Board of Trustees
Northwest Indian College is a Tribally controlled college chartered by the Lummi Nation. A seven-member Board of Trustees governs Northwest Indian College. All trustees apply to and are appointed by the Lummi Indian Business Council.
Chair, Kristin Kinley, Chetopia, Lummi
Ms. Kinley is the Office Manager for the Lummi Education Division. Ms. Kinley has worked for the Lummi Indian Business Council for the past 25 years. Her past administrative and finance experience for the Lummi Indian Business Council (LIBC) includes working for the General Manager’s Office, the Finance Division, Health Care, and the Education Division. She currently serves on the Lummi Health and Family Commission and the Budget and Finance Committee for the Lummi Nation. Ms. Kinley holds an Associate of Technical Arts Degree in Business Management from Northwest Indian College and continues with her studies at Western Washington University.
Secretary, Jana Finkbonner, Lummi
Ms. Finkbonner is the Director of the North InterTribal Vocational Rehabilitation Program, an agency that serves six Tribes. Past positions held include: Assistant Director for Family Services; Employment and Training Center Director; and various student services positions at NWIC. She has a BA in Human Services from Western Washington University and an AAS Transfer Degree from Northwest Indian College.
Vice Chair, Larry Campbell, Swinomish
Larry is the Tribal Historical Preservation Officer for the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community in the Cultural Resource Office. This work entails being involved in the regulatory aspects of cultural and archaeological resources in the usual and accustomed areas of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community. Other duties and job descriptions include: Intergovernmental Relations/Cultural Resource Planner in the Office of Community Planning and Economic Development. He has been involved for over 30 years in Swinomish Indian Tribal Community governmental committees, intergovernmental affairs, public relations, community development, spiritual traditions and cultural activities. For the past 25 years, the greater part of Larry’s work has involved the interrelationships between Tribal, local, regional, national, and international governmental programs. He has presented numerous times on inter-governmental relations, cultural, spiritual, and historical issues. He holds a BA in Liberal Arts from Western Washington University.
Laurel Ballew, Swinomish
Ses Yehomia and tsi kats but soot, Laural Ballew is a member of the Swinomish Tribe and Executive Director of American Indian/Alaska Native First Nation Relations and Tribal Liaison to the President at Western Washington University. Previous to Western she was the Department Chair for Tribal Governance and Business Management at Northwest Indian College. She holds an AAS degree in Business Management from Northwest Indian College, BA degree in American Cultural Studies from Western Washington University, MPA – Tribal Governance from Evergreen State College and is currently working on a PhD in Indigenous Development and Advancement with Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi.
Barbara Juarez, Lummi
Ms. Juarez serves as the Executive Director for the Northwest Washington Indian Health Board. A citizen of the Lummi Nation, mother of three, grandmother and great-grandmother. Barbara has spent her entire career working with and for the purpose of improving the lives of Native Americans. She is the co-chair of the Northwest Indian College Institutional Review Board. She is an active member of the Whatcom County Public Health Advisory Board as well as the Mt. Baker Foundation. She holds a BA in Medical Management from the University of Washington.
Rayanne Morris, Lummi
Ms. Morris works (May 1999 – current) for the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC). She has dedicated most of her life working in Indian Country. In alignment with her passion for Indigenous rights, Ms. Morris’ formal education embodies the importance and respect of tribal culture, traditions, and history. She was the first graduate of the Bachelor of Arts Native Studies Leadership degree at the NWIC. She went on to obtain a Master of Jurisprudence in Indian Law degree from the University of Tulsa College of Law. Ms. Morris served as the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Lummi Law & Justice Commission (June 2014 – August 2016). She is currently serving as the Vice-Chairman of the Lummi Commercial Company Board of Directors (May 2018 – current).
LIBC Representative, Kathy Pierre, Lummi
Kathy Pierre is an elected official for Lummi Indian Business Council and serves as the Treasurer. Prior to serving on tribal council Kathy has worked for Lummi Nation in a multitude of areas in workforce and community development that includes grant management since 2001. Her focus areas consist of poverty reduction and job creation. Kathy graduated with honors from Northwest Indian College with an Associates of Arts and Science Degree in 2000, received a Bachelor of Arts and Science degree in American Cultural Studies in 2001 from Western Washington University and is a graduate candidate for a Master of Public and Tribal Administration from Evergreen State College. Kathy resides on the Lummi reservation in Bellingham Washington and is a proud mother of two beautiful children.