Judges and Director Bios

Associate Judge Drent is a citizen of the Osage Nation of Oklahoma and a descendant of the Indigenous Chamorro (CHamoru) people of Guam. She obtained her B.A. from the University of California, Irvine and her J.D. with a certificate in Federal Indian Law from the Arizona State University Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law. Judge Drent has dedicated her legal education and twenty-year career to community-based services in tribal communities as expressions and exercises of tribal sovereignty.

Her primary experience as a practitioner was in dependency and community program development, including health care, social services, education, and tribal court development, evaluation, administration and operation. Prior to obtaining her legal education, she served as a court clerk for the Osage Nation Tribal Court, which fueled her interest in tribal justice and tribal court administration and operation. In 2006, while in private practice, she was appointed as an Associate Justice for the Osage Nation Supreme Court. In 2012, she was appointed Chief Justice of the Osage Nation Supreme Court.

She also serves as an appellate judge for the Northern California Tribal Court Coalition. In May 2021, the Tulalip Tribes Board of Directors appointed Judge Drent to the Tulalip Tribal Court as part-time Associate Judge, and she transitioned to a full-time Associate Judge in November 2021. She is on the Board of Directors for the Northwest Tribal Court Judges Association and the National American Indian Court Judge’s Association. Judge Drent is dedicated to the practice, protection, and enforcement of tribal self-governance and self-determination through an engagement with community values.

Joshua Heath is a full time Tulalip Tribal Court Associate Judge and citizen of the Chickasaw Nation. He received his bachelor’s degree Summa Cum Laude from Grand Canyon University and his J.D. from Regent University School of Law. He is admitted to practice law by the Washington State Bar, the Arizona State Bar, the Federal Bar – Arizona District, the Puyallup Tribal Bar, and the Nisqually Tribal Bar.

He started as a plaintiff’s and consumer bankruptcy attorney, and then became a criminal prosecutor in Glendale, Arizona. He first took the bench as a full time Associate Judge for the Colorado River Indian Tribes in Parker, Arizona, and was also the Chief Justice of the Yavapai Apache Nation Court of Appeals in Camp Verde, Arizona. Most recently, he was a full time Associate Judge for the Puyallup Tribal Court in Tacoma, Washington. In addition to serving for the Tulalip Tribal Court, he is currently an Associate Justice of the Makah Court of Appeals, and is an appellate panelist for the Chehalis Tribal Court. In addition, he is on the Northwest Intertribal Court System’s list of pro tem judges/justices.

Peter Boome is an enrolled member of the Upper Skagit Tribe.

Judge Boome earned his AA from Northwest Indian College, his BA, and MES from the Evergreen State College and his JD from the University of Washington School of Law.

As a student Judge Boome was part of the University of Washington public defense clinic. He served as the public defense attorney for the Healing to Wellness Court for five years here at Tulalip. Judge Boome served as a public defense attorney for Muckleshoot.

In his solo practice Judge Boome focuses on mediation, facilitation, alternative dispute resolution and Indian law.

Judge Boome is also a college professor teaching a wide range of courses. In addition to these pursuits Judge Boome is an established Coast Salish artist with art in many collections around the world.

Associate Judge Mark Pouley joined the Tulalip Tribal Court in September 2022 after serving as the Chief Judge of the Swinomish Tribal Court for over 18 years. He is also an Associate Justice of the Colville Court of Appeals and was formerly the Chief Judge of the Suak-Suiattle Tribal court. He is also a pro tem judge and appellate justice for the Northwest Intertribal Court System. Judge Pouley has been a pro tem judge for the Lummi Tribal Court and Court of appeals since 1996. He is a former member on the Washington State Gender and Justice Commission and currently participates in the Washington Tribal and State Court Consortium. Judge Pouley was a member of the Board of Directors of the National American Indian Court Judges Association and is a member of the Northwest Tribal Court Judges Association. Judge Pouley is an adjunct professor at Seattle U School of Law and previously taught at Everett Community College. Prior to taking the bench, Judge Pouley was in private practice as a partner in the law firm of Cole & Cole in Stanwood, WA. Judge Pouley earned a J.D. degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Michigan and his undergraduate degrees in political science and speech communication from Gonzaga University.

Christine Frausto is a full time Tulalip Tribal Court Associate Judge. She received her bachelor’s degree in English Education from Western Washington University and her J.D. from Seattle University. She worked as a public defender for 11 years, including at the Tulalip Tribal Court and Skagit County. Christine has represented adults and juveniles and worked to establish restorative justice courts in several communities. She has also served as a prosecutor, ensuring justice and accountability in the community. She is currently teaching in the Paralegal Program at Edmonds College. Christine is a life-long resident of Snohomish County.