MaryJane Ides warmly greets everyone with, "ʔux̌u•aƛa•ksa•" (Hello everyone) and introduces herself as, "Ɂuquqɫas hupiyi·saqs" (I am called hupiyi·saqs).

Raised on the Makah Indian reservation, MaryJane takes pride in her Latina heritage. Growing up in close connection with her great-grandmother, Isabell Ides, one of the last fluent speakers of the Makah language, MaryJane carries the significance of the teachings passed down by her. Isabell Ides' lineage includes midwives and keepers of plant medicine knowledge, inspiring MaryJane and her sister Isabell to reclaim memories for the revitalization of Makah birth culture. Their mission extends to promoting healthy parenting based on traditional teachings and fostering meaningful connections to the past for a forward-looking future.

MaryJane earned her AA degree at Peninsula College and transitioned from her role at the Makah Museum to complete her BA in sociology at the University of Washington in Seattle. Subsequently, she pursued a Master of Arts in museology at UW in Seattle, focusing on educational connections with collections and their potential for community learning.

As a mother who experienced the sudden loss of her teenage son, MaryJane recognizes the need for culturally relevant and responsive resources, programming, and relationships to facilitate healing during grief and loss. Drawing from her own experiences, she empathizes with the diverse needs of Makah women, having been a pregnant woman, a mother raising a child, and now a woman navigating the world without her child.

In her leisure time, MaryJane indulges in watching Korean television (K-dramas) and is an avid reader of fantasy fiction by Indigenous authors. She prioritizes time and space for friends and family, believing that laughter and shared moments over delicious food serve as the best medicine.