Jo Troxell

Jo Troxell, Wahsawnimikeekwe (Distant Thunder Woman), she/her, is Potawatomi and an enrolled member of the Hannahville Indian Community in Michigan – Anishinaabewaakiing (the land of the Anishishinabeg) – where she was raised. She holds a B.A. from Michigan State University, where she majored in Arts and Humanities with a concentration in Community Engagement as a charitable STARR Foundation Scholar.

Jo is passionate about community and is dedicated to working in spaces that are community-led and community-based, especially those that advocate for and contribute to the betterment of Native people. Through her personal, academic, and professional experiences, she has surrounded herself in environments where cultural and collaborative leading practices are centered. Professionally, she has contributed to Native departments and Native-focused projects across several outreach organizations, including MSU Extension, MSU Center for Community and Economic Development, and the MSU Native American Institute. Jo also brings a strong background in community engagement, including experience leading art workshops in adult and youth incarceration facilities and organizing community events as a student organization leader. She believes that unity and collaboration are essential to meaningful and impactful work—values she brings to her role within NABS as a descendant of boarding school survivors.

Jo also enjoys reading literary fiction and romance, writing poetry and prose, and napping with her cat.