ATCEV

About us

Who

we Are

The Alliance of Tribal Coalitions to End Violence (ATCEV) is a Native organized and led nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization incorporated in 2013 by Tribal Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalition leadership to support and strengthen the work, services, training, and technical assistance provided by the Tribal Coalitions to Tribal governments, Tribal communities, and Tribal domestic and sexual violence direct service providers and programs. The ATCEV provides a unified and Strengthened voice and presence of the Tribal Coalitions.

Our Mission

The ATCEV works to advance Tribal sovereignty and the safety of American Indian and Alaska Native women by providing support to Tribal Coalitions and Tribal communities in their efforts to address equal justice for survivors of violence.

our Priorities

  • Inform public policy impacting Tribal coalitions, Tribal governments and communities, particularly as it relates to domestic and sexual violence, and the intersections thereof.
  • Advance data collection efforts within Indian Country and Alaska relating to crimes of domestic and sexual violence perpetrated  against American Indian and Alaska Native people.
  • Promote and sustain growth of the Tribal Coalitions via parallel development, peer consultation, public policy proficiency, and effectual representation for the safety of Native women and their families.
  • Enhance and grow expertise within Tribal communities as the subject matter experts on violence against Native women.
  • Develop and provide peer consultation, standardization of practices, resource referral, and technical assistance to Tribal Coalitions and others to enhance their abilities to ensuring a coordinated approach to ending violence against American Indian and Alaska Native women.
  • Work collaboratively with Tribal Coalitions to promote practices and strategies to increase awareness and strengthen the response to domestic and sexual violence.

Our Process

Coalitions

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Alliance

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End Violence

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Our Staff

president

DEE KOESTER

Dee has served as the WA State Native American Coalition ...

Voice president

LEANNE GUY

Leanne Guy, Diné, is of the Tó’ áhani (Near to water) clan...

Treasure

YOLANDA FRANCISCO

Yolanda Francisco is the Executive Director of Restoring...

Secretary

Keely Linton

Yolanda Francisco is the Executive Director of Restoring...

Dee Koester MS, (Elwha Klallam )

Dee has served as the WA State Native American Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault – WomenSpirit Coalition Founder and Executive Director since 2002.  Fiscal Agent and Grant Administrator for the Indigenous Crime Victim Referral and Resource Center (ICVSRRC, 2018) and the Sayu’ X Wey Family Safety Center since 2021.

She has over 36 years working for underserved populations. Her master’s degree is in Agency Administration from Nova University, Ft Lauderdale FL (1994) with an emphasis on administration of tribal child serving organizations and public policy. A bachelor’s degree in counseling and human Services (1986) from The Evergreen State College and Central WA University, an AA/AAS in Corrections (1984) from Peninsula College.

Her long list of accomplishments includes grant writing, law and justice planning, management positions a juvenile rehabilitation facility, College Re -Entry counseling, Tribal Foster Care and Adoption program, developed Child Placing Agency policies for a Tribal consortium, Indian Child Welfare (ICW), Domestic Violence Advocate and Shelter Manager, and a Community Education and Training Coordinator

Dee volunteered as a Reserve Deputy officer with a Co. Sheriff’s department, worked as an extra help Corrections Officer in a Co Jail, conducted an Offender Accountability Audit for Thurston County WA (2004) with seven law enforcement jurisdictions while working at Thurston Co Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, served in Thurston Co Superior Court as a Guardian Ad Litem and CASA.

Dee was also a founding member of the Alliance of Tribal Coalitions to End Violence (ATCEV) in 2013, a technical assistance provider for 18 tribal coalitions. She serves as the President of ATCEV. She has served on many federal, state, and local committees that are providing services to crime and other victims of underserved communities.

Dee is an Elwha Klallam Tribal (LEKT) member and an Elder in her community. Dee has three children and seven grandchildren.

Leanne Guy

Leanne Guy, Diné, is of the Tó’ áhani (Near to water) clan and is born for the Tódichi’ii’nii (Bitter Water) clan. Her chei (maternal grandfather) is from the Tábaahí (Waters Edge) clan, and her nali (paternal grandfather) is from the Tachii’nii (Red Running into the Water) clan. This is who she is as a Diné woman. She is a mother, grandmother, sister, auntie, lifelong partner to Charlie, and works for the betterment of tribal communities.  

Leanne has over 25 years of experience in tribal community health promotion, disease prevention, and public health and safety initiatives. She has worked to help increase the capacity of tribal programs to organize, develop, and implement public health intervention and prevention strategies for increased wellness, healing, safety, and justice. She is a member of numerous national, state, and boards, task forces, and committees including the Alliance of Tribal Coalitions to End Violence, National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, National Congress of American Indian’s Violence Against Women Task Force and Arizona’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Study Committee.  

Currently, Leanne is the founding executive director of the Southwest Indigenous Women’s Coalition, Arizona’s tribal domestic and sexual violence coalition. Prior to this, she was the executive director of a nonprofit, community-based domestic violence and sexual assault services program located on the Diné Nation. Leanne has also worked for the Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc., and the Indian Health Service in HIV/AIDS, cancer prevention, and women’s health. The many blessings Leanne has experienced in working with tribes is getting to know the people—hearing their stories, sharing laughter, observing their customs, and seeing their land.  

Yolanda Francisco

Yolanda Francisco is the Executive Director of Restoring Ancestral Winds, Inc. She is Diné and from the Edgewater (Tabaaha) clan born for the Basque people. She is a strong advocate for the Native people, especially women and children. In 2017, she helped establish a Navajo Nation Council Sexual Assault Prevention Work Group to address child abduction, sexual violence, and human trafficking.  In addition to serving four years as board chair of the Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Yolanda played significant role to pass legislation to protect the LGBTQI2S from employment discrimination and was invited to address the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland on her award-winning program, the Human Rights Education Project.  She has spent nearly two decades working at the executive level of local government including diversity and human rights policy. She has received numerous awards for her achievements. Most recently, she received the Pillar of Hope Award from the Rape Recovery Center and Women in Leadership for her work in Indigenous Victim Advocacy from Zions Bank and the Sundance Institute. Yolanda has a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Phoenix.

Keely Linton

Keely Linton is an Íipay and Kupa Native from the Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians. She currently lives and works within her community. Keely obtained her Bachelors in Science degree from California State University, San Marcos. She began her 20-year career in domestic violence and sexual assault while working for the Indian Health Council, Inc. During her time at the Indian Health Council, Inc. she worked in collaboration outside the native community to assist victims of intimate partner violence.  She spent 6 years as the Coordinator for the North County Family Violence Prevention Center, a multi-agency collaboration, serving victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Through the center Keely gained experience and expertise working with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, the San Diego County District Attorney’s office, and tribal governments. The collaboration combined native and non-native victim services in one location. Providing the community and reservations a broader range of victim services including culturally appropriate resources.

Keely provides community education on domestic violence and sexual assault. Including training service providers and other professionals. She provides a cultural competency course to assist those working within the Native American populations. This training is provided throughout San Diego County and other areas of need.  Several years ago she assisted California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA) on the Law Enforcement Training Recovery Act Program. She assisted with training and writing the Peace Officers Standards Training Course on “DV and SA for First Responders on Tribal Lands.” 

Currently, Keely is the Chairperson for the Judicial Council of the Intertribal Court of Southern California and Mesa Grande Business Development Corporation. She is the Executive Director for the Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition, advocating for victims and their families by promoting safety and a traditional non-violent lifestyle.  Keely has spent the last 2 decades devoted to her community to assist with the reduction in family violence and making policy changes within the local governments she serves to better protect our families. 

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