Most recently, he was the IT manager for the Band’s Department of Health and Human Services. He formerly served the Band as Commissioner of Administration, who is the chief of staff to the Chief Executive.

The son of the late Grace and Raining Boyd, Sheldon split his childhood between the Mille Lacs Reservation and Minneapolis, graduated from Minneapolis South High School and Northwestern Electronics, and attended the University of Minnesota Duluth. He has four children and four grandchildren who inspire him to make decisions that consider the coming generations. He also is a health and fitness enthusiast who enjoys running.

2018 was a big year for Merrill as she was able to celebrate another important milestone, the achievement of a Master’s degree. Her degree program, through the University of Minnesota -Duluth, was called the Masters of Tribal Administration and Governance. This program was designed for current or future tribal administrators, council members, and tribal leaders. Her graduation from this program came at a pivotal moment, as she was asked to take on a new role in the Legislative Branch of government as the Legislative Affairs Director working directly for Secretary-Treasurer Sheldon Boyd.

In 2020, Merrill decided to tackle a new academic goal of earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA), with completion in May 2022. Also, in 2020, she was recruited to serve as the Assistant General Manager of Grand Casino Mille Lacs.
As Representative Merrill learned about the world through the lens of an academic, she also felt a gravitational pull to have a voice in the education system, specifically around tribal youth. She serves on the American Indian Parent Committee for close to 10 years.
Culturally, Representative Merrill and her family are active in the Ceremonial Drum society of the Mille Lacs Band and surrounding communities. She embraces the beauty and importance of her culture.

Representative Merrill announced her intention to run for Mille Lacs Band elected office, as the District II Representative in December 2021. She won the Primary Election on April 6th, 2022, and was sworn into office on July 12th, 2022.