John Halliday
John Halliday in full regalia and an eagle-feather headdress, holding a feathered staff

Keynote speaker  /  Leader  /  Muckleshoot Duwamish elder

John
Halliday

"We can all be chiefs in our own way."

Thirty years in Indian Country, from tribal CEO to the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Book John Watch John speak
1,400+people at 40+ talks across Washington since 2024
30 yearsof tribal and federal leadership in Indian Country
400middle schoolers on their feet. His toughest crowd yet.

Trusted by

  • Humanities Washington
  • Seattle Kraken
  • Northwest Folklife Festival
  • MOHAI
  • Town of Steilacoom
  • Washington State Library
  • Daughters of the American Revolution
  • Sno-Isle Libraries
John and Native singers on the ice under a spotlight before a Seattle Kraken game

Seattle Kraken, 2023

The national anthem, sung by a Muckleshoot elder.

Watch the anthem

Ways to bring John

Every talk is shaped for the room.

From a school gym to a conference ballroom, across the US, Canada and worldwide. He has spoken in middle schools and high schools across Washington, tribal, public and private.

A crowd gathered around John's hand drum at a public dedication in the forest
01

Welcome to Our Traditional Territory in Peace

Open your event with a Muckleshoot Duwamish elder. Drumming, flute, a welcome, a prayer or an honor song.

John singing with his hand drum before an audience
02

Keynotes

Native history told from the inside, and what it teaches about leadership and resilience.

Book a keynote
John Halliday at sunset by the ocean
03

Advising and leadership

Straight answers for anyone working with tribes or tribal governments.

See how he helps

Washington organizations can also request his Humanities Washington talks, What Is a Chief? and Beyond Treaties, through the Speakers Bureau.

Watch John speak

In the room

In the room with John

"What I'm going to tell you, you'll never read about in a book."

John Halliday

What people say

People come to hear John speak. They leave as friends.

John Halliday smiling with six members of the Daughters of the American Revolution after his talk, his hand drum in front of them
With members of the Eliza Jane Meeker Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, after his talk in Puyallup, October 2026.

"I want to extend special appreciation to Mr. John Halliday (Coyote) for his engaging presentation and beautiful music. The evening was meaningful, well‑attended, and a great reflection of the partnerships that make Steilacoom so strong."

Liz GrasherMayor, Town of Steilacoom

Touched my soul

"John Halliday touched my soul, and increased my awareness and understanding of his Native perspective."
Humanities Washington audience

Connected to this land

"This presentation filled in a lot of missing information that I was not aware of. Having grown up in Tacoma, I [feel] more connected to this land."
Connell, 2024

It takes a lot of strength

"We really give a big thanks to John Halliday. It takes a lot of strength."
Snoqualmie, 2024
More voices

A great sense of community

"So enriching and gave new information and a great sense of community."
Parkland, 2024

Engaging and honest

"Very engaging and honest. I learned a lot about Washington history from the native perspective."
Connell, 2024

Fortunate to hear him

"We feel fortunate to have been able to hear him speak, sing, and share his vast knowledge."
Humanities Washington audience

His story

He died three times. He came back with a message.

In August 2020, an allergic reaction to medication stopped John's heart. He woke from a coma legally blind, unable to read or write. Six months later, he picked up a paintbrush.

"I believe that I was brought back to bring this message to you: that we can all be chiefs in our own way."

Painting by John of a bear's face in burning orange and red, with blue around the eyes
Bear Hope, Be Our Hope. His first painting after the accident, made for his wife on his journey back. Signed Coyote.
Read his story in his own words

Where he comes from

"She said you can scream all you want to from outside the building, but if you're in the room where the decisions are being made, that's how you can influence."

On his mother, a treaty fishing rights activist, and why he went into government.

What a chief is

"Being a chief is about father helping son, daughter helping friend, mom helping granddaughter, friend helping friend."

His mother taught him there were many kinds of chiefs. What they all shared was caring for others.

Getting back up

"You don't just sit around and feel sorry for yourself if you get knocked down."

He wanted his children to see him get back up.

Advising and leadership

He has sat on both sides of the table.

John has run tribal governments, and he has represented the federal government to tribes. Now he puts that experience to work for tribes, agencies, organizations and businesses.

  • Government-to-government relationsTribal consultation and working across tribal, federal and state lines.
  • Tribal governance and executive leadershipInstitutional design and emergency command.
  • Economic developmentBuilding tribal enterprise and access to lending.
  • Federal Indian programs and trustLand, natural resources and federal compliance.
  • Boards and governanceStrategy and policy for tribes and Native organizations.
John Halliday at sunset by the ocean John Halliday in full regalia at a powwow
What people ask John

Working with tribes

  • How do we approach a tribal council?
  • What protocols should we follow when working with a tribe?
  • How do we bring a business opportunity to a tribe, or sell to a tribal enterprise?
  • How do we build a lasting business relationship with a tribe?

Economy and opportunity

  • What is behind the jobless rates and social issues on reservations?
  • How have tribes built a tax base and grown to operate at scale?
  • How can tribal members get access to lending, debt consolidation and credit education?

Land, water and treaty rights

  • How do treaty fishing, hunting and gathering rights work?
  • What does good collaboration on fisheries management look like?
  • Who has a say when an environmental project crosses jurisdictions?
  • Where do tribes fit in water quality, urban planning and forestry?

History, culture and common myths

  • How were tribal governments created, and how do they operate today?
  • Is it true Native people don't pay taxes? Do tribes have "special rights"?
  • How do powwows and cultural events work, and are non-Native guests welcome?
  • What is a First Salmon Ceremony? What is a warrior song?
  • What is the history of the American Indian Movement?
  • What was the civil rights struggle like for Native people in Washington?
  • How does formal education compare with traditional Native knowledge, passed down by the keepers of the treasures?

World view, spirituality and tradition

  • What is the Native American world view?
  • What about Native spirituality, Christianity and other faiths?
  • What does it mean that animals are relatives?
  • What are spirit helpers?
  • How do Native name giving, memorials, potlatches and feasts work?

Art, regalia and respect

  • Can non-Native people wear or use Native art, jewelry and clothing?
  • Regalia, costume or appropriation: where is the line?
  • How does contemporary Native art differ from traditional art?

The list goes on.

John has heard it all and welcomes every conversation. He is approachable, his knowledge is deep and his experience long. He isn't afraid of any question or topic, and the discussion is often healthy, hearty and fun.

For John, mutual understanding is a pathway to better community, because we are more alike than not.

Full leadership record

Leadership

Deputy Regional DirectorBureau of Indian Affairs, Navajo Region
Acting Regional DirectorBureau of Indian Affairs, Southwest Region
SuperintendentBureau of Indian Affairs, Warm Springs Indian Reservation
Native American Tribal LiaisonU.S. Department of the Interior, Office of the Secretary
Chief Executive Officer and Tribal AdministratorMuckleshoot Indian Tribe
Chief Executive Officer and Tribal AdministratorSnoqualmie Tribe
Director of Economic DevelopmentMuckleshoot Indian Tribe

Service

Board memberUnited Indians of All Tribes Foundation
Board serviceTahoma Indian Center
Tribal and Government RelationsWild Woman of the Woods, feature film in development
Master's in Public AdministrationUniversity of Montana
Start a conversation with John

Coming soon

A book is on the way.

John is co-writing a book on Puget Sound history and what it means to be a chief.

For hosts

Everything you need to bring John in.

Introduction to read before John speaks

John Halliday is an enrolled member of the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, of Duwamish, Yakama and Warm Springs descent. He served as Chief Executive Officer and Tribal Administrator of both the Muckleshoot and Snoqualmie tribes, led economic development for the Muckleshoot Tribe, served as Bureau of Indian Affairs Superintendent at the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, and retired as Deputy Regional Director of its Navajo Region, where he oversaw trust services across 17.5 million acres. In 2020, John died three times after an allergic reaction to medication and woke from a coma legally blind. He rebuilt his life through painting and music. Today he speaks across Washington with the Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau and serves on the board of United Indians of All Tribes Foundation. Please welcome John Halliday.

Where John has spoken
  • Northwest Folklife FestivalSeattle
  • MOHAI, Museum of History and IndustrySeattle
  • Harbor History MuseumGig Harbor
  • Highline Heritage MuseumBurien
  • Steilacoom Town HallSteilacoom
  • Kiwanis Club of SteilacoomSteilacoom
  • Odd Fellows HallEastsound, Orcas Island
  • Jefferson Middle SchoolOlympia
  • Windz of Change AllianceSeattle
  • Gesa Power House TheatreWalla Walla
  • Sno-Isle LibrariesCoupeville
  • Washington State LibraryConnell and Snoqualmie
  • Whatcom County Library SystemEverson
  • Kittitas County Historical MuseumEllensburg
  • Greater Kent Historical SocietyKent
  • Senior Services for South SoundOlympia
  • ReVision ArtsSeattle
  • Timberland Regional LibraryWestport
  • Longview Public LibraryLongview
  • Pierce County Library SystemParkland and Spanaway
  • Anacortes Public LibraryAnacortes
  • Coyote Ridge Corrections CenterConnell
  • Echo Glen Children's CenterIssaquah
  • Seattle KrakenNational anthem
Upcoming talks
  • October 20, 2026, 2:00 pmPort Gamble S'Klallam Longhouse, Kingston
  • October 24, 2026, 1:00 pmMuseum of Northwest Art, La Conner
  • November 4, 2026, 6:00 pmAnacortes Public Library, Anacortes (in person and on Zoom)
John Halliday raising his hand drum as he sings, an American flag beside him
Singing with his hand drum for the Eliza Jane Meeker Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, Puyallup, October 2026.

Tobi IversonManager
tobiiverson@gmail.com

Book John

Bring John to your event.

Fees are shared on request. A limited number of community engagements are offered each year to organizations with limited budgets, as John's schedule allows.