Throughout the year, as workforce development professionals, we encounter a number of extraordinary individuals (adults and youth) who take full advantage of the opportunities provided through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Section 166 and Public Law 102-477 programs and achieve great success in their chosen endeavors. Also, we are fortunate to work with many great companies and organizations that not only serve as employers for our participants but also work to develop individual employees.

2025 Howard Yackus Memorial Scholarship Award Nomination | About Howard Yackus

2025 Alice BigPond Roach Memorial Award Nomination | About Alice BigPond Roach

Four (4) 2025 Outstanding Participant Awards (2 of each 166 & 477)

Two (2) 2025 Outstanding Employer Awards (one of each 166 & 477)

2024 Award Recipients

• Howard Yackus Memorial Scholarship Award - Audrey Shenandoah (Native American Community Services of Erie & Niagara Counties)
• Alice BigPond Roach Memorial Award - Megan Lewis (Santo Domingo Pueblo)
• Outstanding Participant Awards - 166- Cheyenne Tex(California Indian Manpower Consortium, Inc.); 166-Yvonne YellowHair-Church (Phoenix Indian Center, Inc.); 477-Jacob Johnson (Citizen Potawatomi Nation); 477-Sara Farmer (Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate)
• Outstanding Employer Award - Gadugi Call Center (Cherokee Nation)

2023 Award Recipients

• Howard Yackus Memorial Scholarship Award - Brynne Larvie (Rosebud Sioux Tribe)
• Alice BigPond Roach Memorial Award - Melodi Serna (California Indian Manpower Consortium, Inc.)
• Outstanding Participant Awards - 166- Elleh Driscoll (American Indian Council); 166-Jessica Pamonicutt (California Indian Manpower Consortium, Inc.); 477-Manfred Lee Fast Horse III (Rosebud Sioux Tribe)
• Outstanding Employer Award - Sicangu Co - 7th Gen Youth Program (Rosebud Sioux Tribe)

2022 Award Recipients

• Howard Yackus Memorial Scholarship Award - Lauren Estrella (United American Indian Involvement, Inc.)
• Outstanding Participant Awards - 166-Sierra Anderson (Florida Governor's Council on Indian Affairs); 166-Richard F. Cosson (California Indian Manpower Consortium, Inc.); 477-Kiefer Callison (Cherokee Nation); 477-Richard Stanley Cavanaugh, Sr. (Spirit Lake Tribe)
• Outstanding Employer Award - Firelake Discount Foods. (Citizen Potawatomi Nation)

2021 Award Recipients

• Howard Yackus Memorial Scholarship Award - Jane Roxas (California Indian Manpower Consortium, Inc.)
• Outstanding Participant Awards - 166-Lester Nelson, Jr. (California Indian Manpower Consortium, Inc.) 166-Stelarissa Brown (Phoenix Indian Center); 477-Summer Locust (Cherokee Nation); 477-Kaysie Simpson (Cherokee Nation)
• Outstanding Employer Award - American Indian Health Services of Chicago, Inc. (California Indian Manpower Consortium, Inc.)

2019 Award Recipients

• Howard Yackus Memorial Scholarship Award - Kimberly Tucker (Choctaw Nation)
• Alice BigPond Roach Memorial Award - Joseph Podlasek (California Indian Manpower Consortium, Inc.)
• Outstanding Participant Awards - 166-Charles Strange (Inter-Tribal Council of Louisiana); 477-Liza Pinkston (Cherokee Nation); 477-Brandi Collins (Citizen Potawatomi Nation)
• Outstanding Employer Award - Food for Lane County (Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians)

2018 Award Recipients

• Howard Yackus Memorial Scholarship Award - Christina Garber (Citizen Potawatomi Nation)
• Alice BigPond Roach Memorial Award - Rodney John (Southern California Indian Center, Inc.)
• Outstanding Participant Awards - 166-Kacey Lynn Burgess (Inter-Tribal Council of Louisiana); 166-Tessa Smith (California Indian Manpower Consortium, Inc.); 477-Dora Luna (Cherokee Nation); 477-Charles Taos Barrone (Osage Nation)
• Outstanding Employer Award - Spirit Lake Casino and Resort (Spirit Lake Tribe)

2017 Award Recipients

• Howard Yackus Memorial Scholarship Award - Kayla Mike (Cook Inlet Tribal Council)
• Alice BigPond Roach Memorial Award - Monique Bourgeau (Colville Confederated Tribes)
• Outstanding Participant Awards - 166-Vania Garcia (California Indian Manpower Consortium, Inc.); 166-Rae Young (Yankton Sioux Tribe); 477-Christey Treat (Citizen Potawatomi Nation); 477-Teola Fish (Blackfeet Nation)
• Outstanding Employer Award - 166-Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians California Indian Manpower Consortium, Inc.); 477-Rosebud Economic Development Corporation (Rosebud Sioux Tribe)

2016 Award Recipients

• Howard Yackus Memorial Scholarship Award - Cody Lanyate (Pueblo of Zuni)
• Alice BigPond Roach Memorial Award - Cortney Bales (Citizen Potawatomi Nation)
• Outstanding Participant Awards - 166-Norma Contreras (California Indian Manpower Consortium, Inc.); 166-Trixy Curtis (ALU LIKE, Inc.); 477-Martha Only A Chief (Pawnee Nation); 477-KC Yatsatie (Pueblo of Zuni)
• Outstanding Employer Award - 477-Cook Inlet Housing Authority (Cook Inlet Tribal Council)

2015 Award Recipients

• Howard Yackus Memorial Scholarship Award - Natasha Louis Herman (Sicangu Nation)
• Alice BigPond Roach Memorial Award - Tiffany Ramirez (Seminole Nation of Oklahoma)
• Outstanding Participant Awards - 166-Ora Parker (Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska); 166-Charles Verdin (Inter-Tribal Council of Louisiana); 477-Edward Nixon (Cherokee Nation); 477-KC Yatsatie (Pueblo of Zuni); 477-Kyle Dewayne Stick (Cherokee Nation)
• Outstanding Employer Award - 166-Native Health (Phoenix Indian Center); 477-Kopps on the Run, LLC (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma)

2014 Award Recipients

• Howard Yackus Memorial Scholarship Award - Sunshine Rave (Spotted Eagle, Inc.)
• Alice BigPond Roach Memorial Award - Bayon Bordeaux (Sicangu Nation)
• Outstanding Participant Awards - Hester Sekayumptewa (Native Americans for Community Action, Inc.); Tammy Ratteree (American Indian Center of Arkansas, Inc.); Yvonne Tandenski (Spottled Eagle, Inc.)
• Outstanding Employer Award - All-State Fire Protection, Inc. (Sicangu Nation)

2013 Award Recipients

• Howard Yackus Memorial Scholarship Award - Tesia Zientek (Citizen Potawatomi Nation)
• Alice BigPond Roach Memorial Award - Michael Duncan (California Indian Manpower Consortium, Inc.)
• Outstanding Participant Awards - Amanda Ann Peaches (Phoenix Indian Center, Inc.); Polly Byrd (Inter-Tribal Council of Alabama); Sylvia Reed (Citizen Potawatomi Nation)
• Outstanding Employer Award - The Fry Bread House (Phoenix Indian Center, Inc.)

2012 Award Recipients

• Howard Yackus Memorial Scholarship Award - Petra Solimon (Florida Governor's Council on Indian Affairs)
• Alice BigPond Roach Memorial Award - Almona Kills in Water (Sicangu Nation)
• Outstanding Participant Awards - Frankie Cook (Navajo Nation); Michele Honanie (Phoenix Indian Center, Inc.); Oscar Patch, III (American Indian Association of Tucson, Inc.)
• Outstanding Employer Award - Sicangu Oyate Tipi (Sicangu Nation)

2011 Award Recipients

• Howard Yackus Memorial Scholarship Award - Frank D. Waln (Sicangu Nation)
• Alice BigPond Roach Memorial Award - Steven Herman, Sr. (California Indian Manpower Consortium, Inc.)
• Outstanding Participant Awards - Trestine McMurry (Phoenix Indian Center, Inc.); Bernita Norton (Navajo Nation); Frankie Tinkle (California Indian Manpower Consortium, Inc.)
• Outstanding Employer Award - U.S. PHS Indian Health Service, Phoenix Indian Medical Center (Phoenix Indian Center, Inc.)

2010 Award Recipients

• Howard Yackus Memorial Scholarship Award - Arlene Leading Cloud (Sicangu Nation)
• Alice BigPond Roach Memorial Award - Lee Ann Duclo (California Indian Manpower Consortium, Inc.)
• Outstanding Participant Awards - Terry Bell (Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians); Marlene Escalera (Tule River Tribal Council); Jefferson Greene (Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon)
• Outstanding Employer Award - Victor Tenorio (Santo Domingo Tribe)

2009 Award Recipients

• Howard Yackus Memorial Scholarship Award - Wayne S. Chulin (Inter-Tribal Council of Alabama)
• Alice BigPond Roach Memorial Award - Myrle Thompson (Ho-Chunk Nation)
• Outstanding Participant Awards - Susan Lynette Bennett (Cherokee Nation); Cody N. Guerin (American Indian Center of Arkansas, Inc.); Lynette Lunak (Blackfeet Tribal Business Council)
• Outstanding Employer Award - Sicangu Wicoti Awayankapi - Rosebud Housing Authority (Sicangu Nation)

2008 Award Recipients

• Howard Yackus Memorial Scholarship Award - Jason Hawk (Citizen Potawatomi Nation)
• Alice BigPond Roach Memorial Award - William Quackenbush (Ho-Chunk Nation)
• Outstanding Participant Awards - Ramsey Funmaker (Ho-Chunk Nation); Sonya Begay (Council of Three Rivers American Indian Center, Inc.); Elena Cordova (Pascua Yaqui Tribe)