard was the Program Manager and a facilitator for ᏣᎳᎩ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ ᎠᏂᏫᏒᏍᎩ, Cherokee Language Master/Apprentice Program. The program creates conversationally proficient Cherokee teachers to teach Cherokee using language immersion methods. He has worked closely with native Cherokee speakers and other tribal language programs to help develop the Master/Apprentice Program and other language revitalization efforts. Howard’s driving passion is the perpetuation of the Cherokee Language and lifeways.