Phefelia Nez
Phefelia Nez | |
|---|---|
| First Lady of the Navajo Nation | |
| In office January 15, 2019 – January 10, 2023 | |
| President | Jonathan Nez |
| Preceded by | Martha Shelly (2015) |
| Succeeded by | Jasmine Blackwater-Nygren |
| Personal details | |
| Citizenship | Navajo Nation United States |
| Spouse | Jonathan Nez |
| Education | Northern Arizona University |
Phefelia Nez is a Navajo leader and advocate who served as the first lady of the Navajo Nation. Her tenure was characterized by initiatives focused on the preservation of the Navajo language and culture, animal welfare reform, and her service on a New Mexico task force addressing Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW).
Nez collaborated with the Biden administration on tribal sovereignty and the COVID-19 response, which led to her 2022 appointment to the board of trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Following her time in office, she has continued her work as a public speaker and co-owner of a consulting firm based in Flagstaff, Arizona.