# Shelley Buck *American nonprofit executive and member of the Minnesota House of Representatives (District 47A)* Shelley Buck (Dakota name: Pte Wicota) is a nonprofit executive and a member of the [[Minnesota House of Representatives]], where she holds the District 47A seat.[^1] Since January 2023 she has been president of Owámniyomni Okhódayapi, a [[Dakota]]-led community group formerly called Friends of the Falls. The group's work centers on restoring Owámniyomni.[^1] Her earlier public service was in tribal government. She sat on the Prairie Island Tribal Council for 12 years and was its president for six of them.[^1] She is an enrolled member of the [[Prairie Island Indian Community]].[^2] [[Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger]] won a November 2025 special election to the [[Minnesota Senate]]. Buck then ran for the District 47A House seat, won the DFL nomination, and was unopposed in the general election. She was sworn in on February 3, 2026.[^3] ## Education Buck earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting at Indiana University Bloomington. She later completed a Master of Arts in sports management at [[Concordia University, St. Paul]] and a Master of Jurisprudence in Indian tribal law at the University of Tulsa.[^4] ## Career ### Prairie Island Tribal Council Buck spent 12 years on the council of the Prairie Island Indian Community and served as the tribe's president during that tenure. The record's summary puts her time as president at six years.[^2] ### Owámniyomni Okhódayapi Buck took the presidency of Owámniyomni Okhódayapi in 2023. That year the founders of the nonprofit, then named Friends of the Falls, handed control of it to Dakota members.[^2] Under her leadership the group is working to restore the land around the Upper Lock at St. Anthony Falls on the [[Mississippi River]]. It seeks to make the site a place for education, healing and cultural connection.[^2] ### Minnesota House of Representatives Buck began her House campaign in District 47A after Hemmingsen-Jaeger's November 2025 special-election win to the Senate. She listed affordability, environmental protection and gun safety as her three leading issues.[^3] In the three-candidate DFL primary she received 87% of the vote against advocates David Azcona and Juli Servatius. No opponent appeared on the general-election ballot.[^3] She took the oath of office on February 3, 2026, together with [[Meg Luger-Nikolai]], who had also won a January special election.[^3] ## Personal life Buck has two daughters and lives in the South Maplewood area.[^5] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Shelley Buck* (revision 1365783328, retrieved 2026-10-26), lead section — establishes her Dakota name, District 47A House seat, presidency of Owámniyomni Okhódayapi since January 2023, and 12 years on the Prairie Island Tribal Council including six as president. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelley_Buck [^2]: Wikipedia contributors, *Shelley Buck* (revision 1365783328, retrieved 2026-10-26), "Career" section — establishes her enrollment in the Prairie Island Indian Community, her tribal council service, and the 2023 leadership transition and restoration work of Owámniyomni Okhódayapi. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelley_Buck [^3]: Wikipedia contributors, *Shelley Buck* (revision 1365783328, retrieved 2026-10-26), "Minnesota House of Representatives" subsection — establishes the November 2025 Senate special election, her campaign issues, the 87% DFL primary result, the uncontested general election, and the February 3, 2026 swearing-in. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelley_Buck [^4]: Wikipedia contributors, *Shelley Buck* (revision 1365783328, retrieved 2026-10-26), "Education" section — establishes her three degrees and the institutions that granted them. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelley_Buck [^5]: Wikipedia contributors, *Shelley Buck* (revision 1365783328, retrieved 2026-10-26), "Personal life" section — establishes her residence area and her two daughters. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelley_Buck