Image credits: Wikimedia Commons
Deb Haaland
December 2, 1960
Winslow, Arizona, US
65 Years Old
Sagittarius
Who Is Deb Haaland?
Debra Anne Haaland is an American politician and an enrolled member of the Laguna Pueblo, holding a significant place in US governance. Her career is marked by a deep commitment to public service and the advocacy of Indigenous rights and environmental protection.
She rose to national prominence as one of the first two Native American women elected to the US Congress in 2018. This historic election paved the way for her groundbreaking appointment as the first Native American Cabinet Secretary in 2021.
Early Life and Education
Born in Winslow, Arizona, Debra Anne Haaland spent her childhood frequently moving as her father, John David Haaland, served in the US Marine Corps, while her mother, Mary Toya, was a US Navy veteran and Bureau of Indian Affairs employee. She maintained strong ties to her Laguna Pueblo heritage through her maternal grandparents.
Haaland attended thirteen public schools before graduating from Highland High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1978. She later earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of New Mexico in 1994, followed by a Juris Doctor in Indian law from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 2006, after raising her daughter as a single mother.
Notable Relationships
Over the past few years, Deb Haaland's relationship with Skip Sayre became public, leading to their marriage in August 2021 at the Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico. The ceremony incorporated traditional elements honoring her Native American ancestry.
Haaland has one child, a daughter named Somáh, whom she raised as a single mother. Her marriage to Sayre ended in divorce in February 2025, citing incompatibility.
Career Highlights
Debra Anne Haaland's career reached a historic milestone when she was sworn in as the 54th US Secretary of the Interior in March 2021. This made her the first Native American to serve in a Cabinet-level position in US history, overseeing vast public lands and tribal affairs.
Before her Cabinet role, Haaland served as a US Representative for New Mexico's 1st congressional district from 2019 to 2021, becoming one of the first two Native American women elected to Congress. In this role, she championed environmental justice, climate change, and the rights of Indigenous peoples, notably addressing murdered and missing Indigenous women.
Signature Quote
“The fact that I am standing here today as the first Indigenous cabinet secretary is testament to the strength and determination of Native people.”