Dr. Martina Whelshula is a member of the Arrow Lakes Nation of the Colville Indian Reservation. She is CEO and Partner in Swan Innovations LP with her daughter Cree Whelshula. She is an educator, trainer, and consultant specializing in education and intergenerational trauma impacting Indigenous communities.

     Dr. Whelshula’s professional experience has ranged from Research Director for national Indian health policy development for Congressional review, P-12 tribal language instructor in the public-school system, Tribal Language Specialist, Head Start Director for the Colville Tribe to Tribal College President. Dr. Whelshula’s most recent work is a collaboration in the development of an integrative cultural healing model addressing trauma, mental health and substance use disorders for tribes through the Empire Health Foundation.

      Dr. Whelshula served for nearly seven years as the Executive Director of a Native American inpatient treatment program for drug and alcohol addicted youth. Her successes during her tenure include: National iAward for revolutionary behavioral health care (honorable mention), Washington State Co-Occurring Disorders and Treatment Conference’s Innovative Program of the Year, Potlatch Foundation’s Educational Leadership Award, Washington State Public Health’s 2013 Health Champion for Empowering Healthy Communities, Harvard University Medical School’s online BASIS Editorial Board, and the Spokane Regional 2014 AGORA Business Award for the Large Nonprofit Category.

Email:   whelshulam@comcast.net