Team

Laura John (Blackfeet and Seneca) brings a deep commitment to relational justice, tribal sovereignty, and systems transformation. She joins Native Governance Center with extensive experience in tribal relations, community engagement, and public service.

Laura most recently led her own consulting practice, Many Victories Consulting, where she supported organizations and institutions to co-create meaningful systems rooted in Indigenous principles and culturally-specific engagement. Her consulting work has spanned strategic thought partnership, qualitative research, facilitation, cultural translation, and leadership development. Previously, she served as the City of Portland’s first-ever Tribal Relations Director, where she helped build the program framework and cultivated relationships between the city and tribal governments. Her career also includes roles in behavioral health, education, policy advocacy, and program evaluation.

Laura is a proud graduate of Haskell Indian Nations University. She earned a BA in Psychology and Social Sciences from Portland State University and graduate degrees from Washington State University and University of Montana. Her lived experience growing up in both tribal and urban communities continues to shape her approach—grounded in humility, humor, and a belief that Indigenous ways of knowing offer powerful paths forward for all people.

In her free time, Laura enjoys beading, sewing, visiting with family, and traveling. She is the mother of two adult children and resides on her traditional Pikunii homelands in Northern Montana.