Chehalis Tribal Chairman Dustin Klatush has resigned, a Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation spokesperson confirmed with The Chronicle Wednesday.
Klatush had been chairman of the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation since November 2022.
He also served as a commissioner on the Chehalis Tribal Gaming Commission, the tribal regulatory entity that oversees the Chehalis Tribe’s gaming activities, from November 2012 through January 2025. He additionally served on the Chehalis Tribal Housing Board and owns a construction business.
Klatush was named The Chronicle’s 2025 Person of the Year for the work he has done as chairman to benefit his community.
When interviewed for the Person of the Year feature in February 2026, Klatush said he wanted himself and his team to be remembered for supporting their tribal community and boosting a message of positivity and growth.
“Remember our team, not just me. Remember us. We’re continuing to get work done. That’s my goal every day. I’m gonna bust my ass no matter what,” he said. “I’m gonna treat every day like it’s my last day in this chair.”
Klatush published a post to his personal Instagram page on Tuesday, July 7, including a selfie taken in his office at Chehalis Tribal Headquarters in Oakville.
The caption reads, “New Me! Family first! Let’s get it! Love my family and friends and every one of y’all that have supported me and my family.”
The Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation previously confirmed that it was looking into allegations that Klatush engaged in unprofessional conduct while in Arizona early last month. It’s not clear if those allegations played a role in his resignation.
The allegations stemmed from a social media post made on Monday, June 1, describing alleged behavior by Klatush and four other unidentified men inside a store in Chandler, Arizona.
The post alleged that Klatush was intoxicated and acted inappropriately towards a female employee.
Klatush was reportedly in Arizona to attend an event at the Rawhide Western Town and Event Center.
“We know many of you are concerned. Any question involving the integrity of our leadership deserves immediate attention. The alleged conduct does not represent our Tribe’s values,” The Chehalis Tribe stated in a June 2 news release.
At the time, the tribe stated, “We will take appropriate next steps after doing further due diligence.”
