Suhunep – Troy Olsen is a Lummi Nation community member, traditional leader, and co-founder of Whiteswan Environmental. He walked alongside the development of Whatcom Intergenerational High School through its two-year charter authorization process, supporting a vision to balance Indigenous and Western ways of knowing. His leadership is grounded in cultural teachings, reef-net fishing traditions, and the restoration of Indigenous governance and lifeways. He shares his experience to highlight both the opportunities and challenges of advancing Indigenous leadership within state education systems.
