Our Leadership

Every member in our party's leadership donates their personal time, energy, and resources to the growth and progress of "The People's Party".

None of these members nor the executive director receive a salary to do the people's work.

The work they've done for many years is truly a labour of love. All for the love of our people, and our beautiful Marianas.

Annie Terlaje Pickelsimer

Chairwoman

Luella I. Marciano

Vice Chair

Vice chair Luella Ichihara Marciano, M.Ed., began her tenure as secretary of the party in 2020. A retired PSS educator, Marciano ran for office in 2020 and has since remained a loyal member of the party. She serves on the Women’s Committee, the Logistics Committee, and the Strategy Committee, all while remaining active in our community as a member of Refaluwasch for Good Governance and the Friends of San Isidro. In February 2024, Governor Arnold Palacios appointed her as the Acting Resident Executive for the Indigenous Affairs Office.

Jonathan P. Cabrera

Acting 2nd Vice Chair

Acting 2nd Vice Chair Jonathan Pangelinan Del Rosario Cabrera has been a member of the party since 2010 and has served as party secretary twice. A 2012 CNMI Public School System Teacher of the Year, Cabrera has taught students at Saipan Southern High School and the Northern Marianas College and recently completed a Master of Divinity at Brite Divinity School (Fort Worth, Texas). Cabrera is proud to be the first queer person to lead a major political party in the CNMI.

Vacant

Secretary

Emelia "Meling" Chargualaf

Treasurer

Shawna Indalecio

Assistant Treasurer

Interim treasurer Shawna Indalecio has over 15 years of experience in administrative and customer service, and in financial management. She has been actively engaged in various community-based and volunteer organizations and remains committed to her community and to public service. She looks forward to doing her part to better the CNMI and serve her people as a leader in the Democratic Party.

Nola Hix

Executive Director

After three years at the helm of the Democratic Party of the Northern Mariana Islands, Nola Kileleman Hix relocated to Guam, and stepped down as party chair to Executive Director. The year 2020 was seen as one of the greatest political success stories in the CNMI, and for Democrats across the country as Hix’s transformative leadership resulted in the election of 9 Democrats across the House and Senate. The CNMI was under Republican rule for over three decades to where the NMI Democrats went from 0 to 12 forming a democratic/independent super-majority in both the House and Senate.

Mike White

DNC National Committeeman

Michael White serves as the party’s National Committeeman. For the first time in DNC history, a committeeman from the territories was elected to two DNC councils, the Seniors and Climate Councils. White was also elected to an at-large position within the DNC’s Western Caucus.