Virgil Masayesva was a member of the Hopi tribe and the Director of the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals at Northern Arizona University from it's inception in 1992 until his passing in 2005. Virgil is commemorated for his leadership, dedication, innovation and commitment to the support of tribal air programs; their creation, development, advancement and ultimate success in promoting tribal sovereignty, tribal culture and tribal environmental protection. This award was developed to recognize and perpetuate continuing contributions to that legacy. To learn more about the Virgil Masayesva Environmental Excellence Award and previous awardees please visit the TAMS site.

Joe Hostler is an Indigenous Scientist with the Yurok Tribe Environmental Department located in extreme northwest California. He is an enrolled Member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde with additional ancestry from the Tolowa, Yurok, & Karuk Tribes of NW California. He is a Traditional Cultural Practitioner and has a B.S. in Tribal Natural Resource Management Planning & Policy from Humboldt State University. He is also an eager student of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and works to bridge TEK with Western Science. Joe has managed the Yurok Tribe’s Air Quality Program since 2008 conducting Monitoring, Adminstrative, Implementation, and Education and Outreach duties. He has contributed to the Yurok Tribe’s Treatment As a State status for Clean Air Act Sections 105 and 505(a)(2) and manages the Tribe’s Burn permit program exersizing the Tribe’s Soverign Inherent Regulatory Authority under the Tribes Air Quality Ordinance and Smoke Management Regulations. He also diligently collaborates with multiple neighboring Tribal, Federal, and State Agencies during annual wildfire smoke emergencies to help protect the health and welfare of the Reservation community and Plant and Animal relatives.  He also assists with the advancment of Tribal Cultural Burning, Tribal Climate Change Adaptation Planning and Research, and contributing to the Yurok Tribe’s ambitious landscape restoration activities. Joe takes pride in gathering knowledge from Tribal Elders and passing this knowledge onto Tribal Youth. He is happily married and the proud father of four kids. He is thankful to have completed many Tribal Air Monitoring Support Center and American Indian Air Quality Training Program course building his capacity in Air Quality and Climate Change fields. He is humbled and honored to be selected for the Virgil Masayesva Tribal Air Programs Excellence Award.

Johna began her career in air quality with the Nez Perce Tribe Air Quality Program (Program) as an ITEP summer intern in 2004 and became an employee in March 2005. Her initial tasks were assisting the Program prepare and then implement their delegated EPA Federal Air Rules for Reservations (FARR) smoke management program, which applies to 19,000 residents and businesses on the Nez Perce Reservation. Today she conducts field coordination duties with agricultural burners, assists with Air Quality Advisories, and leads #SmokeReady activities. One of Johna’s main responsibilities is providing air quality outreach and education. Through classes and presentations, she’s directly reached tens of thousands of children and adults. She’s also mentored the next generation of AQ professionals by hosting 16 high school and college interns.

Johna received training on indoor air quality and building walk-throughs early on. Collaborating with universities and agencies, she’s conducted site management of seven collaborative indoor environment and health research projects. She appreciates the nearly 120 Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) families that welcomed her into their homes for wood stove and asthma studies, resulting in home and community-level changes (including start-up costs for a firewood bank). Since 2021, Johna leads an air quality partnership with nine public libraries that host PurpleAir sensors, participate in the AQ Flag Program, display DIY filter fans, and recently distributed radon test kits. In coordination with Tribal Housing, she’s tested 90 tribal homes for radon in the last year. Her newest project will be working with partners to upgrade 14 public buildings through the EPA Wildfire Smoke Preparedness in Community Buildings grant program. She currently sits on four regional and national workgroups.

One of Johna’s personal passions is building relationships to engage people in creating healthier indoor and outdoor environments. She loves that her work is centered around public health protection and action. Her favorite endeavors are seasonal tree walks with second graders and leading non-toxic “green” cleaning activities. A little-known fact is that Johna got engaged during an IAQ Tools for Schools Symposium. Johna is deeply grateful to work for Mother Earth and the Nez Perce Tribe, for the support and friendship of her coworkers, and for the entire tribal air community.