Jacque Demko

Jacque, sakaa’A Hiraxaat, is an enrolled member of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation and a descendent of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe. She joined First Nations as a Grants Officer in January 2020 and transitioned to the Stewarding Native Lands program in 2022. Currently, she serves as a Stewarding Native Land’s Director and leads the Climate and Environmental Sovereignty and Justice Initiatives.

Jacque Demko received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with a concentration in environmental science from Stetson University. Post-graduation, she served as a Peace Corps education volunteer in Uganda. Upon completing her Peace Corps service, she earned a Master of Science degree in Biology with a concentration in Ecology and Evolution from the University of South Florida. Her research focused on the impacts of land use on stream stability and benthic invertebrate health. Before joining First Nations, Jacque taught college, high school, and middle school science courses. In her role as an educator, she also focused on increasing college access for reservation-based Native American high school students. She also has experience in environmental research and assisted community-led monitoring efforts in the Mekong River Basin.

Jacque has a strong interest in protecting the rights of Native peoples and expanding their educational, environmental, and economic opportunities. In her spare time, she enjoys running and traveling.