Fresh off two successful elections, Aquinnah resident Jannette Vanderhoop is becoming a name to watch as she steps into the Martha’s Vineyard Commission and the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) council.

Ms. Vanderhoop was the only candidate from Aquinnah running for the MVC and she won with a write-in campaign and secured 57 votes from her hometown and at least 100 more from the other five towns.

During the tribal election, she received the third highest votes, defeating incumbent Jonathan Perry.

“I’m at a point in my life where I want to be in service to my community,” Ms. Vanderhoop said during a recent interview.

Ms. Vanderhoop is known for her business, Island Naturals, and she can often be spotted at artisan festivals selling her gemstone and wampum jewelry. She has also been landscaping on the Island for the past two decades, and seven years ago went out on her own, setting up her company NV Gardens.

“I’ve always worked in jobs that are public facing,” she said.

Earlier this year, she also ran for the Aquinnah select board but lost to incumbent Thomas Murphy by 14 votes.

She has been an active member on the Aquinnah Cultural Center board for several years, and served as the director from 2006 to 2009. Being self-employed gives her the time and freedom to do volunteer work, she said, which helps builds personal relationships with the community.

Ms. Vanderhoop grew up on the Island, attending Vineyard schools, and two years at Northfield Mount Hermon boarding school. She graduated from Pitzer College in California, where she studied environmental science, and then returned to Aquinnah. She said she has seen first-hand how the Island has changed since she was a kid.

“I know that it’s hard for locals, year-rounders and the working people to maintain their hold on the Island,” Ms. Vanderhoop said. “I’m very much interested in seeing Islanders thrive and survive here.”

As part of the tribal council, she hopes to bridge gaps between the tribe’s politics, community and culture, and help get affordable housing for tribal members. In her role on the commission, she has a plan to re-configure the Five Corners intersection in Vineyard Haven.

“I’m just interested in learning and being a part of the team,” Ms. Vanderhoop said.

Ms. Vanderhoop emphasized that she is 43 years-old, one of the youngest members of the MVC, and is excited to bring her youthful perspective to the board. She also has a daughter who is 13 years old, and said she is inspired by the Island’s youth and is driven to help secure their future.

Before Ms. Vanderhoop officially takes her positions in January, she said she has been attending both the MVC and Tribal Council’s meetings to familiarize herself with the various projects before them. She said she is excited to serve the Island and learn more about the place she has always called home.