Council Members
Tracy Welch - Council President
Tracy Welch is the council president. She has been president since August 2017 and a board member since February 2017. Tracy is turtle mountain Chippewa. She graduated from Nortre Dame with a bachelor degree in German and political science, and Juris Doctorate in Law. She is a licensed attorney in the state of Oregon.
Brenda Norheim - Council Member
Brenda Norheim is of the Eagle Moiety, Tsaagwedi – Clan. She is married, mother of two, and grandmother (Yaya) of four. She is 3rd generation Petersburg family. This is her second term being seated on the Council and has held her current seat for 2-1/2 years. "I am proud and humbled to serve on the Council. I believe there are many great programs & opportunities available to Petersburg Indian Association & the native community as a whole. I believe it is the council’s duty and responsibility to learn about these programs & opportunities and bring them to the forefront for the benefit of Tribal Members, Alaska Natives & American Indians and as a council member to make the best decisions we (I) can for the betterment of Petersburg Indian Association & it's members as a whole."
Mary Ann Rainey
Mary Ann Rainy is of the clan Eagle/Sharks from the Thunderbird house. Her Tlingit name is Kalk'ech named after her grandmother. She has been a council member for eight years off and on. She is the liaison between the PIA members and the council. She reports what goes on at the PIA workplace meetings to the council. She has 6 children 18 grand children and 2 great grand children. She loves to work on crafts, especially ones that have to do with her native culture such as weaving and button blanket regalia.
Joe Stewart
Joe Stewart is a long-time Petersburg resident who joined the council in September. He has been President of ANB/ANS for over five years and a member for over eighteen years. He is very interested in the future of Petersburg Indian Association, the programs it is involved in, and the direction it will be going.Petersburg Indian Association, the programs it is involved in and the direction it will be going.
Heather Conn
Heather Conn was born and raised in Petersburg. She is Aleut but adopted Tlinigit in 1978 (Eagle Killerwhale). Heather loves to scrapbook, do arts and crafts, and be outdoors-- hiking, kayaking, boating, camping, etc. She is married and a mother of three children ranging from college to middle school age. Heather is owner of Inga's Galley, a seasonal restaurant. She loves to spend weeks in the summer commercial fishing with her husband and children. During the winter, she works for the Petersburg School District as a Special Education Teacher. She currently holds three Masters degrees in Elementary Education, Special Education, and Educational Leadership. Heather is currently in the process of deciding on a University to pursue her Ph.D. in Special Education which will start in Fall of 2019.
Cris Morrison
Cris Morrison has been a council member for a little over a year. She is Tlingit and has been a Petersburg resident all her life. Cris and her husband have three children and three grandchildren who also reside in Petersburg. Her favorite time of the year is summer because she enjoys fishing for halibut, RV 'camping' out the road, and spending time at the family cabin with . . . FAMILY!
Kayla Perry
Kayla Perry is the council secretary and has been on the council for three years. Her great-grandmother is Marie Tagaban Reyes James, and her mother is Mary Reyes or “big grandma”. She is Wooshkeetaan Clan, Eagle Moiety Xeitl Hit (Thunder/Thunderbird House). They are descendants of the Auk people. Her Tlingit name is Kalxeich. Kayla is the loving mother of four children whom she calls her buddies. She enjoys traveling, camping, and sewing with them.