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Member:  Special Trustee's Advisory Board

Donald Fred Matt

Donald Fred Matt has held since January 2007 the position of Executive Director for the Native American Fish and Wildlife Society, a national tribal organization that incorporated in 1983 as a national communications network for self-determined tribal fish and wildlife management.

Mr. Matt is a former Chairman of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes are comprised of the Bitterroot Salish, the Pend d’Oreille, and the Kootenai tribes. His tribal affiliation is Pend d’ Oreille. Mr. Matt served on the tribal council for more than 16 years. Prior to serving on the council, he was the Wildlands Manager for the tribe. Due to lack of time when he took on the position of Chairman, he sold his Flathead Raft Company. He maintains ownership of Little Fred’s, a construction and snow plowing business.

Growing up in the town of St. Ignatius in northwest Montana, Mr. Matt had a desire to make a difference for the people of the community and to improve reservation life. He served on the St. Ignatius School Board (its first and only tribal member to date) for six years. He was President of the Intertribal Timber Council from 1989-1990 and again from 1999-2001. In 19xx, the Salish Kootenai College presented him with an honorary diploma in Native American Arts.

Mr. Matt and his wife, Tammy, have seven daughters and 15 grandchildren. Mr. Matt’s pastimes, which he often pursues accompanied by some of his grandchildren, are hunting and fishing. He is involved in church music ministry and sings at church functions and funerals.