Germaine Simonson

Germaine Simonson is an American and Navajo entrepreneur and politician serving as a member of the Navajo Nation Council since 2023. She is the owner of several businesses, including the Rocky Ridge Gas + Market in Hard Rock, Arizona, which provides fresh produce in the remote community. She advocates for support for Navajo-owned small businesses and for solutions to rural infrastructure challenges, particularly water access.

Early life and education Simonson's hometown is Hard Rock, Arizona. She grew up on tribal land in the Rocky Ridge area before leaving to attend high school and college, after which she returned to the community.

Simonson is a member of the Navajo Nation. Her maternal clan is Chishí (Chishí), and her paternal clan is Třízhí lání (Třízhí lání). The store lacks a formal street address, is situated down a dirt road, and includes a hitching post for customers who arrive on horseback. She was part of a historic council that included a record nine female delegates. She represents the chapters of Hard Rock, Forest Lake, Pinon, Black Mesa, and Whippoorwill. Simonson serves on the Health, Education & Human Services Committee.

A primary goal of her political role is to support Navajo-owned small businesses and review regulations that may hinder entrepreneurs. Drawing from her own experience, she has highlighted to policymakers that many Navajo business owners struggle to access relief programs because they lack access to bookkeepers and accountants. She advocates for government policies and rules to be treated as living documents that can be updated to meet current needs.

Simonson is a vocal advocate for infrastructure improvements on the Navajo Nation, particularly for water access. She has noted that she personally lives without running water and that her access was cut off during the COVID-19 pandemic when her local chapter shut down.

Personal life As of October 2020, Simonson is married and has three children.