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Chris Leno, Public Affairs Director Siobhan Taylor, Tribal Attorney Rob Greene, Tribal Council Senior Administrative Assistant Lauri Smith and Tribal Council member Kathleen Tom, who all stood and created the University of Oregon "O" sign with their hands as he received the award. "Honestly, I never thought that I would be doing this," Mercier said in his acceptance speech. "I never thought that I would get into politics, much less Tribal politics. I did not know that I would serve three terms …

. “I got to work with some amazing folks on issues I adored, but now I get to expand that.” Thompson earned her bachelor’s degree from Oregon State University in fisheries and wildlife science, but realized late into her major choice that she preferred the human aspect of natural resources. “But at that point, being so far down that path, I wasn’t going to start over,” Thompson says. After taking a year off from school post-graduation, she headed back to Oregon State and earned her master’s …

of Urban Indians in Lebanon in 1972 and from there the seeds of Grand Ronde Tribal Restoration grew. Provost was a housewife and mother, and was working for metal processing company Teledyne Wah Chang in Albany when her supervisor asked her why the Grand Ronde Tribe wasn’t trying to get restored in the wake of the Menominee Tribe’s restoration. “I said, “I don’t know. Who would do it?’ and he said, ‘What about you?’ ” Provost recalled in a video filmed for the Tribe’s 25 th Restoration in 2008 …

of Transportation Director Matt Garrett. “It felt really cool to put my pickup on this road today,” Mercier said to chuckles from the audience. “This is pretty personal for me, and not just because I attend night classes in Portland twice a week. I got involved with the bypass committee when I was 29 years old and six months into my council career, and knew very little about local governments or transportation issues. I’m now 42. Being a part of this whole project and process has been a learning …

by Tribal Council in November. Spirit Mountain Casino Marketing Director Shawna Ridgebear said the new north entrance is a new beginning for Spirit Mountain that is energizing employees. In all, the extensive remodeling will affect about 82,000 square feet of the casino and better position Spirit Mountain to compete with potential new gaming competition in 2017. “I’ve got volcano lava running through my veins right now,” Ridgebear said. “The north entrance truly does represent Spirit Mountain …

Celebration held at Spirit Mountain Casino in November. “Cheryle (Kennedy) and I talked about it on several occasions,” Bobb said. “At the time I kind of filed it away as a ‘future project,’ but now that they have all walked on I thought, ‘Why don’t we do a sculpture of them?’ I thought it would be nice to have their kids stand in for their parents.” Provost and Kimsey walked on in 2018 and Holmes walked on in 2004. The life-sized bronze statue of the three Restoration leaders will take …

the opportunity to also become certified as a chemical dependency counselor through a program offered by the state of Oregon. As a bilingual speaker, his services were in demand. “New Step Behavioral Health hired me as a full-time counselor because the state had a need for multicultural counselors,” he said. After more than two years of on-the-job training and classes, Gutierrez earned his degree. “After that I started working more and getting focused on providing services,” Gutierrez said. He …

line at a vaccination clinic when he noticed a man wearing a Farmers Insurance shirt. Lawrence, who was in the process of becoming an agent, started chatting with him and learned he was planning to sell his business. “I was working with the Eugene district and had planned to buy a location in Albany, but the owner kept dragging his feet,” Lawrence said. “So, I was really excited to learn there was one in Salem because I live there. It was a thumbs up all around.” Lawrence officially took over …

Signals editor Tribal Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Brandy Bishop has been honored with the Oregon Tribal Emergency Management’s Professional of the Year award for the second time since 2023. “The Tribal Emergency Management Professional of the Year award is such an honor to receive,” Bishop said. “I never thought I would get the first one and to be nominated once again for a second time…is remarkable and so humbling. I work with all nine of the Oregon Tribes as well as many state, federal …

Culture Tribal member Torey Wakeland heading to Montana to study wildlife biology 07.29.2011 Michelle Alaimo People , Tribal employees , Natural resources By Peter Nelson Summer Youth Program employee Tribal member Torey Wakeland, 25, will soon be heading to the University of Montana in mid-August to study wildlife biology with a terrestrial focus. Wakeland, who grew up mostly in Salem, has had interest in wildlife for some time. "I have always had a passion for the outdoors," Wakeland said …