Tribe honors 113 employees for Years of Service

By Nicole Montesano

Smoke Signals staff writer

Employees gathered at uyxat Powwow Grounds Thursday, June 12, to socialize, enjoy lunch and games, and to celebrate the years of service for 113 employees who have served the Tribe from five years up to 37 years.

Tribal Council Secretary Jon A. George gave the invocation. Tribal Council Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy and council members Tonya Gleason-Shepek and Kathleen George also attended.

Kennedy welcomed employees, saying she is grateful for their contributions to the Tribe’s sovereignty.

“Sovereignty is not just a concept,” Kennedy said. “It’s the right to govern. It’s the right to take care of our land and our people. It’s the right to teach our children. … I raise my hands to you, because these things would not happen without you. Without you caring for our people or you helping to teach our children, helping them to grow up healthy, to make sure their bodies are strong. For our students, to encourage them, to provide them with what they need to be successful. For our adults, who have needs that are very different, but you all are the ones who help them walk through those difficulties and don’t give up on them. You also care for our Elders, so lovingly, so carefully; I’m thankful for that. I’m thankful for the strength that sits here around this circle today.”

Employees enjoyed a lunch of pulled pork or chicken with buns, macaroni salad, coleslaw and watermelon, with gluten-free options available, then participated in games, with $100 prizes awarded to the winners and $50 to those who lost.

Interim General Manager Bryan Langley told employees that he, too, appreciates their contributions, saying that the number of long-serving employees “obviously shows you how good a place Grand Ronde is to work.”

Langley himself, he said, has worked for the Tribe “over half my life, which is a crazy thing to think…We just appreciate you guys and the work that you do.”

After pulling ticket numbers for employees to participate in games, Langley drew names for cash prizes and administrative leave. The Tribe gave away three $1,000 prizes, eight $500 prizes, 13 $250 prizes, and eight awards of a full day’s administrative leave. After the event, employees were given the rest of the day off with pay.

Tribal Senior Children & Family Services Intake Specialist Donna Johnson hugs Tribal Council member Tonya Gleason-Shepek as she is recognized during the second quarter Years of Service awards at the uyxat Powwow Grounds Thursday, June 12. Johnson has worked for the Tribe for 21 years. (Photos by Michelle Alaimo)

The following employees were honored:

37 years: Groundskeeping Supervisor Greg Leno.

35 years: Housing Maintenance Supervisor Lonnie Leno.

31 years: Housing Department Manager Shonn Leno.

29 years: Fish & Wildlife Program Manager Kelly Dirksen and Benefits and Safety Specialist Cindy Mitchell.

28 years: Education Department Manager Angela Fasana and Tribal Council Executive Assistant Lauri Smith.

27 years: Children & Family Services Manager Kristi Petite, Gaming Commission Executive Assistant Kathy Doane and Senior Staff Attorney Deneen Aubertin Keller.

26 years: Senior Network Administrator Jack Dobiash and Production Specialist Justin Phillips.

24 years: Tribal Lands Project Administrator Brandy Humphreys, Rental Housing Coordinator Tara Leno and Community Transitions Program Manager David Fullerton.

23 years: Tribal Navigator Christopher Martin and Teacher Aide-Bus Monitor Roxanne Moniz.

22 years: Gaming Inspector Kary Turner, Cultural Education Specialist Cristina Lara and Natural Resources Department Manager Colby Drake.

21 years: Children & Family Services Foster Care Coordinator Audra Sherwood, Senior Children & Family Services Intake Specialist Donna Johnson, Peer Support Specialist Supervisor Sydney Clark and Cultural Resources Department Manager David Harrelson.

20 years: Incentive & Events Specialist Tisha Pellett, Secretary Tina Leno and Early Head Start Teacher Jessica Cruikshank.

19 years: Lead Maintenance Technician Randy Bean, Native Plant Nursery Supervisor Jeremy Ojua, Health Coordinator Shelley Clift and Lodge Caregiver Anna Huston.

18 years:  Lodge Caregiver Carmen Parren, Biologist Matthew Zimbrick and Fire Management and Protection Program Manager Andrew Puerini.

17 years: Gaming Commission Background Investigator Nicholas Bailey, Chinuk Wawa K-5 Teacher Ali Holsclaw, Gaming Commission Executive Director Michael Boyce, Academic Coach George Neujahr and Internal Auditor Kailey Compton.

16 years: Audit Manager Michael Langley and Fire Management and Protection Operation Coordinator James Pinder.

15 years: Health Promotion Specialist Tammy Leno, Tobacco Prevention Coordinator Shannon Stanton, Restoration Ecologist/Fish & Wildlife Policy Analyst Lindsay McClary, Dentist Erin Lange, Tribal Realty Program Manager Teresa Brocksen and Senior TERO Compliance Officer Marvin Kimsey Jr.

14 years: Maintenance Technician FAC Robert Wiggs, ERSEA Data Coordinator Amber Wright, Homeownership Coordinator Michele Plummer and Parks and Recreation Specialist Daniel Schramm.

13 years: Shawash-ili?i Skul Administrator Justine Flynn, Youth Enrichment Program Manager Timothy Barry, Tribal Council Coordinator Chelsea Baranski, Administrative Assistant Kristina Summers, Family Partnership Specialist Denaee Towner, Restoration Technician Equipment Operator Brady Bruckner and Treasury Department Manager DeAnne Norton.  

12 years: Historic Preservation Technician Nicolas Atanacio, Maintenance Technician FAC James Byars Jr. and Recreation Specialist Leonardo Ayala-Guillen.  

11 years: Senior Records Clerk Emma Leno, Senior Staff Attorney Holly Partridge, Police Lt. Timothy Hernandez, Academic Advisor Hannah Sabey, Pharmacy Technician Randi Keyser-Crocker, Housing Program Accountant Michael Hubbard and Public Health Administrative Assistant Tawna Norwest.

10 years: Lead Groundskeeper Youvani Ring, Early Childhood Education Program Manager Dawn Doar, Clinical Nurse Manager Christa Hosley, Forestry Technician Lukas Soderberg, Bus Driver Heidi Whittington, Aquatic Biologist Brandon Weems, Cultural Protection Specialist Dustin Hawks, Preschool Teacher Holly Marler and Housekeeper Sabrina Labonte.

9 years: GIS Coordinator-Drone Pilot Alex Drake, Early Head Start Family Educator Tammy Fisher, Tribal Council Administrative Assistant Shannon Ham-Texeira, Infant-Toddler Teacher Griselda Perez-Bravo, Emergency Services Chief Steven Warden, Accounting Clerk Aaron Merrill and TERO Director Harris Reibach.

8 years: Human Resources Director Sarah Harvey, Housekeeper Aaron Anderson, Senior Administrator Tajia Ulestad, Cook Joshua Baker, Grant Coordinator Dana Morfin, Cultural Protection Coordinator Cheryl Pouley, Field Biologist Kyle McLaughlin, Silviculture & Fire Protection Technician Waylon Rich and Groundskeeper Brandon Bastin.

7 years: Elder Enrichment Coordinator Virginia Kimsey-Roof, Training and Development Coordinator Jacob Boekhoff, Communications Director Sara Thompson, Billing and Auditing Specialist Aisha Anderson, Shipping and Receiving Clerk Samuel Thornsberry, Assistant Teacher Mary Lopez and Pharmacy Technician Lindsey Petersen.  

6 years: Housing Resource Navigator Diana Robertson, Central Telephone Receptionist Lisa Schmid, Senior Health Administration Administrative Assistant Alexis Alvarado, Gaming Inspector Jon Kuchta, Domestic Violence Manager Cassie Dandy, Police Officer Clint Cardwell, Natural Resources Specialist Annaliese Ramthun, Native Plant Nursery Assistant Joseph Ham, Applications Administrator Adam Jordan, Member Services Administrator Shayla Myrick-Meyer, Staff Accountant Casey Case and Social Emotional Learning SEL Specialist Jeffrey Versaw.

5 years: Copywriter Elaine LaBonte-Robertson.