26 Susan Balbas (she/her)

Susan Balbas is the co-director of the Na’ah Illahee Fund, an organization based in the Pacific Northwest which focuses on supporting Indigenous communities and environmental conservation efforts. The Na’ah Illahee Fund (‘mother earth’ in Chinook language) works to promote Indigenous leadership, culture, and traditions while simultaneously addressing environmental and social justice issues. Balbas bravely defends the rights and voices of Indigenous populations because she is from an area rich in Indigenous culture and resiliency. She is a trailblazer in environmental activism, tenaciously fighting against corporate greed and environmental damage for her people’s land, water, and customs. In addition to being an unwavering champion, Balbas is a change-catalyst who encourages others to take up the cause of justice and sustainability with her.

Balbas grew up in a home that cherished their Indigenous culture. She is the first in her family to finish college and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Economics from Boise State University and a Master of Science Teaching from Portland State University. She has always had a drive and passion for sustainability and embracing Indigenous traditions, but it was not until after she had kids that she decided to take action. After she completed her research as an education advisor for Women in Native North America, at Portland State University, she became the executive director for the Native American Youth and Family Center. This position required her to develop professional advocacy and community-based organizations focused on improving operations, wellness, and economic opportunities for Native members. After four years of working for Native American Youth and Family, Balbas was unstoppable.

Within the next five years, she worked as a board member for the Changemakers Foundation, the Western Water Alliance, People of Color in Philanthropy Network, and United Indians of All Tribes Foundation. Her work involved advancing philanthropic networks for communities of color, planning fundraisers and campaigns, and authoring development plans and research groups. However, Balbas did not stop there. She supported Native Lens youth video programs at Longhouse Media and was on the board of directors at the Sightline Institute, a group that provides policy research on Cascadia’s affordable housing, sustainability, and social justice.

She is currently a standing member of the Potlatch Fund, Social Justice Fund NW, Na’ah Illahee Fund, and her own independent consulting firm. Susan Balbas is a badass because of her unwavering dedication to causes that are crucial for not only the well-being of the PNW but also for the broader environmental and social justice movements. She is a real force to be reckoned with because of her unshakable dedication to her community and the environment, and she has earned the right to be called a Pacific Northwest badass.