Brooke is of Coast Salish ancestry, and is a descendant of the Lummi Nation. She is the daughter of Renee Swan-Waite and granddaughter of Norma Bosler from the Kwina family. Brooke has served Indigenous communities at the local, state, and federal level. Currently, she works as the Special Assistant for Native American Affairs at AmeriCorps in the CEO Immediate Office out of Washington DC. Her prior work experience includes developing and implementing a district-wide Indian Education program, serving as a Legislative Assistant for WA State Senator John McCoy (Tulalip), and she held multiple roles at Northwest Indian College. Brooke also served as an AmeriCorps member through the Snohomish County YMCA Minority Achievers Program. She earned her MA-Ed from Antioch University Seattle and her B.A. in American Cultural Studies with a concentration in Native American Studies from Western Washington University, Fairhaven College. Brooke is a mom and an active-duty military spouse.

Kady, Siggadoots, is from the Native Village of Ruby, AK which is home to 200 Koyukon Athabaskan people. She is employed by Washington Conservation Voters. Kady is attends Northwest Indian College working on a BA. She is a board member for Yoyot Spq'n'i, a nonprofit whose goal is to open a safe shelter for indigenous people escaping family violence. She describes leadership as someone who focuses on the whole group rather than self. Inspiring others around you while encouraging others to be and do better. Being courageous, honest, and having sincere enthusiasm. Kady is an artist: she loves wood burning, furniture restoration, and bead working. She treasurers her family and has been married to her husband since 2019.

Lafaitele Lydia M. Faitalia is Tongan and Samoan- American. She is the eldest of eight children, five brothers and two sisters. She is the Interim Family Services Director for United Indians of all tribes. Lydia is finishing up her masters thesis in American Indians Studies at the University of California Los Angeles. She was appointed in 2022 by Governor Inslee to serve on the WA Commission for Asian Pacific American Affairs and appointed by her village to hold the High Chief title of Lafaitele from the village of Neiafu, Savaii. Lydia states that great leaders think about how their decisions impact the community, their families/tribes/villages, and seven generations to come. They honor their elders, embrace their identity, and understand that it takes a neck (the support community) to lift their head that holds the crown. Leadership isn't about self....but for future generations to come! Lydia is a wife, proud godmother of many children and a lifelong student. Her hobbies include reading, traveling, heartwork, advocacy, learning, working out, and spending time with beloved family."

Marissa is Oglala Sioux, Mexican, and British-American. Her mother is Daye Perez and her father is Edward Perez. Her grandmother is Cecelia Twiss from Pine Ridge, South Dakota, and her grandfather is Manuel Perez from El Paso, Texas. She has a BA from Seattle Pacific University and a Masters of Legal Studies in Indigenous People’s Law from the University of Oklahoma. She serves as a Logistics Officer in the U.S. Army Reserves. Marissa is the founder of the Yarrow Project bringing cultural healing to urban Indigenous survivors of violence and MMIWP families. She is a board member for Washington Trafficking Prevention and the Washington State Access to Justice Community Advisory Board. From her experience in the military and blending it with her indigenous values Marissa feels that to be a great leader the most important thing is her contribution to her community. "Leadership is not defined by those who stand in front, but by those who lift one another up and know when to stand aside and let another lead." Sage, her four-year-old Certified Mutt, is a therapy dog in training and the neighborhood alert dog.She sews regalia for her family, loves to garden, and has never met a book she didn’t want to read.

Mikayla is Puyallup and of Mexican descent. She is the granddaughter of Barbara Richards (Puyallup) and Lee Stafford (Seneca), as well as Peggy McCloud (Puyallup). In 2012/2013, she completed over 200 hours of community service throughout Pierce County as Chief Leschi Schools’, She is a 2013 Daffodil Princess. Mikayla attended the University of Washington-Tacoma, she studied Communications. 2017 to 2021, she worked at the Puyallup Tribal Court as a Court Clerk. The definition of leadership is to pave the way for others while being selfless and uplifting those who are around you or following your footsteps. Leadership also requires a great level of integrity and courage. As of October 2021, she’s been a part of the Communications department at the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, working as a Communications Coordinator. A majority of her childhood was spent playing sports, participating in Tribal Canoe Journeys and learning other traditions from her cultures on both sides of her family. In her spare time she coaches cheerleading for the Puyallup Jr Vikings Football & Cheer Club.

Nicole is Nisqually. Her mother was removed from her family along with her brothers and placed in Catholic boarding school. She didn't see her family again until she was in her late twenties. Nicole grew up in California. She made the move to Washington in 2014, she enrolled at Northwest Indian College earning her high school diploma, then AA and bachelors degree. She started diving for Geoduck with her brothers to earn extra money on weekends and worked for her tribe as an accountant. Great leadership starts with respect, when one is respected they will have a great team and accomplish so much. She has three children and helps to raise her grandchildren.

Reylene is Xatsull Secwepmec and Canadian born, and has lived in Washington State on the Colville Reservation for the last 20 years. She raised by a very traditional Secwepmec family in the sweatlodge, at ceremonies and at pow-wows. Her grandfather was Herman Sellars, and he was the one to teach her leadership when she was just a child. Her career in Gaming started in 2002, she has dedicated 5 years of volunteer work to Headstart. Great leadership is knowing how to identify, without anyone having to tell you, where your people need the most help, guidance or growth. It takes dedication to others, and the ability to include everyone, and open your mind enough to at least try to understand someone else's point of view or hardship.Reylene's personal hobbies are travelling to Indian Relay races, beading and sewing.

Stephanie is a member of the Quinault Indian Nation. Her parents are Stephen and Karen Frank. She has worked for the Quinault Indian Nation for almost 11 years, starting in finance then moved onto grants and contracts, construction management, and currently works for the education program. She is a elementary specialist at pacific beach elementary. Being a great leader is not standing in front of your team and telling them to do this or that. A great leader is someone that encourages, listens, and is right there along their team or peers helping and supporting each other. Leaders put in just as much or even more then the others and leads by example. Their are honest and truthful in the things they say to others. She understands that she need to show up, learn from het mistakes and talk about them and to keep going no matter what. She has several volunteer projects and truly enjoys working with kids and education has been a fun and challenging position.

Stephanie is a mother to 3 wonderful boys. She enjoys reading, surfing, outdoor adventures, volleyball, and agate hunting on our beautiful beaches."

Tanya is a citizen of Quinault Indian Nation and a Yurok descendant. Her parents are Roxanne Eison (Bighead / Quinault) and Jared Eison (Quinault). Her grandparents are Marlene James (Quinault), Charlie Bighead (Yurok), Richard Obi (Quinault), and Laurel Hedin (Eison).

Protecting the environment is her passion. She grew up on the coast of Washington state and her parents always had us out in the woods, camping, on the water, or at the beach. They taught her how to fish, forage for mushrooms, hunt, and make sure that you're leaving the environment better than you found it. Her love for ""just being in the woods"" increased as she got older and it has carried over from her personal life to my professional one. She majored in Environment Studies during undergrad and worked for her tribe's environmental protection department during that time. Tanya attended the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs at the University of Washington. Her research focused on finding the needs and inequities of tribes across Washington within the Floodplains by Design program. The program is adjusting some of the grant processes and scoring because of this work to make it more inclusive for tribes to apply for funding. This the kind of work that she hopes to continue throughout her career. Great leadership often means that you may put others before yourself though and I believe that great leaders also know when they need to take a step back, recharge, and then jump back in when they can provide their full effort to a situation.

In her freetime she hikes, enjoys camping, sitting in parks, and foraging for various foods. She plays PokemonGo frequently and enjoy traveling around to different areas to play it. When she is inside, she loves reading, cooking, and cuddling up with her pup on the couch to watch cheesy Romcoms."

Tracy is Osage and Filipino. She was raised by her grandmother Mary Hope Cannon, and father Donald Myers. She was born on the island of Oahu in Hawaii and am very culturally Hawaiian embracing living Aloha and Ohana as core values. Her career began in the world of social work. Through non-profit, government, and education, she has worked to address the social ills of America through serving communities experiencing homelessness, poverty, abuse, mental illness, and chemical dependency for over 15 years. Her accomplishments include leading transformative racial equity workshops for adults and youth, developing innovative programming to increase academic participation for students experiencing homelessness, creation of a regional network of supports for students in foster care, developing a culturally relevant curriculum, and coaching school leaders in developing anti-racist schools. She feels that a great leader listens to the people, collaborates with them, and provides the supports to uplift their power and gifts to accomplish their goals. A great leader models advocacy, speaking truth to power, and integrity. They assume they do not know all the answers and are able to bring the people most impacted around the table to collectively build the answers and solutions. A great leaders is both humble and brave. A great leader is an advocate for social and racial justice. Tracy is a mother of 3 children, sister, friend, and story seeker.

Vanessa is a citizen of the Quinault Nation. She has lived in Queets, Washington her entire life and is a head teacher at the Queets Headstart. She is currently in school, working on a Bachelors Degree in Elementary School K-8 Teaching. One of her biggest dreams since she was a little girl was to teach at her home Elementary School. When she was in school they taught culture, and real life programs that helped our people learn about our land. Somewhere along they way they stopped those teachings, she wants to bring it back. She was sworn in to the School Board in September 2022. Vanessa has been married for 15 years, and we have 8 beautiful children together.Her oldest son is diagnosed with Autism. Herr family made some adjustments to making him more comfortable in their home and in their community. Great leadership to Vanessa is someone who isn't afraid to stand up for their community and others. She loves to travel with her children, and learning new things.

Veronica is Navajo and works for the Quinault Nation Headstart program in Queets. She grew up in Southeastern Utah. A leader is someone you look up to and that balances the team. Veronica has three children and is raising them with Navajo and Quinault culture.