Source: Peninsula Daily News
Fawn Sharp, president of the Quinault Nation, has been re-elected president of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians.
Sharp was re-elected by acclamation Wednesday to a second term during the annual convention of the affiliated tribes, according to Steve Robinson, Quinault spokesman.
The convention is being hosted this week by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation near Pendleton, Ore.
“It is a great honor to have the opportunity to continue serving Northwest tribes in this capacity,” Sharp said.
“Our region carries a legacy of strong leadership and represents an amazing diversity of issues.”
Sharp said her top priority would be “to continue to unify, strengthen and amplify the Northwest voice” on issues involving the rights and resources of the tribes.
The Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians is composed of 57 tribes in the Pacific Northwest.
Representatives determine regional policy priorities and direction during three yearly meetings.
The executive board serves as the board of directors for the organization, which was chartered as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization 61 years ago.
Its goals and objectives are to promote tribal sovereignty and serve the common interests of its member tribes in a wide variety of areas, ranging from health and education to natural resource management and sustainable economic development.
In her role with the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, Sharp also serves as area vice president of the National Congress of American Indians, the largest intertribal organization in the country.
She is serving her third term as Quinault president.
Sharp received a Juris Doctor from the University of Washington school of law and holds an advanced certificate in international human rights law from Oxford University.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Gonzaga University in Spokane.