SAIGE SPRING 2019 Newsletter

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR: Fredericka Joseph

Welcome to our Spring/Summer Newsletter! We have

been busy planning our upcoming 16th Annual National Training Program (NTP) being held at the tribally owned Seneca Hotel and Resort in Niagara Falls, NY, June 10th – 13th, 2019.

This year we have some great plenary speakers including Zina Sutch from Office of Personnel Management, Stephen Pevar, Attorney, American Civil Liberties Union, Commissioner Karen Narasaki, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, Jerold Gidner, Office of Special Trustee, and a number of outstanding professional, EEO, Indian Country/Federal Indian Law, and Indigenous Natural Resources/Culture

speakers. For more information, you can locate our agenda on our website at www.saige.org.

We have approximately 30 Native youth from across the U.S. attending this year’s youth program. We are always excited when our students attend and network between each other forging long term friendships and networking with our NTP attendees. They learn about the facets of leadership and the soft skills needed to be a great leader. On Wednesday afternoon the students attend our career fair meeting with the various Federal agency representatives and private sector exhibitors.

This year the Department of Defense will be present at our Warrior Society Program. We thank them for stepping up and supporting our native veterans by offering speakers and funding. We are excited to include them back into the SAIGE family!

We were fortunate to have had discussions with various agencies on building future professional relationships by creating Memorandums of Understandings (MOUs). We have had several agencies reach out to begin building MOUs between their agency and SAIGE. We are excited for these new professional relationships and will

keep our members included as we move forward on this initiative.

In April, National Image, Inc., and SAIGE collaborated to jointly host a “Stepping Up to Leadership” forum held at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration auditorium. Approximately 45 career Federal employees attended the free half day training. We invited four Senior Executives to be on our leadership panel each bringing their own story and answering questions from our moderator on the five ECQs. The audience asked questions and thoroughly enjoyed the panelists. We also invited two speakers to address the seven Principals of Effective Mentoring and The Importance of Inclusion for Leadership.

We receive inquiries every year regarding our NTP and whether it meets agency/employee development. Our speakers in the plenary sessions are from Indian country and they enlighten our attendees to what’s going on in Indian country. Our workshops build the foundation that each employee needs to learn about American Indians and our history through Federal Indian Law and Culture. We hope that if you have questions you will send them to me personally at fjoseph@saige.org. We look forward to seeing you in Niagara Falls, NY, June 10th – 13th!

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SAIGE 2019 NTP Speaker Highlights - Niagara Falls, NY Dr. Zina Sutch

Zina is the Deputy Associate Director for the Office of Personnel Management, Outreach, Diversity, and Inclusion.

Stephen Pevar

For the past 40 years, Stephen has been on the national legal staff of the American Civil Liberties Union.

Brian Patterson

Since 2006, Brian has served as President of United South and Eastern Tribes (USET), a national Indian organization that represents 25 tribes east of the Mississippi River.

Commissioner Karen Narasaki

Karen is an independent civil and human rights consultant. She was appointed to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in 2014 by President Barack Obama.

Patrick S. Malone

Professor Malone is the Director of Key Executive Leadership Programs in the School of Public Affairs, Depart-ment of Public Administration and Policy, at American University.

Jefferson Keel

Jefferson serves as the 22nd President of the National Congress of American Indians, the oldest, largest and most

representative American Indian and Alaska Native tribal government organization in the country. He is serving his fifth term as the Lt. Governor of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma.

Jerry Gidner

Jerry, a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Chippewa Tribe, is the Principal Deputy Special Trustee and serves as Acting Special Trustee for American Indians.

Michael Martin

Michael is an Onondaga of the Beaver Clan from the Six Nations of the Grand River territory in Southern Ontario, but was born and raised in Buffalo, NY. He is a graduate of both Babson College (MS-Accounting and Entrepreneurial Finance) and SUNY Buffalo State College (BS-Economics).

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SAIGE Warrior Society

A Message from the Warrior Society Director Danny GarceauThe Warrior Society membership numbers continue to grow along with increased attendance at our Warriors Track during the annual SAIGE National Training Program (NTP.) This year’s warrior track will include Veteran Program updates and information tables, a Wound-ed Warrior Family Support Program, Employment Strategies for Veterans with Disabilities, “We Are Not Invisible” Women Veterans Program and Photo Shoot, networking and our Awards Luncheon.

First, Congratulations to this year’s SAIGE Military Meritorious Award Winners:

• Dr. David L. Bevett – United States Army – Hawaii

• Mr. Edward J. Blauvelt – United States Air force – Texas

• Major (Dr.) Amileah R. Davis – United States Air Force – North Carolina

• Lieutenant Commander Matthew M. Hobbie – United States Coast Guard – Alaska

• Staff Sergeant Kalvina R. Lee – United States Air Force – Arkansas

• Ms. Kathleen A. McLaughlin – United States Army – Washington, D.C.

• Major Tanya Peshlakai Mooneyham – United States Air Force – Mississippi

• Mr. Robert R. Russell – United States Air Force – Alabama

• Sergeant First Class Jessica L. Stiffarm – Army National Guard – Minnesota

• Staff Sergeant Rosario F. Quiroga – United States Air Force – Arizona

These award winners were chosen as the top ten from over 30 high quality nomination packets. Each award winner is invited and encouraged to attend the SAIGE NTP so that they may receive their award at the awards program on Thursday.

The Warrior Society conducts a voluntary teleconference meeting the last Monday of most months. It pro-vides an opportunity for the membership to help in planning our training program along with sharing informa-tion and comradery. Those meetings are more sporadic in the summer months, but e-mail alerts go out on the Warrior Society membership listserve on upcoming meetings. To join the SAIGE Warrior Society, you must be a SAIGE member and either currently serving in the military or a veteran. If you want to support or join the Warrior Society, please contact me at danny.garceau@saige.org.

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Meet the 2019 SAIGE Achievement Award Recipients The purpose of the SAIGE awards is to recognize Individuals who have made contributions in the recruitment, retention and advancement of American Indian/Alaska Native employees in the Federal workforce. The 2019 recipients will be honored at the Wednesday evening SAIGE Achievement Awards and Partnership Recognition Reception.

AGENCY – USDA – FSA - Montana

This agency prioritizes service to tribal members, tribal governments and communities. Promotes the employment of American Indian employees and education about American Indian history, culture and awareness through its Special Emphasis Program. Montana has 56 counties and 7 American Indian reservations. Of the 698 outreach activities in Montana in FY18, 199 were targeted to tribal communities.

EEO - Christopher Sacchetti, Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), Ft. Meade, MD

Under Mr. Sacchetti, the American Indian/Alaska Native Employee Resource Group (ERG) increased from four members to eighty-five. Working with senior leadership, Mr. Sacchetti and the ERG are moving toward a goal of emphasizing the recruitment, hiring, retention and career development of the American Indian/Alaska Native employees.

LEADERSHIP – Dr. Bob Rabin, Meteorologist, NOAA/National Severe Storms Laboratory, Norman, OK

Bob Rabin has gone above and beyond his duties as a Meteorologist to promote NOAA science by giving presentations and mentoring students at Tribal Colleges and Universities, American Indian STEM camps, AISES, and Native Youth Community Adaptation Leadership Congress. He also participates in local Tribal outreach activities with the USGS South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center in Oklahoma.

GENERAL SCHEDULE GRADES - Roberta J. Lewis, Property Management Specialist, GS-9, Logistics Management Office, United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Tulsa, OK.

Ms. Lewis is an enrolled member of the Kiowa Tribe. She is an emergency response team member responding to state and federal declared disaster areas. She has worked on 15 emergency declarations ranging from hurricane, flood, tornado and ice. She is a member of the AI/AN Special Emphasis Committee with many contacts in the Indian community. She mentors young native girls in traditional beading, shawl creation and traditional cooking and volunteers with native girls’ softball and basketball teams in the area.

SAIGE Achievement Awards and Partnership Recognition

Wednesday June, 12, 2019 (7:30 to 9:00 p.m.)

Entertainment Provided by: Don Côqayohômuwôk Chapman and Daryl Tonemah (Invited)

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SAIGE Youth Track

from Joann Brant, Youth Track Coordinator

I would like to introduce our new SAIGE Student leader Rory Wheeler. I am proud and privileged to have Rory join our student leaders team. He will be presenting on the Student Agenda Tuesday, June 11, 2019 10:00-11:50 am on the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Youth Commission. The workshop will give a synopsis of how student leaders elevate important issues that face not only Indian Country, but Native Youth working with Tribal leadership to work to solve these issues and create strategies for action.

Meet Rory Wheeler

Nya:wëh sgë:nö:’ (I’m thankful for your well-being), I’m Rory Wheeler, a citizen of the Seneca Nation, descendant of the Mandan, Hidatsa & Arikara Nation, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, and I’m very honored to be a Student Leader for the SAIGE NTP this June.

I currently serve as the Co-President of the NCAI Youth Commission and the Youth Advisory Board Vice Chairman for the Center for Native American Youth. I’m so excited to use skills I have learned as a community volunteer, nationally recognized

young leader and advocate, where I have use my unique work, life, and professional experiences to protect tribal sovereignty, improve the perception of indigenous peoples, and to empower my fellow young people to take active roles in better shaping our future through SAIGE.

I am also a member of United National Indian Tribal Youth (UNITY) serving as a past Earth Ambassador, 25 Under 25 Honoree, and a Today’s Native Leaders Peer Leader/Trainer. From 2017-2018, I was a Health Policy Fellow with the National Indian Health Board, where we advocated on behavioral health and diabetes prevention efforts with federal and congressional leaders. I was also a President Obama White House tribal youth ambassador and a member of its tribal youth steering committee. I am pursuing my education in Criminal Justice Law & Policy and am a volunteer emergency medical technician for my nation.

Photo: Youth Track Skit from the 2018 conference in Green Bay, WI

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Talking Leaf is issued twice a year - Spring and Fall. SAIGE welcomes your stories, suggestions, and ideas. Please email: georgia.madrid@noaa.gov.

About SAIGE

Contact board at:chair@saige.org

OFFICER POSITIONS

• Chair: Fredericka Joseph (Kaw Nation)

• Vice Chair: Duane Matt (Confederated Salish Kootenai)

• Secretary: Phil Hamel (Mohawk ancestry)

• Treasurer: Sue Morris (Comanche Nation of Oklahoma)

MEMBERS-AT-LARGE

• Sadi Ali (First Nations Mi’kmaq)

• Kathleen Bergeron (United Houma Nation)

• Tilford Brown (Dine’)• Teresa Estoril (Cherokee)• Danny Garceau (Anishinaabe)• Juanita Mullen

(Seneca Nation of Indians)

• Georgeie Reynolds• Jay Spaan (Cherokee Nation) • Lori Windle (White

Earth Chippewa)

The Society of American Indian Govemment Emplovees (SAIGE)is the first national non-profit organization representing American Indian and Alaska Native (Al/AN) Federal, Tribal, State and local government employees. Formed in 2002, SAIGE provides a forum on the issues, challenges and op-portunities of American Indian Tribal Nations and the gov-ernment workforce, and to foster a professional network among Al/AN government employees.

JOIN THE SAIGE NETWORKwww.saige.org

Talking Leaf Newsletter

PHOTO. Last year’s SAIGE Board Members at the 2018 NTP in Green Bay, WI. Front Row L to R: Bryan Sappier, Teresa Estoril, Sue Marcus, Danny Garceau, Sue Morris, Jay Spaan, Fredericka Joseph, Duane, Matt, Kathleen Bergeron, Tilford Brown, Sade Ali, Lori Windle, Phil Hamel. Not pictured: Daniel Holt. Photo Credit: William Lord, USDA/APHIS

SAIGE Board of Directors