Menominee Tribal Enterprises Appoints Paula Rabideaux to Board Vacancy

Menominee Tribal Enterprises appointed Paula Rabideaux to fill a board vacancy at the Jan. 29, 2026 MTE board meeting, the enterprise said in a newsletter. The appointment followed the resignation of a previous board member, and the newsletter points readers to the February 9 print edition of Menominee Nation N for further detail; the newsletter itself does not name the departing member or provide terms or vote information.

Rabideaux brings a long record in education and cultural work to the role. Her Menominee name appears in source materials in two forms — Kamewanukiw and Kaméwanukiw — and “Her Menominee name, Kamewanukiw, translates to Rain Woman.” She is identified as a Turtle Clan member of the Menominee Nation and as a Menominee educator and leader in state event materials.

Her academic and professional background is broad. “She has degrees in American Indian Studies, Early Childhood Elementary Education, Business Marketing, and is currently in the UWGB First Nations Education Doctoral Program,” according to biographical material. Professionally, Rabideaux was announced by the Information Technology Academy at the University of Wisconsin–Madison as a new Tribal Sites Manager: “Information Technology Academy (ITA) is pleased to welcome Paula Rabideaux as a new Tribal Sites Manager.” The ITA program is described as a “Pre-college tech initiative serving high school students in the Lac du Flambeau, Madison & Oneida communities.” Source profiles also note roughly 25 years of work in education with roles including teacher, cultural coordinator, cultural resources specialist, and culturally responsive practices coordinator, and state that she has worked at local, state and national levels as a consultant and presenter on Native American culture, history, education, curriculum development and culturally responsive practices.

On public platforms Rabideaux has been positioned as a cultural convener. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction event notice described her role at an Educational Equity Fall Institute: “We will begin our morning with Menominee Educator and Leader, Kaméwanukiw Paula Rabideaux, who will lead us in grounding through ancestral homage and wisdom. This will set the foundation for understanding and honoring Indigenous knowledge as we engage with the day's learning.” University material also highlighted her community teaching: “As a lifelong teacher and culture keeper she enjoys educating both youth and adults around aspects of indigenous history and education, culture, language, crafts and storytelling.” One biographical excerpt contains a truncation: she enjoys “participating in various [...] University of Wisconsin–Madison.”

The DPI notice that featured Rabideaux also included unrelated grant and state education items that signal the broader policy context in which tribal education leaders operate. That notice noted that “Any public school district, tribal school, private school, independent (2r and 2x) charter school, or consortia may apply for an opioid prevention grant,” and that “Up to $50,000 per grant, depending upon enrollment and type of organization will be allocated.” The same DPI posting referenced state-level education events and coverage touching on cybersecurity and historical treatment of Indigenous children in boarding schools.

Menominee residents should note two practical points: the MTE newsletter provides the official appointment date of Jan. 29, 2026, but it does not supply the name or reason for the prior member’s resignation, nor does it specify whether Rabideaux’s appointment is interim or for a full term. Readers looking for more detail should consult the February 9 print edition of Menominee Nation N and watch for MTE board minutes or a follow-up statement from Menominee Tribal Enterprises. Rabideaux’s combination of cultural leadership, long experience in education, and current doctoral study makes her appointment one to watch as local conversations about education, youth programs, and cultural preservation continue.