The Yurok Tribe
Yurok Language Program Staff
_edited.png){kind=small}
Yurok Language Program Department - Staff
Victoria Carson Yurok/Tolowa
Yurok Language Program Manager
Nek 'n-ew Victoria Carlson. Srey-gon 'ne-mew'. 'Ne-chek 'w-ew Noreen Jones. 'Neyp-sech 'w-ew Harold Jones. 'Ne-kue-chos 'w-ew 'aa-wok Josephine James. 'Ne-peech-o-wos 'w-ew 'aa-wok Jimmie "Toe" James. Kol' hoh-kue-mek' Yurok Language Program Coordinator.
​
-raised with grandparents who were first-language, fluent Yurok speakers
-worked with Yurok first-language speakers before they made their long journeys and believes it is part of her responsibility to carry on and teach those who strive to learn Yurok language and Indigenous ways of life
-1999: hosted Yurok language classes at Crescent City NCIDC with Barbara McQuillen and 'aa-wok Archie Thompson and Walt McCovey, Jr.
-was exposed to a variety of first-language, fluent speakers growing up
-1993: learned Yurok language at Hoopa Valley Elementary with 'aa-wok Patti Gibbens
-attended community language classes with 'aa-wok Archie Thompson, Jimmie James, Josephine James, Aileen Figueroa, Walter McCovey, Jr., Georgiana Trull, Ollie Foseide
-community language teacher
-taught at Margaret Keating Elementary
-taught at Margaret Keating Elementary after-school program
-substitute taught at Klamath River Early College of the Redwoods (KRECR)
-2007: received recognition as a "Keeper of the Language" from the Yurok Tribe
-advocate, learner, and teacher of the Yurok language.
-B.A. in Native American Studies, Humboldt State University
-Current manager of the Yurok Language Program and Project Coordinator for the Yurok Native Languages and Community Coordination (NLCC) project "Kee Laa-yo-lue-mehl"
-2001: former Yurok Language Curriculum Specialist
-2004: former Yurok Language Specialist
-2006: former Apprentice in Yurok Tribe Master/Apprentice program with grandfather 'aa-wok Jimmie James
Barbara McQuillen Yurok Tolowa
Yurok Language Program Collections Coordinator & Lead Teacher
Nek 'n-ew Barbara McQuillen. Tue-rep 'e-see 'En-chwoh (Big Flat) 'ne-mew'. 'Ne-chek 'w-ew 'aa-wok Betty. 'Neyp-sech 'w-ew 'aa-wok Jim McQuillen, Sr. 'Ne-kue-chos 'w-ew 'aa-wok Ida James (Jaynes). 'Ne-peech-o-wos 'w-ew 'aa-wok Ike James. Kol' hoh-kue-mek' Yurok Language Program Assistant Coordinator.
​
-Worked with first-language Yurok speakers in documenting language, developing the Yurok writing system
-Helped to initiate the annual Yurok language Immersion Camp with first-language speakers
-received recognition as a "Keeper of the Language" from the Yurok Tribe
-Conducted community language classes with Yurok first-language speaker support and guidance
-1996 : Master Apprentice Program participant with Advocates for Indigenous California Language Survival (AICLS) for 3 years with mother 'aa-wok Betty McQuillen
-1996 : Started working in Yurok Language Program with Carole Lewis under ANA planning grant
-Earned Level 3 Yurok Language Teaching Credential
-former Language Coordinator
-taught at Klamath River Early College of the Redwoods (KRECR)
-Yurok Language Teacher, Del Norte High School
-Yurok Langauge Teacher, Crescent Elk
-taught Yurok language at Yurok Tribe Head Start
-taught Yurok language at Margaret Keating Elementary School
-Yurok community language teacher
-former Pod Facilitator, Yurok Language Program
-Live Your Language Alliance (LYLA) member
-Cultural Consultant for Red Deer teaching language as a way for those in recovery to connect with their culture
​
​
James Gensaw Yurok/Tolowa
Yurok Language Program Cultural Coordinator
Nek 'n-ew Victoria Carlson. Srey-gon 'ne-mew'. 'Ne-chek 'w-ew Noreen Jones. 'Neyp-sech 'w-ew Harold Jones. 'Ne-kue-chos 'w-ew 'aa-wok Josephine James. 'Ne-peech-o-wos 'w-ew 'aa-wok Jimmie "Toe" James. Kol' hoh-kue-mek' Yurok Language Program Coordinator.
​
-began language work in 2006
-first, beloved teacher was 'aa-wok Archie Thompson
-received recognition as a "Keeper of the Language" from the Yurok Tribe
-current teacher at McKinleyville and Eureka High Schools
-taught at Klamath River Early College of the Redwoods (KRECR)
-earned Level 3 Yurok language credential
-former Pod Facilitator, Yurok Language Program
-Yurok community language teacher
-Live Your Language Alliance (LYLA) member
-Language Consultant for Yurok Tribe Social Services, Red Deer, Two Feathers Native American Family Services
Erika Peters Yurok/Tolowa
Administrative Assistant
Nek 'n-ew Erika Peters. Tue-rep 'ne-mew'. 'Ne-chek 'w-ew Theresa McQuillen. 'Neyp-sech 'w-ew Christopher Peters. 'Ne-kue-chos 'w-ew Phyllis Donahue 'e-see 'aa-wok Betty McQuillen. 'Ne-peech-o-wos 'w-ew 'aa-wok Chuck Donahue 'e-see 'aa-wok James McQuillen, Sr. Kol' hoh-kue-mek' Yurok Language Program Administrative Assistant.
​
-2016 : became Yurok Language Admin. Assist. for the Yurok Tribe
- Taught at Margaret Keating
-taught at Yurok Tribe Klamath Head Start
-taught at Elk Valley Head Start
-current Humboldt State University student in Child Development
-Yurok Language Immersion Camp participant
-continues to participate in monthly, Yurok language Grammar Workshops
-Yurok Language Institute participant
-Four years of Yurok Language at Del Norte High School
Brittany Vigil-Burbank Yurok/Hupa/Tolowa
Yurok Language Program Distance Learning Coordinator
Nek 'n-ew Brittany Vigil-Burbank. Pek-won 'e-see 'O'-ket'-oh 'e-see Me'dildin 'ne-mew'. 'Ne-kue-chos w'-ew Jacque Winter, Lori (Hunter) Dorsey, 'e-see Nadine Vigil. 'Ne-peech-o-wos 'w-ew Don Winter, David Vigil, Sr. 'Ne-chek 'w-ew Tami (Fletcher) Lara. 'Neyp-sech 'w-ew 'aa-wok Davey Vigil, Jr. 'N-uuek-soh 'w-ew Kulani, Ikaika, 'e-see Kealoha Burbank. 'Ne-nos 'w-ew Keoki Burbank. Kol' hoh-kue-mek' Yurok Tribe Language Program Specialist.
​
-2002 : began learning Yurok at HVHS under Teacher Kay Inong
-2008 : Yurok Language Program intern under Coordinator Carole Lewis
-Former Yurok Language Teacher, Hoopa Valley High School
-Master/Apprentice team member, Advocates for Indigenous California Language Survival (AICLS)
-Former Teacher Intern, Yurok Language Program
-Former Pod Participant, Yurok Language Program
-Live Your Language Alliance (LYLA) member
-Warrior Institute Team Member
-2014-2015 : Hupa Language Program, Early Childhood Language Curriculum Specialist
-Language Consultant for Hupa Language Program, Yurok Tribal Courts, Two Feathers Native American Family Services, Red Deer, Blue Lake Rancheria Pathmakers Program
-Teacher Candidate for Hupa language teaching program with Silischitawn Jackson
-2016 : became Yurok Language Program Specialist for the Yurok Tribe
-2017 : earned Yurok Language Level 3 Teaching Credential, Yurok Tribe/CCTC
- 2021 : Learn Yurok Online teacher (Mondays), Big Lagoon Family Language Learning
-B.A. Native American Studies Language & Literature, Humboldt State University
-M.S. Educational and Instructional Technology
_edited.png){kind=small}