Smoke signals., February 15, 2017, Page 15, Image 15

S moke S ignals
FEBRUARY 15, 2017
15
Cherry named new Community Fund director
By Dean Rhodes
Smoke Signals editor
Running Spirit Mountain Com-
munity Fund is starting to look
like a position that runs in the
Robertson family.
Mychal Cherry, sister of Angie
Blackwell, who ran the Communi-
ty Fund from March 2000 to July
2004, has been hired to succeed re-
cently elected Tribal Council mem-
ber Kathleen George in supervising
the Tribe’s philanthropic arm.
Cherry and Blackwell are the
daughters of former Tribal Council
member Candy Robertson, who was
a key figure in the Tribe’s Resto-
ration efforts in the early 1980s.
“I was fortunate enough to have
someone in the family who has
been in this position,” Cherry said.
“I was able to sit down with her
and pick her brain a little bit. That
was really awesome and she gave
me some insight. Same thing with
Kathleen.”
“I’m happy that the Tribe has
filled this role with yet another
strong woman,” said Blackwell,
who is now the Tribe’s Early Child-
hood Education manager. “She
brings a whole new set of experi-
ences that will contribute to a fresh
perspective. I am confident Mychal
will leave her own unique mark
while building upon the legacy left
by Kathleen, Shelley (Hanson) and
me.”
Cherry has spent the last 13
years working at Spirit Mountain
Casino, most recently as the casi-
no’s marketing manager. In that
position, she supervises approxi-
mately 48 employees and oversees
VIP Services, the Coyote Club and
the call center, among other duties.
Cherry starts her new job on
Wednesday, Feb. 15, and will have
to adjust to a change of pace. Spirit
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Tribal member Mychal Cherry has been named the new director of Spirit
Mountain Community Fund.
Mountain Community Fund has a
staff of three full-time employees,
including the director’s position.
“When I was interviewing, Sho
(Dozono, Spirit Mountain Commu-
nity Fund Board of Directors chair-
man) said, ‘You do realize this is a
department of three people?’ I said,
‘Yes, I do.’ It will be very welcome
right now.”
Dozono said that he was per-
sonally impressed by Cherry’s
professional demeanor during the
interview process.
“I think with her background
with the Tribe and work history
with the Tribe that Mychal is im-
minently qualified to continue the
work that Kathleen George has
done,” Dozono said. “We thought
that Mychal had the background
and skills to take us to the next
level. She is imminently qualified to
speak on behalf of the Community
Fund and her management skills
are superior.”
Cherry said the impetus for her
to apply for the Spirit Mountain
Community Fund job was volunteer
work that she does outside of her
casino job.
“I wasn’t looking for a job,” she
said. “The catalyst for this job is
really outside of my work. I do
a lot of volunteer work, not only
with my church, but I have a lot of
passion for education and youth. I
sit on many different committees.
… Philanthropic work and just
having that compassion piece for
people in need and wanting to see
change, that’s what pulled at my
heart strings. I just feel like that’s
who I am. I just really felt like it
would be something I would be good
at and decided to go for it.”
Formed in 1997 as part of the
Tribe’s gaming compact with the
state of Oregon, the Community
Fund receives 6 percent of proceeds
from Spirit Mountain Casino and
distributes those funds to nonprofit
organizations in 11 northwest Or-
egon counties on a quarterly basis
and annually to the nine federally
recognized Tribes in Oregon.
Since its inception, the fund has
given out 2,400 grants and approx-
imately $72.3 million.
Cherry said she has no immediate
plans for changes within the inter-
nal operations of the Community
Fund, preferring instead to learn
the current system and then try
and enhance those processes that
are working well.
“I like to come in and just see
how things are going and just take
that time to see what is going well,”
Cherry said. “You’re not going to
know that coming into a brand new
position. You don’t want to have
any knee-jerk reactions.”
One of her first challenges, how-
ever, will be getting the Community
Fund’s staff back up to three peo-
ple. The fund’s longtime program
coordinator resigned effective Feb.
3, leaving Grants Coordinator Julia
Willis as the sole employee until
Cherry comes on board.
Cherry added that she feels like
she is coming home, having started
her career on the Tribal govern-
ment side with the Social Services
Department.
“I am so grateful and so apprecia-
tive of the opportunity,” Cherry said.
“I’m only a mile down the road at
the casino, but I just have this sense
of coming home. This is where my
career started 20 some years ago. It
feels really good to be back.
“I grew up in Grand Ronde at the
time of Restoration. We lived next
to the cemetery in a house that’s
no longer there. That was clearly
a time when the Tribe didn’t have
a lot to give. Even our own family
relied on the community for sup-
port. I remember a particularly
tough Christmas when members
of the community brought me and
my sisters presents. I’ll never forget
that feeling of being so thankful.
Now that the Tribe is so fortunate
to be able to give back, I get to show
my appreciation as well. That’s full
circle, isn’t it?” 
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