64 first-quarter employees account for 796 years of service

By Danielle Harrison

Smoke Signals staff writer

Although large indoor gatherings are still not occurring at the Grand Ronde Tribe because of the COVID-19 pandemic, that hasn’t stopped the Human Resources Department from honoring employees on a quarterly basis for their employment longevity with the Tribe.

First-quarter honorees hired in either January, February or March were led by Procurement Assistant Kelly Leno, who reached 32 years of service to the Tribe.

Records Administrator Kim Mueller and Gaming Commission Licensing Manager Julia Papen were honored for 27 and 26 years of employment, respectively.

Other employees notching 20 or more years of employment with the Tribe include Health & Wellness Billing Supervisor Sunni Ulestad, 24 years; Purchased and Referred Care Supervisor Melody Baker, 23 years; Employee Relations Manager David DeHart and Compensation/HRIS Specialist Becky Mode, 22 years each; Spirit Mountain Community Fund Director Angela Sears, 21 years; and Tribal Police Chief Jake McKnight, Information Systems Web Administrator William Mercier and Tribal Attorney’s Office Manager/Paralegal Kerrina Mishler, 20 years each.

Employees with five or more years of service are honored quarterly. In non-pandemic times, staff receives a breakfast in the Tribal gym and General Manager David Fullerton reads off the list of names and employees receive a check, handshakes and occasional hugs from Tribal Council members.

Other Tribal employees honored included:

19 years: Higher Education Program Coordinator Joshua Clift.

18 years: Social Services’ Portland Area Office Tribal Services Representative Lisa Archuleta and Early Head Start Family Educator Shawn Bobb.

16 years: Full-Charge Bookkeeper Debra Nolen and Employment Specialist Toni Mercier.

15 years: Spirit Mountain Casino Employment Specialist Jessy Powley.

14 years: Health Information Supervisor/Privacy Officer Desiree Allen, Natural Resources Construction Supervisor Bart Bryant, Dental Assistant Rachel Clark, Enrollment Officer Nick LaBonte, Day Shift Housekeeper Rosie Saldivas, Gaming Commission Compliance Analyst Tyrell Soderberg and Natural Resources Senior Administrative Assistant Michele Volz.

13 years: Purchased/Referred Care Health Care Specialist Kayla Leno, Groundskeeper Joseph Grammer and Hydrosystem Compliance Specialist Lawrence Schwabe.

12 years: Shipping and Receiving Clerk Seth Mercier and Rental Housing Coordinator Leon Ramos.

11 years: Employee Relations Specialist Sean Barton, Chinuk Immersion Preschool Assistant Halona Butler, Employment Program Manager Michael Herrin, 477/Employment & Training Specialist Khani Schultz and Dental Hygienist Erin Muchmore.

10 years: Gaming Inspector Dalton Robertson, Historic Preservation Manager Briece Edwards and Young Child Wellness Project Manager Alexandria Warren-Masters.

9 years: 477/Employment & Training Specialist Tiny Gibbons,  Child Abuse Investigator Shauna Hastings, Adult Foster Care Caregiver Brianna Leno, Risk Analyst Patricia Mercier, Vocational Rehabilitation Administrative Assistant Angella Schultz and Swing Shift Housekeeper Sean Sell.

8 years: Tribal Police Officer Tyler Brown, Groundskeeper Joseph Kelley, Chinuk K-5 Immersion Teacher Jade Colton, Adult Foster Care Caregiver Pearline Metzker, Web Specialist Jordan Smith and Dental Secretary Whitney VanArsdel.

7 years: Tribal Police Officer Rod McAllister, Community Health Driver Stephanie King, Post-Elementary Chinuk Wawa Teacher & Outreach Coordinator Zoey Holsclaw and Housing Administrative Assistant Lacy Leno.

6 years: Staff Accountant Shereena Bates, Emergency Management Assistant Brandy Bishop, Nurse Jeannette Cavan, Senior Help Desk Technician Mark Donahoo, Spirit Mountain Community Fund Grants Coordinator Jim Holmes and K-12 Enrichment Coordinator Washie Squetimkin-Anquoe.

5 years: Instructional Assistant Joshua Biery, Employee Relations Coordinator Jeri St. Onge, Health & Wellness Clinic physician Randy Blome, Tribal Police Officer Kalim Mercier and Teacher Aide/Bus Monitor Shawna Freeman.