Fidelia Andy, representing the Yakama Nation, will take the gavel Friday as incoming chairwoman of the four-tribe commission for a one-year term, replacing Leslie Bill (Warm Springs).

"My grandparents were Wishram," Andy recalled. "I grew up on the Columbia River. I witnessed The Dalles Dam and the other dams that followed. I fished the Columbia River in the 1980's. Both sides of my family were treaty signers of the 1855 Yakama Treaty, so I am here to protect and serve as my forefathers did before me."

Andy was elected to the Yakama Nation Tribal Council as an interim member on August 11, 2005 and began serving on the commission in July 2006. Yakama Nation members re-elected her to a full, four-year term in November 2006. Actively involved with treaty and environmental issues, she has served on the Law & Order/Fish & Wildlife Committee, Roads, Irrigation and Lands Committee and is currently the vice-chair for the National Tribal Environmental Council.

"History has been made," declared N. Kathryn Brigham, member of the Board of Trustees of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and founding CRITFC commissioner. "For the past 30 years numerous women have sat at this table fighting for salmon and tribal rights, a table and forum often dominated by men. Now, for the first time a woman will sit at the head of this table. Words can not explain how much this means to me as a woman tribal leader, and for tribal governance and young tribal women in general."

"I feel it's teamwork of all four tribes that bring it all together for CRITFC," Andy said. "Working to uphold our treaty rights and to protect our fishing rights, habitat, environment, and spiritual way of life."

N. Kathryn Brigham was elected vice-chair; Gary Greene, representing the Nez Perce Tribe, was elected secretary; and Ryan Smith, representing the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, was elected treasurer.

Departing chairman Leslie Bill presided over CRITFC during a year that saw the tribes win several stunning legal victories in the federal courts.

"I am very thankful for having the opportunity to be chairman of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission," explains Bill (Warm Springs). "The experience was truly a blessing; I am very thankful for the commission staff members who work so hard to keep things in perspective and on track with so much going on at once. The most impressive experience for me has been working with the other tribal representatives; the debates never ended on a negative thought and our discussions were always for the benefit of fish, fishermen and their homes."

The election of CRITFC officers takes place every June, with the seats rotated among each of the four member tribes.

These new officers will be replacing the 2006-2007 officers: Leslie Bill (Warm Springs), chairman; Fidelia Andy (Yakama), vice-chair; N. Kathryn Brigham (Umatilla), secretary; and Brooklyn Baptiste (Nez Perce), treasurer.