Melissa Cody is an Export Business Development Specialist for the Arizona Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Export Center at The National Center. Melissa an enrolled member of the Dine (Navajo) Nation from Tuba City, Arizona. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management from Arizona State University, and then her Master Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Phoenix. She has worked in the private sector, Indian Health Service (IHS), and retired from The Department of Energy (DOE) to pursue a second career. She has served as a Management Analyst at IHS and DOE and finished her tenure as a Senior Public Utilities Specialist with The Department of Energy. Her background is in finance, accounting, human resources, energy, procurement, tribal liaison, and has held various management positions.

In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, playing sports and spending time with her family and friends. Melissa likes to work with non-profits, Native American tribes and communities, and constantly volunteers for community service projects on and off the reservation.

Kyia Jackson is the Business Development Specialist for the Arizona Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Export Center at The National Center. Kyia is an enrolled member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in American Indian Studies and Minor in Sustainability from Arizona State University. She had previously worked for the Economic Development Program of the San Carlos Apache Tribe. During her time there, she assisted Tribal members with economic planning, establishing or expanding their businesses, hosting business workshops with community partnerships and created tourism activities.
In her free time, she enjoys drawing, sewing and spending time with her dogs which led her to co-found a nonprofit focused on rescuing abandoned animals within her home community.

Joan Begay Notah is the Project Director for the Arizona Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Export Center. Previously, she served as the Senior Procurement Specialist for the PTAC program and dedicated more than 5 years to the program. She also served as the Interim Program Manager for the PTAC program. Prior to the PTAC, she was the Project Director for the AZ Native American Business Enterprise Center funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA). She has over 25 years of experience in business development, grant management and federal procurement. Her NABEC program was recognized as MBDA’s highest performing program, highest number of awarded contracts and jobs.

She is a board member of the Dineh Chamber of Commerce. She has served on the board of directors for the American Indian Chamber of Commerce of Arizona, the Arizona State University Native American Alumni Board, and has served on the Indian Parent Committee for the Chandler Unified School District. Joan is a Certified Supplier Diversity Professional (CSDP) by the Alliance for Supplier Diversity Professionals (ASDP).

Joan is an enrolled member of the Diné (Navajo) Nation from the community of Kin-Dah-Lichi’i, near Ganado, Arizona. She graduated magna cum laude from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Management and graduated with highest distinction with a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from Grand Canyon University.