John Stephens’ long Swinomish road ends with retirement

Few people enjoy as strong a command of language as John Stephens: In four decades of public speaking gigs representing the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Town of La Conner, La Conner schools and Skagit Valley College he has been aptly described as a walking thesaurus.

Or, putting it in more modern terms, Stephens was Google before there was Google.

But more recently, in the week since his retirement from Swinomish, where he filled several administrative roles, Stephens is the one who has been deluged with words.

Words of praise, that is.

“He will be remembered as one of the greatest hires ever,” former Swinomish Tribal Senate Chairman Brian Cladoosby said of Stephens, who arrived on May 15, 1980 – three days before the eruption of Mount St. Helens – with a degree in public policy and administration from Western Washington University plus prior experience working in the Whatcom County Planning Department.

“The late Laura Wilbur, Laura Edwards, Agnes Charles and Helen Ross knew this was their guy,” said Cladoosby, “and knew he would be willing to stick around. This was John’s hiring committee. John left a big mark on Swinomish and we raise our hands and say thank you.”

In hindsight, Stephens was the ideal choice to be engaged in planning and social services at Swinomish through a period that witnessed unprecedented tribal government growth and expanded relationships outside the reservation. He served as a metaphorical bridge linking both sides of the channel.

Not only did Stephens and his wife, Jane, commit to residing in La Conner, but he descends from Native (Haida) and early pioneer stock. One of his great-grandfathers, Stephens notes, was a cabin boy who jumped ship from an English man-of-war off Whidbey Island, thus establishing the family’s foothold.

Now he and Jane are themselves grandparents and intend taking regular out-of-state trips to visit their two sons’ families, including three grandchildren.

“It’s been a quick 41 years,” said Stephens, “but now it’s time for me to step back from full-time work and literally spend more time with family.”

Stephens’ family home was in Tacoma growing up. He attended Jesuit schools there and his course of study required him to take Latin for two years.

“I had a pretty solid foundation educationally,” he told the Weekly News. “I was a science and math nerd but always interested in politics and history. I was involved with lots of sports – basketball, baseball and track.”

His basketball skills served him well as he soon joined Allan Olson, Rusty Kuntze and other staff members for regular evening scrimmages at the tribal gym.

“I always beat Allan in hoops,” Stephens insists, harkening back to an era not far removed from when Converse Chuck Taylor canvas was the gold standard of court shoes.

Stephens was encouraged to apply at Swinomish by Whatcom colleague Nick Zaferatos, who himself would become the tribe’s planning director and later its general manager and is now a professor of urban planning and sustainable development at Western.

The group of elders Cladoosby cited had to decide between Stephens and another finalist.

“I was told much later that I was chosen because I ‘would probably stay longer,’” said Stephens. “That elders group turned out to be right. I did end up with a lengthy tenure.”

Stephens has participated in and provided leadership for numerous and often ground-breaking projects at Swinomish. A partial list includes:

* The Tribal Employment Rights Program;

* The Indian Child Welfare Program;

* The Child Care Center and Program;

* The Early Childhood Education Program;

* The Tribal After School Program;

* The Student Higher Education Scholarship Program;

* The Dental Health Aide Therapy Program;

* Creation and expansion of the Village Dental Clinic;

* Development of the Village Medical Clinic, Tribal Youth Center and didgwálic Wellness Center; and

*Twenty-five years of service on the Swinomish Housing Authority Board of Directors.

This does not include what Stephens refers to as his “external” work, comprised of two years on the Town of La Conner Planning Commission, another two years as a Town Council member, four years on the La Conner School Board, a decade with the Skagit Valley College Board of Trustees and over 20 years as a Skagit Community Action Agency board member and officer.

“The work over those 41 years has been wide-ranging, challenging and rewarding,” Stephens said. “I was able to work with so many leaders, colleagues and community members to do my contribution to the implementation of so many programs and projects.”

Stephens eventually delved deeply into state, regional and national health policy development, specializing in Indian Health policy with the Health and Human Services department and Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services.

“I represented the 43 tribes of the Northwest in those arenas,” he said, “and helped move forward a number of important long-lasting improvements in the relationship between the federal government, the state government and tribes.”

Stephens said he had plenty of help along the way.

“I want to acknowledge being guided by three chairmen – Robert Joe, Sr., Brian Cladoosby and Steve Edwards,” said Stephens. “During my tenure Swinomish became known for its national leadership in self governance/self determination and the protection of treaty responsibilities, including and especially in health.”

He also lists more than a dozen late tribal elders – Laura Wilbur, Laura Edwards, Agnes Charles, Helen Ross, Dewey Mitchell, Chet Cayou, Sr., Robert Joe, Sr., Mike Cladoosby, Susan Wilbur, Ida Williams, Irene Siddle, Charley Paul, Elmer Cline and Theresa Willup – who over the years were instrumental in his career development.

“They were among the many elders who passed on,” Stephens reflected, “with whom I had the privilege of spending time. I have had the pleasure of having the support and trust of so many Swinomish people over my career. That trust and support has allowed me to contribute in whatever way I could to a wide range of programs and projects. In the end, though, it’s the people who make things possible.

“Without the support of many leaders, tribal community members and fellow staff members,” he stressed, “I would not have been able to do my small part and fulfill my role to see these important services developed to improve the lives of Native people here at Swinomish.”