Enduring Spirit Honorees 2024

Norine Hill | Oneida Nation of the Thames

Norine Hill, CEO and Founder of Native Women In Need is from the Oneida Nation of the Thames bear clan. She has two sons and a daughter. Norine carries 30 years of Executive Management experience building cultural healing programs, creating non-profits, networking and collaborating with Tribal entities.  Her twenty five years in grant management with local, state and federal level, and private foundations managed up to 15 million in Tribal/First Nation services over the years. Norine served on the Education Board and Council of her Nation. 

Norine is a survivor of multi-abuse trauma, former unsheltered relative and in recovery from drugs and alcohol for 19 years.  Her strong leadership and compassion for Native women and families has created one of the leading native women’s cultural healing organizations in the Pacific Northwest.  

Norine Hill founded Native Women in Need in 2012, a vision to support the success of Native Sisters by way of advocacy, healing and mentorship through Sisterhood during times of crisis. The organization healed with its women and became Mother Nation in 2017 growing into one of the leading Native women’s cultural healing grassroots organizations in the Pacific Northwest. Mother Nation has over 30 Native American staff with the Yeha:wi Service Center, Waatunwan Street Outreach Team, Cultural Response Team and MMIR family advocacy all front-line responders serving Statewide. The original founding board members continue to guide the mission and carry the legacy of our Elders.