Frances Kay Wallis (born ) is an American ( Gwichyaa Gwichʼin)

traditional healer A folk healer is an unlicensed person who practices the art of healing using traditional practices, herbal remedies and the power of suggestion. Origin The term "folk" was traditionally associated with medical and healing practices that were ...

and former politician. She is a tribal doctor with the

Southcentral Foundation Southcentral Foundation (SCF) is an Alaska Native healthcare organization established by Cook Inlet Region, Inc. (CIRI) in 1982. Its objective is to improve the health and social conditions of Alaska Native and American Indian people by promoting ...

. Wallis was a Democratic member of the

Alaska House of Representatives The Alaska House of Representatives is the lower house in the Alaska State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. The House is composed of 40 members, each of whom represents a district of approximately 17,756 people pe ...

from the 24th district from 1985 to 1990.

Life

Wallis was born in

Fort Yukon, Alaska Fort Yukon (''Gwichyaa Zheh'' in Gwich'in) is a city in the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska, straddling the Arctic Circle. The population, predominantly Gwich'in Alaska Natives, was 428 at the 2020 census, down from 59 ...

. She was raised in the

foster care Foster care is a system in which a minor has been placed into a ward, group home ( residential child care community or treatment centre), or private home of a state- certified caregiver, referred to as a "foster parent", or with a family mem ...

system. Wallis is a member of the Gwichyaa Zhee Gwich'in Tribe. She earned a B.S. at the

University of Alaska Fairbanks The University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF or Alaska) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-, National Sea Grant College Program, sea-, and National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program, space-grant research university in ...

. Wallis has held various roles including being a college recruiter for the

Tanana Chiefs Conference The Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC), the traditional tribal consortium of the 42 villages of Interior Alaska, is a non-profit organization that works toward meeting the needs and challenges for more than 10,000 Alaska Natives (mostly Alaskan Atha ...

, a legislative aide in the Alaska State Legislature, and an advocate for the Gwichyaa Gwich'in Tribal Government. She has also been involved in service organizations like

Court Appointed Special Advocates Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is a national association in the United States that supports and promotes court-appointed advocates for abused or neglected children. CASA are volunteers from the community who complete training that ha ...

(CASA) and Family Centered Services. Wallis, a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

, was elected a member of the

from the 24th district based in Fort Yukon. In 1985, she succeeded Vernon L. Hurlbert. In the 1980s, she introduced a resolution advocating for the return of

Native Alaskan Native may refer to: People * '' Jus sanguinis'', nationality by blood * '' Jus soli'', nationality by location of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Nat ...

remains from the

Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums, Education center, education and Research institute, research centers, created by the Federal government of the United States, U.S. government "for the increase a ...

. The resolution, which successfully passed the Alaska legislature and received the

governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

's signature, was part of Wallis' broader effort to assist Native Alaskans in reclaiming approximately 6,000 ancestral remains currently held by the Smithsonian. Wallis viewed this legislative achievement as a critical first step in addressing the ongoing repatriation of Indigenous remains. She served until 1990 when she was succeeded by

Georgianna Lincoln Georgianna Lincoln (born February 22, 1943) is an American politician and businesswoman. Born in Fairbanks, Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska, Lincoln graduated from Lathrop High School (Alaska), Lathrop High School in Fairbanks in 1960. She went to Un ...

. Wallis is recognized for her contributions to both state governance and Indigenous advocacy in Alaska. Wallis is a

. As of 2023, Wallis is a tribal doctor in the

's traditional healing clinic.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wallis, F Kay Living people Year of birth missing (living people) 20th-century Alaska Native people 21st-century Alaska Native people People from Fort Yukon, Alaska University of Alaska Fairbanks alumni Legislative staff Alaska Native women Democratic Party members of the Alaska House of Representatives Native American state legislators in Alaska Women state legislators in Alaska 20th-century American women politicians 20th-century Native American women 20th-century Native American politicians 21st-century Native American women Indigenous American traditional healers 1940s births 20th-century members of the Alaska Legislature American Gwich'in people

Life

See also

References