2017 Honorees

Congratulations to our 2017 Enduring Spirit Award honorees Laverne Lane (Lummi), Theresa Sheldon (Tulalip), LaVerne Wise (Tlingit), and Gail T. Morris (NaaChahNulth).

Laverne Lane, Lummi

Laverne Lane (Lummi) is currently the Executive Director for the YWCA of Bellingham with a long history of empowering women and girls with meaningful and relevant services including housing for those in need of support. Laverne’s dedication is an inspiration to the women who are seeking a safe place to live, to find a job, and become self-sufficient. She has served as Director of the Lummi Nation Department of Education supervising and managing Early Childhood programs, including Head Start and Day Care, Johnson O’Malley, and Lummi Nation School. She previously served as Vice Chairperson of the Lummi Indian Business Council. Laverne has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Humanities from Seattle University.

Theresa Sheldon, Tulalip

Theresa Sheldon (Tulalip) is currently serving her second term on the Tulalip Board of Directors where she recently was elected as Secretary. She also was elected as 2nd Vice President of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI) and serves as President of Quil Ceda Village. Theresa is the Co-Chair for both Native Vote Washington and ATNI’s Native Vote Committee. Councilwoman Sheldon is an active member of a Tulalip Canoe Family, a volunteer coach for the First Nations Snowboard Team, and she enjoys spending time with her family and relatives at cultural events. Theresa holds a B.A. in Law and Diversity from Western Washington University.

LaVerne Wise, Tlingit

LaVerne Wise (Tlingit) currently works as the Community and Board Liaison at the Seattle Indian Health Board (SIHB). She has worked at the Seattle Indian Health Board for thirty years in various capacities. LaVerne is an elected Delegate to the Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (CCTHITA) as a representative of the Seattle Community Council and Washington Chapter. LaVerne is also a member of the Enrollment Committee and an Executive Council trustees. LaVerne has served in a variety of leadership roles with the Seattle Community Council as President, Vice-President, and as committee chair. In 2003, the Seattle Community Council acknowledged LaVerne’s hard work, dedication and commitment to serve the at-large Alaskan Native/American Indian community by honoring her with the Elizabeth Peratrovich Award.

Gail T. Morris, NaaChahNulth

Gail T. Morris (NuuChahNulth) is currently the Program Manager for Seattle Public Schools Huchoosedah/Title VI Native Education Program. Ms. Morris is the first woman to hold this position and under her leadership, the program is thriving. Ms. Morris has a laser focus on academic achievement and manages her team to support Native learners in Seattle Public Schools. Additionally, she continuously advocates for the Native perspective to be included during decision making and planning at the district level. For the first time ever, Native students are not the lowest achieving ethnic group on Washington State mandated testing in Seattle. Native learners have moved up the academic achievement ladder an entire level. Furthermore, last year’s graduation rate for Native students with 506 forms not only beat the district average but the national one as well. Ms. Morris is rooted in her culture and has been a puller for canoe families for 15 years. She is a member of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht Canoe Family and was also a puller for the Muckleshoot Canoe Family.