STRONG Women’s Voices

If the Coeur d’Alene Tribe and roughly all its 800 casino-resort team members are a family, then leading that family is a woman with decades of experience fostering empathy.

Laura Penney, CEO of the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel, who took the job in late 2019 and is the first woman in that role, has been with the casino from the very beginning 30 years ago. All that existed then was an idea to open a bingo hall in a rural area on U.S. Route 95 south of Coeur d’Alene.

Penney is not the only woman CEO leading a tribal enterprise, but executive roles have long been male dominated both in and out of Indian Country. What Penney brings is more than experience since the tribe’s venture into gaming. She brings a commitment to helping her tribe and mentoring those around her.

“I’ve had a tumultuous life,” Penney says. “In my distant past, I have survived domestic violence. I have grown a lot. It has motivated me to be independent, to reach my goals; I got my master’s degree. I am truly here invested in my tribe. What we’re doing is affecting generations to come. My belief in this process has gotten me through all of this. I’m willing to put in the work and the time. It has made me stronger and better.”

Penney’s leadership presence comes with other women in critical roles, including Yvette Matt, Margaret SiJohn, Molly Abrahamson, Dee Smith and CarylDene Swan, among many others.

One person who directly credits Penney’s influence is marketing director Yvette Matt, who’s in the position Penney previously held. Matt has been working with the tribe for 20 years, having grown up off the reservation and thinking she’d only work at the casino briefly before moving on and out to a larger area with more opportunities.

“Laura has been my mentor the majority of my life,” Matt says of her boss, who she credits with being the reason she has stayed for so long. “[Laura] has empathy and drive and strength. When I came on, I definitely had drive and strength, but I didn’t have empathy. Laura taught me that.”

Beyond the casino’s leadership, the Coeur d’Alenes have another notable womenled initiative: a drum group.

The Rose Creek Singers is an all-women ensemble — a rarity among Native American tribes.

Having such a group isn’t just notable for the tribe, it’s key to advancing and preserving their culture for generations to come.

“I say it’s good medicine,” Penney says. 

Charity is everywhere. Name a topic about which you’re passionate, and there’s likely a nonprofit group working in that area that needs your help. The way people donate to charitable causes is changing. You can now text a number and donate to disaster relief. Many stores partner with nonprofits to ask customers to donate when they buy something.

Guests of the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel can do the same by donating the value of their winnings to a charity. Many people don’t care to cash out the value of their gaming ticket when they consider it a small amount