Marilynn “Lynn” Malerba ’08 MPA, chief of the Mohegan tribe and newly appointed U.S. Treasurer (courtesy of the Mohegan tribe).
Lynn Malerba ’08 The MPA became the first female chief of the Mohegan tribe in modern history in 2010 and in that role she regularly uses the lessons she learned in UConn’s master’s program in public administration.
She will now take her UConn degree to the national stage, as President Joe Biden recently named her treasurer of the United States. She will be the first Indian to hold this position.
“I am honored to have been elected to the position of Treasurer,” Malerba says. “Since I became mayor, I have worked a lot on politics at the federal level. I worked a lot on politics and issues about the economic development of the tribe and how we could improve some of the processes. ”
Malerba initially gained experience in the Treasury Department when she was appointed to the Tribal Advisory Committee Treasury.
“Tribes are different from other local municipalities and state governments because we don’t tax our citizens to provide services, we depend on economic development,” she says. “We want to make sure we are able to level the playing field in terms of what the tribes are able to do compared to what the municipalities are able to do.”
Malerba will remain chief of the Mohegan tribe as he holds his new role under Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.
“I think the most important role of the treasurer is community development and engagement,” Malerba says. “It’s really an understanding of what communities are looking for and what some of the obstacles are. It is then my responsibility to present and articulate these issues to the Secretary so that we can work together on good politics.
“The most unique role of the treasurer is to be the ambassador of the secretary and senior management in the treasury, but also to be the ambassador of the communities we serve, so I see a real duality here.”
As treasurer, Malerba will also oversee the newly established Office for Tribal and Indigenous Affairs, which will house staff directly dedicated to communicating with tribal peoples and a center for tribal policy.
“I am deeply honored that Chief Malerba will serve as treasurer and head the department’s new Tribal and Indigenous Affairs Office. This is a historic meeting, ”says Yellen. “Her leadership and experience will deepen our commitment to helping expand economic opportunities for all tribal communities.”
In addition, the Treasurer directly oversees the U.S. Mint, the Engraving and Printing Office, Fort Knox, and is a key liaison with the Federal Reserve.
Malerba had a long career as a nurse at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in New London, including the service of director of cardiology and pulmonary services.
She then joined the Mohegan tribal government as executive director of health and human services, and later served as president of the Tribal Council. She then enrolled in UConn’s MPA program.
“I spent my life in critical care and hospital administration when I started working for the tribe, so I thought it was important to get a master’s degree,” Malerba says. “Public policy and administration was actually a new role I was performing at the time, so I wanted to make sure I had the academic support to be effective. The UConn program was a really good experience for me. ”
Malerba completed her UConn studies by taking only one course per semester, which was typical of her professional and academic career.
“It seems like I’m working and going to school in tandem my whole life,” Malerba says. She also holds a degree in nursing from Saint Joseph University in West Hartford and a doctorate in nursing from Yale.
“The MPA program has raised my skill level in terms of how I evaluate and evaluate our programming and how I could develop a new program in the future,” Malerba says. “It has helped me a lot in economic policy.”
“I’ve known Lynn Malerba for many years, first at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital and most recently at the Mohegan Tribe where I work in the Behavioral Health Department of Family Services,” says Nancy G. M. Miner ’73 (NUR), ’78 MS. “Both as a nurse and as a presenter, Lynn is a compassionate, dedicated, brilliant woman. It is a great honor to know her and I know she will be an outstanding addition to the US Treasury Department. She has the resilience, creativity, and social and leadership skills to serve our nation well. ”
“As nurses, we are thrilled that Lynn Malerbe’s leadership continues to be recognized, now nationally, in her new role as United States Treasurer,” says UConn School of Nursing Dean Deborah Chyun. “It serves as a model for all nurses to become active in politics and public service.”
Malerba’s unique role as treasurer’s new position is that her signature will now appear on all paper currencies of the United States, along with Yellenin.
“My family is very excited about this and wants to frame one of each denomination,” Malerba says. “What’s really exciting is that Secretary Yellen is the first woman secretary of the treasury, so for the first time in our country’s history, two women will sign the currency. I think it’s really historical and revolutionary. “
