��������

Western Washington University associate professor of Interdisciplinary Studies has been named by the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to serve on the ; the 14-member panel represents geographical areas or stakeholder groups across the nation, with Montoya-Lewis representing the interests of Native Americans.

“I feel so honored to be able to serve on this committee. It is the culmination of a lot of work I’ve done with the tribes in the Pacific Northwest and the Southwest in the past decade,” she said. “This committee gives me a chance to help shape policies that will affect all of Indian Country, and I’m very excited about that.”

The Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice serves to offer guidance to the president, Congress, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. First and foremost, she said the committee will be tasked with identifying priorities for the Federal resources currently available; she said she will also push the group to tackle issues such as handling low-level offenses such as truancy and running away from home without using detention and the growing epidemic of domestic minor sex trafficking.

Montoya-Lewis also serves on the Washington Partnership Council on Juvenile Justice, has served as a tribal judge to more than 10 tribes in the state for more than a decade, and is a graduate of Georgetown University’s prestigious Center for Juvenile Justice Reform. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of New Mexico and both her master’s degree in Social Work and juris doctor from the University of Washington. She has taught at Western since 2003.

For more information on Montoya-Lewis’ appointment to the Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice, contact her at (360) 650-2328.