Fawn Sharp

Fawn Sharp served as president of the National Congress of American Indians from 2019 to 2023 and as president of both the Quinault Indian Nation and of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians. In 2021 Sharp became the first tribal leader issued diplomatic credentials.

Sharp was born in Aberdeen, Washington, on May 20, 1970. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice from Gonzaga University in 1990. In 1995 she received her juris doctorate from the University of Washington School of Law. She has certificates from the National Judicial College at the University of Nevada and from the International Human Rights Law at Oxford University.

Sharp worked for the Central Intelligence Agency’s office of national security after her graduation in 1990. From 2002 to 2005 she served on the Board of Governors for the Washington State Bar Association. She was appointed as a chair of the National Commission on Indian Trust Administration and Reform in 2011. From 2006 to 2021 Sharp served as the president of the Quinault Indian Nation of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians.

Sources:
Brennan, N (2021, November 9). “Washington’s Fawn Sharp becomes first Tribal leader to receive diplomatic credentials” The News Tribune. Retrieved April 29, 2022. https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/state/washington/article255653356.html

Haviland, D. (2021, March 29). “Guy Capoeman is new Quinault Nation president” The Daily World. Retrieved April 29, 2022. https://www.thedailyworld.com/northwest/guy-capoeman-is-new-quinault-nation-president/.

Hughes, J. C. (n.d.). “Fawn Sharp The Voice of the Quinaults” Washington Secretary of State's Office. Retrieved April 29, 2022. https://www.sos.wa.gov/_assets/legacy/aotc/fawn-sharp.pdf.

National Congress of American Indians (n.d.). “President Fawn Sharp” National Congress of American Indians. Retrieved April 29, 2022. https://www.ncai.org/about-ncai/ncai-leadership/ncai-president .

U.S. Department of the Interior (n.d.). “Bios - Commission on Indian Trust Administration and Reform” U.S. Department of the Interior. Retrieved April 29, 2022, https://www.doi.gov/cobell/Commission-Bios.

Washington State Bar Association (n.d.) “Fawn R. Sharp” Washington State Bar Association. Retrieved April 29, 2022. https://www.mywsba.org/PersonifyEbusiness/LegalDirectory/LegalProfile.aspx?Usr_ID=000000025739.