Celebrating
Native American leaders throughout washington & Oregon

We celebrate the incredible contributions of Native leaders across Washington and Oregon who are making a profound impact in nonprofits, philanthropy, and government. From driving change in communities to shaping policy and creating pathways for equity, their leadership embodies resilience, cultural strength, and a commitment to a brighter future. Let’s continue to honor and amplify Native voices every day.

  • Debra Lekanoff (Tlingit)

    Washington State Representative, 40th District.
    Find out more by clicking here.

  • Chris Stearns (Navajo)

    Washington State Representative, 47th District
    Find out more by clicking here.

  • Claudia Kauffman (Nez Perce)

    Washington State Senator, 47th District
    Find out more by clicking here.

  • Annessa Hartman (Haudenosaunee)

    State Representative, House District 40 (Oregon City)
    Find out more by clicking here.

  • Tawna Sanchez (Shoshone-Bannock, Ute and Carrizo)

    State Representative, House District 43 (N/NE Portland).
    Find out more about by clicking here.

  • Maggie McCarty Sanders (Makah)

    Port of Olympia (WA) Commissioner, District 4.
    Find out more about by clicking here.

  • Bob Iyall (Nisqually)

    Port of Olympia (WA) Commissioner, District 2
    Find out more by clicking here.

  • Lona Wilbur (Swinomish)

    Washington State Electoral College Member
    Find out more by clicking here.

  • Patricia Whitefoot (Yakama)

    Washington State Electoral College Member
    Find out more by clicking here.

  • Oscar Arana (Chichimeca)

    CEO of Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA) in Oregon
    Find out more by clicking here.

  • William Miller (Blackfeet and Cherokee)

    Government Affairs Manager at NAYA and Executive Director of NAYA Action Fund
    Find out more by clicking here.

  • Natalyn Begay (Navajo Nation)

    Health Equity Coordinator at NAYA and Policy Mode lead for Future Generations Collaborative
    Find out more by clicking here.

  • Kelly Gonzalez (Cherokee Nation)

    Executive Director of Indigenous Health Equity Institute
    Find out more by clicking here.

  • Chairman Leonard Forsman (Suquamish Tribe)

    Suquamish Tribal Chairman
    Find out more by clicking here.

  • James Alan Parker (Chippewa Cree Tribal Nation)

    Executive Director of the Northwest Native Chamber
    Find out more by clicking here.

  • Amber Schulz-Oliver (Celilo, Yakama Descendant)

    Executive Director of Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI)
    Find out more by clicking here.

  • Nichole June Maher (Alaskan Native)

    President and CEO of Inatai Foundation
    Find out more by clicking here.

  • Se-ah-dom Edmo (Shoshone-Bannock, Nez Perce, and Yakama)

    Executive Director of Seeding Justice
    Find out more by clicking here.

  • Matt Morton (Squaxin Island Tribe)

    President of the Community Foundation Southwest Washington
    Find out more by clicking here.

  • Greg Masten (Yurok, Hupa, Karuk Descendant)

    President of the National Congress of American Indians Foundation
    Find out more by clicking here.

  • Dawn Knickerbocker (Anishinaabe, White Earth Nation)

    Vice President of Philanthropic Strategies at the National Congress of American Indians Foundation
    Find out more by clicking here.

  • Iris Friday (Tlingit)

    Co-Founder of Native Action Network
    Find out more by clicking here.

  • Aja DeCoteau (Yakama Nation)

    Executive Director of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission in Portland, Oregon.
    Find out more by clicking here.