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APRIL 1, 2023
Smoke Signals
First-quarter employees honored for years of service
14 years: Purchased/Referred
Care Health Care Specialist Kayla
Leno, Groundskeeper Joseph Gram-
First-quarter employees hired in
mer and Hydrosystem Compliance
either January, February or March,
Specialist Lawrence Schwabe.
with at least ove years of service
13 years: Shipping and Receiv-
to the Tribe, were honored during
ing Clerk Seth Mercier and Rental
a Years of Service breakfast event
Housing Program Manager Leon
at the Tribal gym on Thursday,
Ramos.
March 16.
12 years: Employee Relations
Tribal Council member Jon A.
Specialist Sean Barton, Chinuk
George gave the invocation and
Immersion Preschool Assistant
Vice Chair Chris Mercier welcomed
Halona Butler, Employment Pro-
employees.
gram Manager Michael Herrin and
<It9s been fun watching this orga-
Dental Hygienist Erin Muchmore.
nization grow,= Mercier said. <We9re
11 years: Gaming Inspector
up to more than 500 employees.
Dalton Robertson, Historic Pres-
Our jobs as Tribal Council members
ervation Manager Briece Edwards,
would be impossible without our
Family Support Services Specialist
staff and the work you do.=
Alexandria Warren-Masters and
Other Tribal Council members
Accounts Receivable Specialist
in attendance included Kathleen
Tammy Chavez.
George, Denise Harvey and Brenda
Photos by Kamiah Koch
10 years: 477/Employment &
Tuomi.
Historic Preservation Office Manager Briece Edwards shakes Tribal Council
Training Specialist Tiny Gibbons,
Interim General Manager Chris
member Denise Harvey9s hand as he accepts his Years of Service award for
Child Abuse Investigator Shauna
Leno handed out service awards to
11
years
working
for
the
Grand
Ronde
Tribe
during
the
first-quarter
Years
of
Hastings, Adult Foster Care Care-
employees after they were served a
Service awards ceremony held Thursday, March 16, in the Tribal gym.
giver Brianna Leno, Risk Analyst
breakfast of scrambled eggs, hash
Patricia Mercier, Vocational Reha-
browns, bacon, sausage, bagels and
bilitation Administrative Assistant
a choice of apple or orange juice. Tu-
Angella Schultz and Swing Shift
omi, Mercier, George and Harvey
Housekeeper Sean Sell.
gave handshakes and occasional
9 years: Tribal Police Corporal
hugs to the honored employees.
Tyler Brown, Groundskeeper Jo-
Honorees were led by Procure-
seph Kelley, Chinuk K-5 Immer-
ment Assistant Kelly Leno, who
sion Teacher Jade Colton, Adult
reached 33 years of service to the
Foster Care Caregiver Pearline
Tribe.
Metzker, Web Specialist Jordan
Records Administrator Kim
Smith and Dental Secretary Whit-
Mueller and Gaming Commission
ney VanArsdel.
Licensing Manager Julia Papen
8 years: Tribal Police Sgt. Rod
were honored for 28 and 27 years of
McAllister, Community Health
employment, respectively. Round-
Driver Stephanie King, Post Ele-
ing out the quarter century or lon-
mentary Chinuk Wawa Teacher &
ger mark was Health & Wellness
Outreach Coordinator Zoey Hols-
Billing Supervisor Sunni Ulestad
claw and Housing Service Coordi-
with 25 years.
Tribal
employees
were
served
a
breakfast
of
sausage,
eggs,
bacon,
hash
nator Lacy Leno.
Other employees notching 20 or
browns and bagels during the first-quarter Years of Service awards
7 years: Staff Accountant Sher-
more years of employment with
eena Bates, Emergency Manage-
the Tribe included Purchased and
ceremony.
ment Assistant Brandy Bishop,
Referred Care Supervisor Melody
Coordinator Joshua Clift, 20 years.
Powley.
Nurse Jeannette Cavan, Senior
Baker, 24 years; Employee Rela-
Other Tribal employees honored
15 years: Health Information
Help Desk Technician Mark Do-
tions Manager David DeHart and
included:
Supervisor/Privacy
Ofocer
Desiree
nahoo and Chinuk Immersion Pre-
Compensation/HRIS Specialist
19 years: Portland Area Ofoce
Allen, Natural Resources Con-
school Aftercare Teacher Washie
Becky Mode, 23 years each; Spir-
Tribal Services Representative Lisa
struction Supervisor Bart Bryant,
Squetimkin-Anquoe.
it Mountain Community Fund
Archuleta and Early Head Start
Dental Assistant Rachel Clark, En-
6 years: Early Childhood Edu-
Director Angela Sears, 22 years;
Family Educator Shawn Bobb.
rollment Ofocer Nick LaBonte, Day
cation Teacher Joshua Biery, Em-
Tribal Police Chief Jake McKnight,
17 years: Full-Charge Bookkeep-
Shift Housekeeper Rosie Saldivas,
ployee Relations Coordinator Jeri
Information Systems Web Adminis-
er Debra Nolen and Employment
Gaming Commission Compliance
St. Onge, Health & Wellness Clinic
trator William Mercier and Tribal
Specialist
Toni
Mercier.
Analyst
Tyrell
Soderberg
and
Nat-
Doctor Randy Blome, Tribal Police
Attorney9s Ofoce Manager/Parale-
16 years: Spirit Mountain Ca-
ural Resources Senior Administra-
Officer Kalim Mercier, Accounts
gal Kerrina Mishler, 21 years each;
sino Employment Specialist Jessy
tive Assistant Michele Volz.
Payable Specialist Ukiah Lomboy,
and Higher Education Program
Early Childhood Edu-
cation Teacher Shawna
Freeman, Human Re-
sources Administrative
Assistant Jessie Storm
and Fireoghter Anthony
Simmons.
5 years: Mental
Health Therapist De-
nise Fellows, Student
Resource Ofocer James
Flynn, EHS Family Ed-
ucator Tracy Haas, Com-
pensation/HRIS Analyst
Jonathan George, Mem-
ber Benefits Specialist
Kalene Contreras, Lab-
oratory Manager Teresa
Larson and Realty Spe-
cialist Amanda Wilson.
After breakfast con-
cluded, there was a raf-
ne, which included cash
Tribal Council Vice Chair Chris Mercier thanked employees for their dedication to the Grand Ronde Tribe during the first-quarter
prizes of $50 and $100
Years of Service awards ceremony held Thursday, March 16, in the Tribal gym. Employees were served breakfast, won cash prizes
and additional adminis-
trative leave. þ
and administrative leave hours in a raffle, and were applauded by their co-workers as the awards were announced.
By Danielle Harrison
Smoke Signals assistant editor/staff writer