photos by Mel Ponder for Native Action Network
2021-2022 Legacy of Leadership Cohort
Shannel Squally Janzen
Shannel is a citizen of the Puyallup Tribe. Shannel earned her Masters in Social Work from UW in 2015. She is currently the Permanency Worker for Children’s Services at the Puyallup Tribe of Indians. Shannel has been a foster parent and currently has guardianship of her son. She has personal experience working with the child welfare system and navigating mental health challenges with her child. She has always had a strong passion for helping families and trying to work through generational trauma. Shannel enjoys beading, hiking, spending time with her family, traveling, attending cultural events, speaking Twulshootseed, and learning new things.
Trisha Kautz
Trisha Kautz is a citizen of the Quinault Nation and grew up on her reservation in Taholah, WA. Trisha works for the Nisqually Tribe in the Workforce Development Program (TANF) and recently became a Case Manager for the program. During the fall she gillnet fishes with her husband and mom on the Chehalis River. She enjoys camping, traveling or spending time at home with family.
Jennifer Keating Jolibois
Jennifer is an enrolled member of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians and a Land Use Planner and Assistant Tribal Historic Preservation Officer. She has worked for her tribe for 14 years and and has served on multiple committees and commissions including the Planning Commission, Census Complete Count Committee, Judicial Committee, Chair of the Sustainability Group and serves as the Peninsula School District Native American Education Parent Representative. Jennifer enjoys advocating for tribal representation and natural and cultural resource protection for a better future for both Native and non-Native communities.
Desiree Markishtum
Desiree is a citizen of the Quinault Nation. She is the youngest of nine siblings. She is a qualified Firefighter, trained in both structure fire and wildland firefighting. She is a freshman at CSU studying Fire Science. She served on the Quinault Incident Command Team working to protect the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pah-tu Pitt
Pah-tu Pitt G. (Warm Springs/Wasco) holds Environmental Graduate and undergraduate degrees, believes strongly in climate resiliency efforts, sustainable economic development, and culturally relevant education opportunities. She has extensive background and experience in Environmental Science, small business, policy, management, and community engagement. Their work experiences include nonprofit, governmental, and business sectors. Her small business, Native Kut, includes creating art, consulting, and an artist guesthouse with a Native arts theme.
Natosha Rosado
Natosha is a citizen of the Nisqually Indian Tribe, she grew up on the Quinault Indian Reservation. In 2006 she earned a Bachelors in Arts from Evergreen and in 2010 a Master’s in Public Administration. She was employed by the Quinault Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program from 1999-2006. She is employed by Nisqually Tribe, she has worked in the Education Department, Housing, and social services. She enjoys sports and spending time with her family.
Ataira Russell
Ataira, aka Tina, is of Aleut decent. She earned a GED from United Indians of all tribes in Seattle. Tina is a Medical Assistant. I am a MMIW family member, and this tragedy shaped my future to becoming an advocate for the Missing and Murdered people.
Pamela Vaughn
Pam is Diné and Cowichan. She is the Human Resource Manager at Chief Seattle Club, serving 5 years at the organization. Working from the bottom up, as the Front Desk Coordinator in 2016, then on to the Executive Director’s Assistant in 2017 and Human Resource Manager in 2018. Pam is on the Leadership Team, a collection of senior managers that help influence and make changes in the organization. In December of 2019, Pam was awarded the Director’s Award for showing the most leadership in the organization. In the same year, she was asked to serve as member of the Cedar Rising Coalition, an organized group of community members who advocates for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.
Pam values a strong work ethic, loyalty, and self-development, all of which is applied to her experience inside and out of the organization. Wife to Keenan Vaughn and mom of a toddler, two dogs and a cat. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, entertaining family and friends, camping, hiking and playing with her dogs.
Emma Jo Velador
Emma Jo is a citizen of the Quinault Nation, her maternal grandmother was a member of the Squaxin Island Tribe. Her father was born in Zacatecas, Mexico, where his parents still reside. She has strong Indigenous ties, not just to the United States, but in Mexico as well.
Emma Jo graduated from Grays Harbor College in 2010, with an Associate degree in Business Management. , She worked for her tribe as a Child Support Court Liaison and a Court Clerk. She worked as a Legal Secretary for our Superior Court House in Grays Harbor Court. Currently she is a Paralegal for the Nisqually Indian Tribe.
She has four amazing children and wants to work to end violence against indigenous women.
Leesa Wright
Leesa is enrolled in the Puyallup Tribe. She worked for her tribe for over 28 years. Leesa has served the community as a Chief Leschi School Board Member, as Chairwoman of the Election Board, Vice-Chair Housing Board, Vice-Chair Ethics Board, Chairwoman Fireworks Commission, a Gaming Commissioner, Vice-Chair Planning Commissioner, Repatriation Committee Member, Vice-Chair Youth Committee, Certified Boys/Girls Talking Circle facilitator, and North West Indian College Foundation Board Member-at-Large. Currently she is a Payment/Data Specialist.
Leesa’s Puyallup name is Sa-Lee. She enjoys spending time in the mountains, in the sweat lodge, and speaking her language. She is mother to two beautiful children Marquise and Monae.
Arlin Yazzie
Arlin is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. She is Tobacco Red Running into the Water, born for the Salt People clan. Her maternal grandfather is Chiricahua Apace, and her paternal grandfather is Red House. She is the American Indian Graduate Center’s Rising Native Graduate Program Manager, where she facilitates a mentoring program that supports American Indian and Alaska Native students in their pursuit of a graduate or professional school education while supporting their cultural identity and values.
Arlin attained her Bachelor of Arts degree from Fort Lewis College. She has over ten years of experience working in nonprofits. It is through nonprofits that her passion for creating accessible college opportunities for students began. Arlin has spent her career creating programs that break down the college-going process into small achievable steps for all students. She also founded the College Access Auntie, a virtual resource to help connect and support Diné students with college access tips, resources, and advice.