By Kalvin Valdillez, Tulalip News
It’s official! On the evening of July 21, a historic moment took place inside the board room of the Marysville School District (MSD) headquarters. In an intimate setting, surrounded by her family, friends, and a handful of her biggest supporters, Tulalip tribal member, Malory Simpson, took an oath to serve on the MSD Board of Directors until the end of the current term.
Taking up the duties and responsibilities of the District 1 seat, Malory joins the team in an interim position, filling the spot of Connor Krebbs who resigned from the position at the beginning of the summer season. After Connor’s resignation, Malory was voted in by the MSD Board, who all welcomed her with much enthusiasm and each shared that they are excited for her insight and the experience that she brings to the table.
Since the news was announced mid-June, Malory has seen an abundance of support and congratulatory wishes from the Tulalip community. Immediately after she solemnly swore to uphold the U.S. and state laws, as well as fulfill all the duties of the MSD District 1 seat, Tulalip News posted pictures of the ceremony to their Facebook page. Throughout the following days, an outpouring of love flooded the comment section.
When asked how it feels to see so many people rallying behind her, Malory expressed, “It means everything to me. Who are we without our families, our friends, and the communities that shape us? These are the people who guide, challenge, and nurture us—whether through joy or adversity, each experience becomes a powerful lesson.”
For those who are just getting to know Malory, she has dedicated both her career and personal time to uplifting Tulalip and its surrounding communities. For the better half of the past decade, Malory found a passion in serving her people and bringing the communities closer together. She is the founder of the local nonprofit organization, Together We’re Better, which hosts fan favorite and family friendly events such as monthly potlucks, the Easter Bunny Run, and the annual Trunk or Treat gathering.
Malory also comes from a long line of educators, and before taking on bigger roles within the Tribe’s government, she was once a student advocate at Quil Ceda Tulalip Elementary. Currently, Malory is the Director of both the Tulalip Child’s Advocacy Center and the Legacy of Healing. Perhaps one of the biggest highlights for Malory was celebrating this achievement with her grandma in the crowd, as well as her daughters, Shylah and Elyssa, who are both following in her footsteps and are highly active within the Tribe’s community gatherings and cultural circle. And we’d be remiss to mention that Elyssa also recently accepted a teaching position at Quil Ceda Tulalip.
Said Malory, “One of the greatest honors of this moment was having my Grandma, Dawn Simpson, by my side. She’s been a cornerstone of the education team in both Tulalip and the Marysville School District, offering wisdom, leadership, and heart. In fact, both of my grandmothers devoted their lives to education: Betty Taylor served for 35 years, and Grandma Dawn continues to uplift and empower students as the Manager of the Tulalip Homework Support Program.”
The reason that this is such a historic moment is the fact that Malory joins fellow Tribal member, Eliza Davis, on the School District’s BOD, amplifying that Tulalip voice and representation.
Eliza, who has held her position since 2023, shared, “I want to welcome Miss Mal. It’s exciting and historical that we have two Tulalip women on the school board at the same time. That’s something that’s never happened before. I am thankful you’re here and super proud of you for stepping up and putting yourself out there, because I know it’s not easy. I’m looking forward to serving with you.”
Malory added, “It’s vital to have Tulalip representation, not only to support our students and community, but to show that anything is possible when we uplift one another. Our presence sends a message: we stand together, and we show up for each other. Sitting beside Eliza today feels truly special. Not long ago, we shared an office at Quil Ceda Elementary, she served as the Native liaison, and I was the school advocate for our Tribe. Now, we’ve come full circle, united once again in service to our people. It’s a reminder of how far we’ve come and the strength we carry when we move forward together.”
Following the moving swearing-in ceremony, Malory took her seat on the podium with her constituents and locked in. While she listened to presentations regarding budgets and beautification projects, her brand-new name plaque shined almost as bright as her smile and the pride that her loved ones showed at her first board meeting.
“I’m eager to embrace growth and tackle new challenges,” stated Malory. “Stagnation isn’t in my nature—I thrive on progress and forward momentum. My goal is to join a team committed to driving meaningful change and working collaboratively for the betterment of the district. After being sworn-in, it was straight to business—our meeting kicked off and we hit the ground running. The energy was good, the conversations were meaningful, and it felt right. I’m genuinely excited to be part of this team.”
As this is an interim position, Malory is still on the campaign trail and her name will be on the ballot this coming fall. To learn more, be sure to visit her website, www.electmalorysimpson.com.