Board of Trustees

Brenda Tuomi

Board Chair

Brenda Tuomi was raised in Marcola, Oregon and now lives in Grand Ronde. She went to the University of Oregon where she earned a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and a Bachelor’s degree in Family and Human Services. She is married to a Retired Army Combat veteran and has two daughters and four grandchildren.

Brenda worked at the University of Oregon for 18 years, and her last position there was as the Academic Advisor in the Office of Multicultural Academic Support, where she was blessed to serve self-identified students of color. As an actively involved member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, she is proud to serve another term on Tribal Council, building on the hard work of tribal ancestors to provide a brighter future for generations to come.

Brenda strongly believes in sharing, giving and improving the quality of life for others whenever possible. Thus, it brings her pure joy to join our Board of Trustees so that she can help support organizations that improve the health, education, and social needs of Oregonians. Her hobbies include sewing, hiking/walking, reading, and she has a great passion for traveling to other countries to experience their cultures. She enjoys watching sunsets and taking care of her cat, Kona.

Julie Fahey

Vice Chair

Julie Fahey represents House District 14 (West Eugene & Veneta) in the Oregon State Legislature. She was first elected to the House in 2016 and was elected by her colleagues to serve as Speaker of the House in 2024. Prior to being elected Speaker, she served as House Majority Leader for two years.

In her time in the legislature, Speaker Fahey has focused on housing affordability as Chair of the Housing Committee. She played a significant role in crafting and passing legislation to address the homelessness and housing affordability crisis in Oregon, including 2023's Affordable Housing and Emergency Homelessness Response Package. While this work is ongoing, policy priorities have included housing affordability, living wage jobs, worker protections, and improving education outcomes.

During her time as Majority Leader, she served as the Chair of the Rules Committee, focusing on elections, ethics, and democracy reforms. In that role she championed an expansion of Oregon’s automatic voter registration program and helped pass 2024’s historic campaign finance reform bill that placed limits on campaign contributions.

Outside of the legislature, Rep. Fahey has two decades of experience in the private sector as a business consultant and co-founder of a human resources consulting firm for businesses and non-profits. Through her work, she helps employers pay their employees fairly, build skilled workforces, and make their organizations great places to work. In her free time, she loves to hike, foster rescue dogs, and do the Sunday crossword puzzle.​​

Denise Harvey

Secretary/Treasurer

Denise Elvira Harvey was born in Castro Valley, California. She lived in the San Francisco Bay area from 1962 to 1976. In 1976, her mother decided to return to Oregon and she attended high school in Salem. Soon after graduation, she moved to Southern California, where she lived and raised four sons – Benjamin, Ryan, Sean and Jared. She also raised two stepchildren, Blair and Alex, with her husband, John Harvey. She worked in the Los Angeles County Emergency Department for 16 years as a health coordinator and attended Mount San Antonio College from 1999 to 2002. Her husband retired from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in 2001 and the family decided to relocate to Oregon. Harvey started working for the Tribe in 2002 in the Human Resources Department as the Mentorship and Workforce Development coordinator, a position she held until 2010. In 2004, she was appointed to the Grand Ronde Gaming Commission and, in 2005, was appointed as chair of the commission. She was elected to Tribal Council in 2013. “In my 11 years working for the Tribe, I have continually worked with Tribal members and their families. I look forward to the future and I am honored to be elected to Tribal Council.”

Kathleen George

Trustee

Kathleen George has spent her career helping tribal governments accomplish their goals and build their future. This work is the foundation to her deep commitment to ensuring that tribal leaders have a seat at the table when decisions are being made that affect tribal people and tribal resources. Prior to being elected to Tribal Council, Kathleen was the Director of Spirit Mountain Community Fund, the philanthropic arm of the Tribe. This position also provided opportunities to educate the world of philanthropy about the significant needs and tremendous opportunities in Indian Country today. Before working in philanthropy, she partnered with tribal communities throughout Oregon and Washington on efforts to restore healthy environments to protect tribal people and their resources. Kathleen’s consulting firm, Cedar Consulting, worked in natural resources policy and strategic planning.

Kathleen currently serves on the Spirit Mountain Gaming Incorporated Board of Directors and has served on a number of boards and committees.

Kathleen was awarded the “Columbia River Hero Award” by the Columbia River Toxics Reduction Working Group for her work to protect the health of tribal people who eat fish from Oregon rivers. She is also a graduate of Dominican University where she majored in Environmental Biology and studied Public Administration in Graduate School.

Maria Rojo de Steffey

Trustee

Maria Rojo de Steffey was born and raised with her nine siblings in a small-town farming community in Colorado.  As a young woman, Maria decided to attend college at the University of Oregon.  While there, her love for Oregon grew.  After graduating she made Oregon her home.  

Maria’s extensive experience includes two terms as a Multnomah County Commissioner where, among many initiatives, she originated and co-chaired the County’s Vital Aging Task Force, secured funding for the building the new Sauvie Island Bridge, secured the initial funding for the new Sellwood Bridge, led the process for the green roof on the Multnomah County Library in Portland and fought for funding for the Sexual Minority Youth Resource Center.

Seeing a need for stable and safe housing for families, Maria co-founded with Clara Padilla Andrews the Hacienda Community Development Corporation. 

 As a small business owner, Maria served as the President and Owner of ALMAR Contracting, LLC.  Her company was a state certified WBE/MBE business renovating and repairing multi-family housing apartment buildings.

With a lifelong commitment to public service, Maria Rojo de Steffey has followed her path towards economic security and social justice for a diverse community.

Martha Schrader

Trustee

Martha Schrader has served continuously as a Clackamas County Commissioner since January 2013. She previously served as a commissioner from 2003 to 2009 (and as Chair from 2005 to 2007). Martha represented Oregon’s 20th District as state senator from 2009 to 2011. Before entering office, Martha was an entomologist, a schoolteacher and a librarian. From 1982 until 2012, she owned and operated Three Rivers Farm in Canby, growing and selling local organic produce. She is the proud mother of five children and three grandchildren. In her free time, Martha enjoys kayaking on the Clackamas River and around Willamette Falls. Martha holds a bachelor’s degree from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University, a master's degree in entomology from the University of Illinois, and a master’s degree in education from Portland State University. She is also a fellow with the American Leadership Forum. Bringing together her love of fresh food, farms and home cooking, Martha has a cooking show on the Clackamas County Government Channel called Cooking with the Commissioner.

Victoria Ernst

Trustee

Victoria Ernst is a human rights attorney based in Yamhill County, Oregon. She teaches international law, works for the United Nations International Law Commission, and consults on human rights legislation. She also works for an international wine importer based in Oregon. She has previously worked for other United Nations bodies, including the Committee Against Torture, as well as for the European Union. She started her legal career in Montana, working in Tribal Court on Fort Belknap. She was raised in Newberg, Oregon, and is deeply involved in community service in Yamhill County. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Encompass Yamhill Valley, the City of McMinnville Budget Committee, and the Finance Committee for Yamhill Community Action Partnership.

Trevor Aaron

Trustee

Trevor Aaron has spent his life deeply rooted in the Pacific Northwest, with his family settling in Oregon in the late 1980s after moving between Washington, Alaska, and Oregon during his childhood. A graduate of Willamina High School, Trevor began his academic journey at Western Oregon University. During high school and college, he strengthened his connection with the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, gaining valuable career guidance, educational support, and employment opportunities. This period also deepened his understanding of his Native heritage and how his family embraced their cultural identity.

Trevor is a proud father of three daughters, who now live independently and shares his home with a spirited chihuahua-miniature pinscher mix. Reflecting fondly on his time participating in Tribal and veteran royalty activities with his daughters-two of whom served as veteran royalty Queens and one as a Tribal Royalty Queen-Trevor cherishes these moments as milestones in his family's connection to their community. In his personal time, he enjoys reading, watching movies, and spending time with family.

Professionally, Trevor embarked on his career in 1995 as an Information Technology Technician for Spirit Mountain Casino, owned by the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. This role marked the beginning of his journey in technology and leadership. His career trajectory included a swift transition to the Tribe's government offices, where he became the Information Technology Manager and served in that capacity for over a decade. In 2015, Trevor returned to Spirit Mountain Casino as the IT Manager and, in 2023, was promoted to Director of Information Technology. In this role, Trevor continues to find fulfillment in contributing to the success of his Tribe's businesses and broader community.

Trevor's expertise encompasses technology management, leadership, and business operations. With over 20 years of leadership experience, he holds a bachelor's degree in business and information systems, a master's degree in business administration, and several technical and business certifications, including project management. He is pursuing a master's degree in hospitality administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, through Harrah's College of Hospitality, to further his understanding of casino management and operations. His career has instilled in him a deep appreciation for hard work, critical thinking, innovation, and building for the future.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Trevor advocates for community and charitable initiatives. He actively supports causes such as Suicide Prevention and Awareness, Ending Alzheimer's, SMART Reading, and raising awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People. As a member of the executive team at Spirit Mountain Casino, he has secured a position on the Courtney Place Veterans Housing Board in Salem and the Spirit Mountain Community Fund to extend his commitment to meaningful change and service.

Trevor believes in the power of kindness and the importance of fostering unity in today's divided world. His leadership and advocacy reflect his dedication to building a better future for his Tribe and the broader community.