Lois Landgrebe was born in Seattle, WA. Her family name on her mother’s side are the Henrys. Lois’ maternal grandmother was Duwamish from the Jackson family and a descendant of Chief Seattle. On her birth father's side, Mrs. Landgrebe is also Nez Perce. She attended Wenatchee Valley Community College and Antioch University & furthered her education with a bachelor's degree in liberal studies and minor in Elementary Education. Miss Lois has worked with several tribal language departments with instructing & assisting in language revitalization. 

She has had the rare privilege of working with all three folks on the Lushootseed Dictionary. She was the first Tulalip tribal member to be hired into Lushootseed language program under the Tulalip Cultural Resources Department in Sept 1994. Mrs. Landgrebe didn’t grow up with her people.  She met her birthmother, Carol McKay, and learned of history, stories & cultural teachings during her Lushootseed work time.