Lynn Malerba '83
Hail to the Chief
Lynn Malerba ’83 built a successful career in nursing administration only to leave it and bring her expertise into service for her people. In 2009, she began her tenure as Chairwoman of the Mohegan Tribe; in 2010, she was named Chief of Tribe, a lifetime appointment. Malerba looks to the future with the full knowledge of her people’s past.
Mohegan Past
Before the casino — with its vast gaming and entertainment options, 30,000 daily visitors, and wealth of resources — there were the people. People like Lynn Malerba, her mother Loretta Roberge, and nearly 1800 others — members of the seemingly forgotten Mohegan Tribe. Life then, only a few decades past, was vastly different than it is now. “Over the years, our tribal resources had been diminished from 20,000 acres to half an acre. All we had was that little piece of land and the church,” Lynn recalled. “Even our burial grounds were desecrated. One was excavated to build a Masonic temple and the other was converted into a state park. “
To most living in the state of Connecticut, the Mohegan Tribe was a thing of the past, a quaint footnote in the history books. But to members of the small, but banded tribal community, theirs was a living, breathing culture. The Mohegan Church was, and is, the center of the tribal community.
Fight for Federal Recognition
Loretta recalls the tribal council meetings of the past where “we passed the hat and everyone put in what they could. Those were the funds that kept us going.” Loretta served on the council for 30 years and was pivotal in the Tribe’s fight for federal recognition. Loretta was motivated, in large part, to buy back the burial grounds. Federal recognition, a complicated and rigorous process reviewed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, was the best option. After years of work, the Tribe achieved federal recognition in 1994 and was decreed a sovereign nation. The burial grounds were subsequently bought back for $3 million.
Career Path
Lynn never set her sight on tribal leadership, but knew she would always be part of the community. After high school, she attended Hartford Hospital’s School of Nursing and became an R.N. She enrolled in Saint Joseph College’s R.N.-to-B.S.N. program, where she quickly grew to appreciate the faculty’s interactions with students. “I especially loved my elective courses and almost minored in Philosophy. The way that the professors connected with students led to a superior education,” Lynn said. “I loved the class discussions. They taught me to see both sides of an argument and to listen in order to see where someone with a different viewpoint is coming from. It’s a skill that has served me well in my career.”
Lynn worked in cardiac care, eventually becoming the director of cardiology and pulmonary services at Lawrence and Memorial Hospital in New London. “My goal was to earn a master’s degree and become the vice president of patient care services,” she said. Along the way she married, had two daughters, and donated her expertise to the Tribe when issues pertaining to health care arose.
A Leader among Leaders
In 1997, the Tribal Council asked Lynn to serve as director of the health and human services department. “I struggled with the idea of giving up my career at the hospital, but felt it essential to contribute to the success of my tribal community,” she said. During her 12-year tenure, Lynn created myriad programs and earned a master’s degree in Public Administration from UConn. When her mother retired from the Tribal Council, Lynn decided to follow in her footsteps and was voted to serve as vice chair. She ran for re-election last fall and was elected as the Tribe’s first female chair.
First Woman Chief in 300+ Years
Five months into Lynn’s term, the Council of Elders named her Chief of the Tribe, making her the first woman to hold the position in more than 300 years. The Chief’s job is a lifetime appointment.
Serving her people is an honor Lynn takes to heart: “I will represent the best wishes of my people to the best of my ability. I will ensure that our planning considers the wisdom of our elders 13 generations back to Uncas and addresses the long term goals of 13 generations to come.”
Lynn is firm in her commitment to secure the future of the Tribe’s culture — one that her mother and others so diligently brought back from the brink of dissolution.
