Joanna F. Marek
Joanna was born in Seattle, WA, and is one of nine children born to the late
Helen M. Weaskus who was born and raised in Lapwai, ID. Her maternal
grandparents are the late Agnes Corbett and Phillip Weaskus.
At age 10 she and her family moved to White Swan, WA, where Joanna graduated
from White Swan High School in 1973. She was active in high school sports
receiving several letters and went to State Districts taking third throwing the
javelin. After graduation Joanna work for the White Swan School district under
the Johnson O’Mallay (JOM) as teacher aide for grades K-2. She grew up in a
farming family. She holds a Degree in Early Childhood Development with an
emphasis working with disabled children. She moved home to Ni mii puu county in
1979 where she began her 25 years of service with the Ni mii puu tribe in
various fields: flagging for road construction, night security, Fisheries,
Forestry, Head Start, and finally in the Natural Resource Administration. Her
brother, Larry D. Marek sat on the Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee from
1984 - 1987 as Treasurer. Joanna's committee involvement consists of the
following:
- Nez Perce Tribes’ Housing Board
- Nuclear Waste Inter-disciplinary Team
- Tribal Employment Rights Committee (TERO)
- Farm Service Committee for Nez Perce County
- Human Resource Manual Revision Committee
- Individual Landowner/Allottee group
Her life and work experiences have made her a strong advocate toward
protecting individual and tribal land rights, also while holding a seat on the
TERO Committee has strengthened her knowledge of tribal laws, at a national,
government-to-government and state level. Other strengths she holds are the
protection of Nez Perce treaty rights, protection of traditional Ni mii puu
foods and medicinal plants, natural resources, and education and health for the
Ni mii puu people.
|
