Jolene (she/her/hers) is a Diné woman who is an enrolled member and citizen of the Navajo Nation. She has worked in anti-violence work for nearly 12 years beginning as a policy analyst for the Navajo Nation Sexual Assault Prevention Subcommittee under the Navajo Legislative Branch, where she worked with the 22nd and 23rd Navajo Nation Councils. Jolene moved into community organizing where she felt she could make the most impact with survivors of violence and families experiencing the missing and murdered crisis on the Navajo Nation. She co-founded the Missing & Murdered Diné Relatives Coalition (MMDRC) in March 2019 with other strong Diné (Navajo) women committed to creating social change, supporting families and communities experiencing the crisis, and providing advocacy efforts that promote sovereignty and agency of Navajo people. While continuing to advocate and volunteer for MMDRC, Jolene joined the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women (CSVANW) where she oversaw programs that focused on training, education and victim advocacy for domestic violence, sexual violence, sex trafficking, MMIWR and all forms of gender-based violence in New Mexico urban and tribal communities.
Jolene moved to Colorado to take on the role of Executive Director at the Denver Indian Family Resource Center, shifting her focus to Indian Child Welfare. Her goal is to support and strengthen Native American families while actively promoting and advocating for the Indian Child Welfare Act, ensuring that Native children are protected and remain deeply connected to their culture and community.