No two employment journeys are the same! Join us for invaluable presentations from successful Native professionals as they discuss their employment paths, navigating disability, overcoming barriers, identifying their strengths, and blazing their own paths to success. Whether you’re an employer, work with job seekers, or are looking for ideas to assist in finding the perfect employment fit for you, this webinar ensures motivating informational material for your future endeavors!

Learning Objectives:

1. Viewers will take proven successful strategies toward full-time employment and identify themes that can inform and guide their practices at the job seeker, job seeker assistance, and employer levels.

2. Participants will be able to understand and relate to common employment challenges faced by individuals and utilize best practices to guide their employment practices

3. Employers, job seeker assistance workers, and job seekers will discover employment resources at the local, state, federal, and Tribal levels that can guide successful capacity and resource building at their level.

Presenter Bios:

My name is Hunter Canaday, I am a member of the Chickahominy Indian Tribe. I graduated from George Mason University in May 2024, where I studied Information Technology and concentrated on Cybersecurity. I am still looking for employment in the area of cybersecurity. The areas that most interest me in the field are being some sort of security analyst, or a penetration tester.

Carla and Jack Pittman started Designs by Carla for Evermore almost ten years ago as a means of meeting ends. As we have progressed, we have learned that not only do we love what we do, but we have found that this is a beautiful way to meet people and touch lives, as well as having our lives touched in surprising ways. Selling jewelry went from being our focus to being a secondary, almost a bonus to reaching people. Every piece we make is made with a good heart and positive energy to pass on to the people taking our jewelry home. That is what you would call our vision statement, "Touching lives and providing positive memories for the people." 

Madison Threet, BSN, Cherokee Nation Career Services Reentry and Recovery Programs, Reentry Recovery Specialist, PRSS, Recovery Coach, 12 Steps Through Medicine Wheel Facilitator, Walking in Balance Facilitator.  I am a person with lived experience. I have been working as a Peer Recovery Support Specialist in the reentry and recovery field since September 2021, five years total in the same field with Cherokee Nation. Most of my training has been through White Bison and the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS). I also have a medical background with a Bachelor’s in Science and Nursing.

Paul Williams Jr., is a 24 year Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Member and has been active in Salt River Vocational Rehabilitation since August 16, 2022. Paul is currently employed with River People Health Center as an ambassador and he just hit his 1 year anniversary on August 7, 2024.