Four awardees will be honored during the Northwest Enterprise Development Conference in September
August 24, 2017
MESA, AZ – The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (The National Center) announced the winners of its annual Native American Indian Business Scholarship program wines. These students will be honored at the Northwest Enterprise Development Conference at Tulalip Resort Casino, which is north of Seattle. The conference is taking place from September 5-7. Three of the awards are sponsored by the Ongweoweh Corporation, and one by Lockheed Martin, as noted below.
“This is a very deserving group of strong students who have worked hard to get to where they are today,” said Chris James, President and CEO of the National Center. “We are pleased to honor their achievements, and help them reach their goals through business scholarships. We look forward to following their achievements and contributions to their communities as they transition from students to professionals.”
This year’s scholarship winners are:
Brianna Gray (Lockheed Martin). Brianna Gray is a Ph.D. candidate at Walden University in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she is seeking a doctorate in Industrial Organizational Psychology. Her long term professional interests include organizational structuring and development, leadership and management, policy and advocacy, and how to build better working tribal councils and businesses within tribal communities in Alaska, where she already has extensive professional experience. She is a resident of North Pole, Alaska and is a member of the Agdaagux Tribe of King Cove.
Kasa Hohenstein (Ongweoweh Corporation). Kasa Hohenstein is in her last year at United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, North Dakota. She is pursuing an associate’s degree in Business Administration. In the future, she hopes to help organizations establish programs for the youth to help them become economically self-sufficient. She lives in Bismarck and is a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
Jasmine Jishie (Ongweoweh Corporation). Jasmine Jishie is a senior at Diné College in Tsaile, Arizona, where she is pursuing a degree in Business Administration. She is interested in earning hands-on experience in tribal economic development, as well as marketing and public relations. She is a resident of Window Rock, Arizona and Navajo (Diné).
Danielle Williams (Ongweoweh Corporation). Danielle Williams is pursuing a master’s in Public Administration from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. Her expected graduation date is in 2019. After graduation, she hopes to use the skills learned in school, as well as her volunteer experience, to give back to her community and inspire others. Danielle is a resident of Ganado, Arizona and Navajo (Diné).
“Ongweoweh is committed to building a better community and improving the future for our youth,” said Justin Bennett, President of Ongweoweh Corporation. “We are proud to award scholarships to the selected recipients not only to reinforce our Native Community, but also to support higher education. We would like to congratulate Kasa, Jasmine, and Danielle on blazing their own trails and pursuing their goals! We wish you good luck in all your future endeavors.”
The Northwest Enterprise Development Conference will take place from September 5th – 7th at the Tulalip Resort Casino. The conference will feature deep dives on business basics, leadership and management, and economic development, with topics such as technology, innovation, marketing, business planning, customer service, and e-commerce. For job seekers, and particularly young adult job seekers, the conference will host sessions on human capital and career development and enhance your professional online presence. Conference sessions will focus on the regional economy and issues unique to the Pacific Northwest, including technology, fishing, the environment, agriculture, and others.
For more information about the Northwest Enterprise Development Conference and the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development, please visit http://res.ncaied.org.
About The National Center: The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. With over 40 years of assisting American Indian Tribes and their enterprises with business and economic development – we have evolved into the largest national Indian specific business organization in the nation. Our motto is: “We Mean Business For Indian Country” as we are actively engaged in helping Tribal Nations and Native business people realize their business goals and are dedicated to putting the whole of Indian Country to work to better the lives of American Indian people- both now… and for generations to come.
CONTACT: Lewis Lowe, 202-333-2234
