Chief Mutáwi Mutáhash (Many Hearts) Lynn Malerba, who serves as treasurer of the United States, will give the keynote address at UNC Pembroke’s spring commencement ceremony.

The Graduate School ceremony will be held on May 5 and the undergraduate ceremony will be held on May 6. Both ceremonies will take place on the Quad between Livermore Library and Old Main. The ceremonies will also be livestreamed on the university’s YouTube channel. 

“I am honored to be selected as the 2023 commencement speaker for UNC Pembroke,” Malerba said in a press release. “The history of this university is incorporated into the students' lives in a very personal way. I appreciate the diversity of the student body, which reflects the university's commitment to stay true to its mission.”  

Malerba, chief of the Mohegan Tribe, was sworn in as U.S. Treasurer on September 12, 2022. She is the first Native American to serve as U.S. Treasurer.  

She became the 18th Chief of the Mohegan Tribe in 2010 and is the first female chief in the tribe’s modern history. The position is a lifetime appointment. Before becoming chief, she served as chairwoman of the tribal council and served in tribal government as the executive director of Health and Human Services.  

Preceding her work for the Mohegan Tribe, Malerba had a lengthy career as a registered nurse, ultimately as director of Cardiology and Pulmonary Services at Lawrence and Memorial Hospital. She earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice at Yale University, where she was named a Jonas Scholar. She was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science from Eastern Connecticut State University and an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of St. Joseph.  

She earned a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Connecticut, a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the College of St. Joseph, and a diploma in nursing from Hartford Hospital School of Nursing. Chief Malerba previously served as chair of the Tribal Self-Governance Advisory Committee of the Federal Indian Health Service, a member of the Justice Department’s Tribal Nations Leadership Council, a member of the Tribal Advisory Committee for the National Institute of Health, and a member of the Treasury Tribal Advisory Committee. 

Chief Malerba received the 2017 Distinguished Alumni Award at St. Joseph College and the Indian Health Services Nashville Area’s Directors Award for Excellence in 2011.  

“I’m delighted to welcome Chief Malerba as this year’s commencement speaker,” said Chancellor Robin Gary Cummings in a press release. “She exemplifies where determination and hard work lead, and I know her historic achievements and experiences will inspire our graduates. I look forward to hearing the advice and wisdom she shares with our students as they prepare to take the next step in their lives and careers.”