Tyson Johnston is the Chairman of the Board and Head of Development for Toptana Technologies, where he leads the enterprise development of Toptana and its subsea and terrestrial network solutions. He is also the Executive Director of Self Governance and former Vice President of the Quinault Indian Nation (QIN), having served in elected office for the past decade. 

Tyson has held several leadership positions on behalf of the Quinault Business Committee (QBC) throughout his career. As the largest employer in Gray’s Harbor County, WA, QIN owns and operates a variety of enterprises in forestry, fishing, hospitality, and retail. Within his roles on the Committee, Tyson has represented QIN enterprises and served as QIN’s primary spokesperson on issues of the digital divide, ESG, and climate change. As Chairperson of the Natural Resources and Community Development sub-committee and natural resources management, Tyson’s advocacy has provided a powerful firsthand perspective on how these global issues impact QIN’s local community and tribal nations as a whole. 

In addition to his work within the QBC, Tyson has an extensive government relations background. He served four years on QIN’s tribal council before being elected to the role of Vice President of QIN in 2015, alongside President Fawn Sharp. As Vice President, Tyson was responsible for leading tribal legislation, advocacy initiatives, and community outreach. Tyson’s legislative and policy advocacy has centered on issues of restorative justice, tribal self-governance, education reform, community development, food sovereignty, and technology advancement.

He has worked closely with local, state, and federal governments, forming collaborative government-to-government relationships with officials to effectively co-manage resources in the Pacific Northwest. 

Tyson is an alumnus of the University of Washington, where he studied Political Science and American Indian Studies. He is a life-long resident of Taholah, WA, the coastal headquarters of the Quinault Indian Nation’s Government.