Caring for people in a good way; Charissa for Council Secretary!
Authenticity | Transparency | Dependability
Authenticity
It won't be a popularity contest with me. I recognize that change doesn't come easy, and from that I have come to thrive in a place of discomfort. I will have an open-door policy, welcome spaces of dialogue and differing opinion, and evaluate the issues and decisions placed in front of me from an impartial perspective, a place that benefits the Nation and not myself as an individual person.
Transparency
I will increase access to information i.e. showing how we vote as individual Tribal Council Members and ensuring the Minutes accurately reflect discussion of issues. I would make community engagement and education a priority and meet with people to listen to challenges, suggestions, and ideas. I would host information sessions regarding specific issue areas and would implement a regular meeting time so that Tribal members could get answers and solutions.
Dependability
My collective work experience demonstrates my qualities of dependability, dedication, organization, critical thinking, and creativity as evidenced by my leadership roles. If I tell you I’ll do something, I’ll do it and if I can’t we’ll brainstorm ideas on how to move forward. I’m hardworking and often go above and beyond what is expected of me.
Charissa in a snapshot
Charissa Miijessepe-Wilson is a values driven leader that emphasizes creative visioning and collective agency through culturally-informed practices.
As the current Co-Director of the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition, she manages the administrative, financial, programmatic, and organizational activities of the Coalition. Additionally, she leads Development and Strategic Visioning, cultivating and strengthening partnerships with funders and allies to identify areas of collaboration and capacity-building.
Prior to joining the Coalition, Charissa was a Project Coordinator and Executive Management Trainee at Norterre, a first-of-its-kind multigenerational community in Liberty, Missouri, assisting in the ramp-up and opening of a 17-acre health and wellness campus. While there, she supported the creation and implementation of organizational policies and procedures and also co-lead community acquisitions and compliance control for other Action Pact properties.
Prior to that she was a City Management Fellow with the City of Topeka, gaining experience in strategic planning, project management, and community engagement while working in the City Manager’s Office and Finance and Utilities Departments.
Charissa was also a Legislative Fellow at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs in Washington, D.C. assisting in advocacy and policy efforts for Native Hawaiians and greater indigenous communities. She has a BS in cultural anthropology from Wichita State University and an MPA from the University of Kansas.