Tonya Long is a member of the Umonhan “Omaha” Tribe of Nebraska. She is also a veteran, mother, grandmother, Indian Foster Parent, as well as a survivor of foster care. She graduated from William Mitchell College of Law and previously worked with the Youth Law Project at the Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis. Tonya has collaborated with community groups and organizations to provide training for county social workers and guardians ad litem for American Indian Culture and the Indian Child Welfare Act.
Currently, Tonya is serving as a Community Member for Transforming Systems Together in Ramsey County, where Community is at the decision table. In addition, Tonya continues to serve on the Ramsey County Citizens’ Review Panel.
In 2003, Tonya was first appointed by the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council to the American Indian Community-Specific Board and was recently reappointed again in August 2022. At the Board’s November 14, 2022 Meeting, Tonya was appointed and elected Board Vice Chair. Tonya served as the Board’s Chair for 17 years, from 2005 to 2022, and with the strong support of the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, she and others lobbied and testified before the Legislature to advocate for the creation of the Office of Ombudsperson for American Indian Families.
