Tleena carries the ancestral names of Kwewatanat and HaʔhaʔMu and is an enrolled member of the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe. She worked for her people as the Together for Children Project Manager and now serves many tribes in Washington State as the Tribal Liaison for the Department of Early Learning. She has diverse work experience, serving in education, health, fitness and cultural instruction. She has also spent time working within her tribe in the fields of curriculum development, tribal law, social work and parent advocacy. Tleena is the author of taʔt̕ə́wəsnaʔ, “Star” a S'Klallam children’s book expressing the wishes and dreams for our children through an environmental health perspective.
In her spare time, she trains for Ironman Triathlons, works part-time for the Seahawks, and finds joy in witnessing her four children grow into the dreamers and leaders of her tribe’s future.
Tleena Ives earned her bachelor’s degree in Indigenous Education from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA. She is also a recipient of the 2016 “Woman of Achievement” award from the YWCA Kitsap County.