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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 2015)
8 MARCH 1, 2015 S moke S ignals Hatfield Fellow Mary Bodine briefs Tribal Council By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor Current Hatfield Fellow Mary Bodine was back in Oregon to take a tour of the district her boss, U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio, represents in the House of Representatives. The Fourth Congressional Dis- trict in Oregon covers 17,171 square miles in the southwestern part of the state from the California border to north of Corvallis. “It has been very tiring,” Bodine said during her visit with Tribal Council on Friday, Feb. 20. “It is a large district, but I got to sit in on constituent phone calls with Rep- resentative DeFazio and met with the Tribe in Coos Bay (Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw).” Bodine has been Spirit Mountain Community Fund’s Hatfield Fellow since November. As the fellow, she took a one-month orientation with the American Political Science Association in Washington, D.C., before being placed in DeFazio’s congressional office. “I was a bit nervous the first two weeks,” she said. “There was so much shuffling going on with the election.” Originally, Bodine expected to be assigned to work with the House Committee on Natural Resources on which DeFazio was the ranking minority member. But with the November election giving Republi- cans an even larger majority in the House, DeFazio was elected to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. “It all changed,” Bodine said. “But after answering phones, they’ve given me everything and I am now Tribe to honor the late Sen. Mark Hatfield’s public service to Oregon and the Pacific North- west. Grand Ronde Tribal member Peter Wakeland was the first Hatfield Fel- low. “I was the first Hat- field loser,” Tribal Council member Chris Mercier joked. “I lost to Pete. That year there were only two applicants.” Spirit Mountain Com- munity Fund Director Kathleen George said this is the first time DeFazio has permitted a fellow of any kind to work in his congressional office. Bo- Photo by Michelle Alaimo dine said he might have Mary Bodine, middle, the current Spirit Mountain Community Fund Hatfield Fellow, changed his perspective talks with Tribal Council members Denise Harvey, left, and Cheryle A. Kennedy, right, on that policy. Community Fund Director Kathleen George, back left, and Louis King, Community Fund “I think he will now,” program coordinator, during a visit with Tribal Council on Friday, Feb. 20. Bodine said. “He likes me.” a legislative assistant. I’ll get a D.C., as the Hatfield Fellow, she Community Fund Program Man- is on leave from her job with the memo on something and be expect- ager Louis King said the quality of Bonneville Power Administration ed to brief the congressman two recent Hatfield Fellows, such as hours later.” as the corporate fish and wildlife Bodine and Tribal Council Chief Bodine is a Warm Springs Tribal paralegal/project manager in Port- of Staff Stacia Martin, bodes well member. She grew up in Portland land. for continued success with the “I like the work,” Bodine said and was valedictorian of her senior program. about working in Congress. “But I class at David Douglas High School, George said that with the caliber of where she also played three sports grew up in Oregon with the trees fellows the program is attracting, the – softball, basketball and cross and the mountains. I don’t see liv- Community Fund receives affirma- country. ing there permanently.” tive answers from members of Ore- She graduated from Lewis and Bodine said DeFazio and his gon’s congressional delegation quickly Clark College at the age of 20 in staff are thankful for her legal when approached about placement. 2009 and enrolled at law school knowledge. She recently passed the Next year’s fellow will work in the Oregon State Bar exam. there. She received her juris doc- office of Sen. Jeff Merkley. “They are already saying, ‘We torate degree in 2013 with an En- Applications for next year’s Hat- vironmental Law certificate. don’t know what we’ll do when we field Fellow placement open March While working in Washington, lose you in five months.’ I am glad 16, King said. Tribal members in they feel that I am an asset to them. Oregon, Washington and Idaho who I work 10-, 11-hour days and stay have a minimum of a bachelor’s until everyone else leaves.” degree can apply. Although she is working long “Thank you for providing me a days that provide little opportuni- life-changing experience,” Bodine ty for anything else but sleeping, added. she has had a few highlights while Tribal Council members who at- living in Washington, D.C., which tended Bodine’s briefing included included attending the State of the Mercier, Tribal Council Vice Chair Union address. Jack Giffen Jr. and Ed Pearsall, The Hatfield Fellowship was cre- Cheryle A. Kennedy and Denise ated in 1998 by the Grand Ronde Harvey. n Ad created by George Valdez
