About Chris Keenan
A Dedicated Leader, Championing Transparency, Collaboration, and Economic Sustainability for the Coquille Indian Tribe
Chris Keenan's journey began in Coos Bay, where she learned the importance of helping others and speaking up from her parents, Frank and Joanne Younker.
Starting with chopping trees on the Coquille Reservation, Chris's work ethic and dedication to her community were evident from a young age. Over the past twenty years, Chris has served the Coquille Indian Tribe, including as Chair of CEDCO and Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors for Tribal One, and as a member of six tribal committees. Chris's leadership style is inclusive and transparent, ensuring the voice of every tribal citizen can be heard.
Chris Keenan's corporate experience at Nordstrom Inc., where she rose to Vice-President and General Manager, has equipped her with the skills and readiness to advance the interests of the Coquille Indian Tribe.
This blend of tribal service and corporate experience makes Chris a committed leader, ready to navigate the complexities of the business world and advance the tribe's interests.
Honoring Family Legacy: Lessons in Integrity, Respect, and Leadership from My Parents and Tribe
We can't pick our family, but if we could, I would most definitely pick my brother Tom and sister Julie. Growing up in Coos Bay, we didn't have money but we were rich in what truly matters.
Family, friends, good food from hunting, fishing, gardening, and delicious hand-picked fruit from Roseburg. We were taught to have a good work ethic, share what we had, and to treat people with respect.
I hope you had the opportunity to meet my dad, Frank Younker. He was a truly great man. He had integrity, was a hard worker, and had a grand sense of humor.
His Indian name was Ponto which means slow and steady. Dad and Chief Don Ivy chose the very best cedar tree from our property up Coos River and now it is the Tribal canoe that proudly bears his name, Ponto.
One day when Dad and I were driving past the Egyptian Theater we saw a man trying to push his dead car off the street. Dad stopped immediately and ran over to help him. Dad never knew how deeply that affected me. What took him five minutes has lasted me a lifetime.
I learned to help out, to treat others with respect, and to lead by example. One Winter Gathering years ago, Joe Thomas pulled me aside to tell me he went to high school with Mom, Joanne Younker. He said he always respected her fearless inclination to speak up and fight for what was right.
From my mom, I learned to jump in even though I may be putting myself on the line, or it may be stressful, or tough. Be respectful, lead by example, practice Potlatch, and fight for what is right.
Those are the values that I live by and what you can expect moving forward. For the past 20 years, I have worked hard to get positive results for the Tribe in collaboration with other leaders - from fighting injustices to ensure our finances are secure, to gaining new government status to expand jobs and opportunities.