Jenny Slagle: Indigenous Leader, Business Owner, Alumna, Mom 

When Jenny Slagle was searching for an online business degree program, Bellevue College stood out. She was attracted to the college’s offerings and the security of knowing the college was in her state.  

“When I was ready to go back to school, I appreciated that I could do the whole associate degree online. It took a few years, but I was working full-time, raising four kids, and volunteering,” said Slagle, noting that while living in Spokane she felt having a real “bricks and mortar college” just over the mountains was important. “I always felt that there were real people supporting me at Bellevue College.” 

A member of the Yakama Nation and a descendant of the Northern Arapaho, Slagle has worked tirelessly to help Native communities. As the director of tribal partnerships and community engagement for Upstream USA, she worked on a nationwide initiative to expand access to contraception and reproductive health resources. Previously, she was the director of tribal relations for Better Health Together, a nonprofit tackling health inequity throughout Eastern Washington. She was also a communications manager for the NATIVE Project, a Spokane community health clinic serving Native and non-Native residents. 

“Graduating from high school, I had high hopes of going to college and eventually becoming a lawyer to serve my tribe, the Yakima Nation,” Slagle recalled. “I had this whole plan laid out. But in reality, I met my husband, we started a family, and I went right into the workforce.” 

When her children were older, she finally felt that she had the time to secure her college degree. But still busy with kids at home and a demanding career, she decided an online course was the best way to achieve her goals. 

“I wanted to go back for career advancement,” she said. “Our oldest son graduated from high school in 2013. We had always encouraged our kids to go to college,” Slagle said, adding she wanted them to see their mother pursuing a degree too. “What I appreciated most was the majority of resources available on the Bellevue College website. [The] only time I visited the campus was to review my financial aid.” 

Today, Slagle serves as vice president of Spokane Public Schools’ Board of Directors and is a program manager for the Inatai Foundation, which supports organizations that are increasing racial justice and equity throughout Washington.  

“All our kids graduated from the Spokane Public Schools,” said Slagle about her decision to run for the Spokane school board and become the first Native woman to serve on the board. “All had different experiences. Digging a little with all my kids, I felt a need to support students and to provide direction about inclusivity and diversity. That continues to drive my service.”  

With approximately 30,000 students, Spokane is the third largest school district in the state. Slagle has focused on policies around equity and inclusion for all students.  

At Inatai Foundation, she helps support and identify organizations the Foundation serves. Funded by the sale of Group Health Cooperative to Kaiser Permanente, the Foundation offers grants to numerous organizations, more than 80% led by people of color. The name “Inatai” means “across” or “other side.” The word comes from Chinuk Wawa, an Indigenous language from Washington state with a long history of connecting people from different backgrounds.  

“We are addressing inequities across the state,” Slagle said, noting the recent name change from Group Health Foundation to Inatai better reflects the work and mission of the organization. 

She’s also the cofounder and owner of Indigenous Eats, her family-run restaurant specializing in contemporary Native American comfort food. 

“For years, we volunteered running concessions at the Gathering at the Falls Powwow,” said Slagle about an annual event in Spokane. “My husband Andrew used a restaurant as his business plan when he went back to school to get his college degree. Coming out of the pandemic in 2021, we thought we should do this now.”  

Indigenous Eats features what Slagle calls “Native American comfort food” which should evoke a sense of home for her Native customers. “Frybread is the base of so many recipes and I use my mom’s recipe,” she said. The huckleberry relish sauce found in their sandwiches and burgers is another contemporary use of Indigenous cuisine.  

With locations on Boone Avenue and in the River Park Square Mall, both in Spokane, the Indigenous Eats restaurants have attracted local and national media. For Slagle, the fact that the restaurant is very much a family affair makes it all the more sweeter. 

“At least two of the kids are working with us,” she said. “On weekends, I’ll be there.”