Biography
Donella Miller is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation as well as a descendent of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and the Blackfeet Nation. She has over 28 years of experience in Columbia River fisheries resource management. Prior to serving as the Program Manager she was the Yakama Nation Fisheries White Sturgeon Project Manager and has worked with the program in various capacities starting as a fish tech working on numerous projects throughout the basin.
She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Fisheries Resources from the University of Idaho. During her time in Idaho she worked at the University of Idaho Aquaculture Research Institute Genetics Lab and the Hagerman Fish Culture Experiment Station. She also trained at several White Sturgeon production facilities including the Kootenai Tribal Sturgeon Hatchery and the Upper-Columbia Sturgeon Program. During her time at U of I Donella also worked part-time within the YNF administrative structure which provided invaluable experience in navigating the administrative processes essential to both project and program management.
Growing up on the Yakama Reservation she learned the importance of maintaining her culture while recognizing the need to gain her education to serve her people and protect her tribal way of life, first foods and natural resources that are the heart of the Yakama People. These values were instilled in her at a young age by her grandparents and tribal elders and have led her to value the knowledge of her ancestors. This balance of Yakama cultural knowledge and values paired with a non-Native Western perspective enable Donella to best manage our resources for future generations.