Operation Lady Justice: Engaging Volunteers in Missing Indigenous People Cases

Marcia Good currently serves as the Executive Director of the Presidential Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives, also know as Operation Lady Justice.  Since 2013, Marcia has been Senior Counsel to the Director of the Office of Tribal Justice, within the Department of Justice, working with Tribes and on issues in Indian Country in the areas of victim's rights, criminal law and access to databases.  She served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Montana from 1999-2013, prosecuting cases in Indian Country, as well as child exploitation matters while serving as the Project Safe Childhood Coordinator for the District.  Marcia has also worked as a Deputy County Attorney for 7 years in Yellowstone County Montana, as well as a Guardian Ad Litem for children in Youth Court cases.  She has been an attorney for 31 years, graduating from the University of Colorado School of Law in 1989.  

Matthew Lysakowski is the Senior Advisor for Tribal Affairs at the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office). In this role, Matt works to coordinate both internal and external tribal issues for the COPS Office, including development and implementation of the Department of Justice's Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation, coordination with other government agencies on policies and procedures affecting tribes, and conducting outreach activities to tribes. Matt also assists Operation Lady Justice, the Presidential Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Native, with engaging tribal law enforcement. Prior to this position Matt was a Social Science Analyst in the Research and Development Division (R&D) of the COPS Office. Matt focused on several issue areas in R&D including tribal policing, policing underserved populations, and fear of crime. Prior to his 20 years of service at the COPS Office, Matt worked for the Texas Regional Community Policing Institute and has experience as a law enforcement officer with the National Park Service.  He holds a M.A. in Criminal Justice and Criminology from Sam Houston State University and a B.S. in Criminal Justice from West Chester University, as well as Native American Studies Certificate from Montana State University.

Ernst H. Weyand is a retired FBI Special Agent who specialized in the investigation of violent crime. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military Academy (West Point) and has spent over 30 years in service to the United States Government. After his graduation from West Point, Mr. Weyand served as an officer in the United States Army followed by a 22-year career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). During his FBI career, Mr. Weyand served 19 years as a Special Agent, Supervisory Special Agent, Unit Chief, and Regional Supervisor working with indigenous people and tribal communities throughout the United States. Additionally, Mr. Weyand served as a member of the FBI's national Child Abduction Rapid Deployment (CARD) Team, Assistant FBI Legal Attache in Southeast Asia, and as the FBI's Chief overseeing and directing its nationwide Indian Country and Crimes Against Children programs. 

Renee Bourque is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma. Renee currently serves as the Program Manager for the Tribal Resource Tool for the National Center for Victims of Crime. Renee was appointed by Principle Chief of The Muscogee Creek Nation as a member of the Mvskoke Reservation Protection Commission. Renee previously served as a federal Victim Specialist with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in the Great Plains Region (District I), overseeing the BIA's Victim Assistance Program throughout North and South Dakota and Nebraska. Renee has held previous positions as a sworn police officer in Oklahoma (tribal and state), tribal domestic violence/sexual assault advocate, and a state investigator for the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System.  Renee is also a Tribal Court Legal Advocate, certified by the National Tribal Trial College and University of Wisconsin Law School. Renee has over 16 years of experience dealing with victims of crime in Indian Country, working on several different reservations including Oklahoma's complex checkerboard jurisdiction. She is a subject matter expert with the International Chiefs of Police Association regarding issues of crimes against women in Indian Country.  She has extensive knowledge and experience of assisting victims of violent crime, with an emphasis on crimes against women and children in tribal, state, and Federal court settings.  Renee's experience as an advocate and law enforcement officer, provides a unique perspective on systems response in addressing victim's needs. Renee hopes to use her experience and perspective to raise awareness of the unique issues facing victims of violent crime in Indian Country.   Renee holds a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from St. Gregory's University, Shawnee, OK and a Master's of Science Degree Human Resources (Criminal Justice) from East Central University, Ada, OK. Renee has worked on projects such as the Maze of Injustice with Amnesty International and has been one of the leading voices for Native victims in Oklahoma. Renee has held several different positions on many community and national boards, and has also received letter of acknowledgment from the South Dakota United States Attorney's Office for work conducted on Pine Ridge Reservation. One of the highlights of Renee's career was to receive an honoring ceremony from the Oglala Sioux Tribal Prosecutor, Tatewin Means and Oglala Lakota Children's Justice Center for service to victims on Pine Ridge Reservation.