San Juan School District Presents
31st Annual
Heritage Language Conference
“The path to wellness and mindfulness”
Nihitsʼíís dóó nihintsáhákees baaʼáháyą́
View Full Conference Here, or Individual Presentations Below
Welcome
Welcome to the 31st Annual Heritage Language Conference. This year’s conference highlights “The Path to Wellness and Mindfulness”. Our dedicated Heritage Language team has brought together talented performers, valuable speakers, and will continue the successful youth leadership track of our conference: “The Path to Wellness and Mindfulness for Tomorrow’s Leaders”. The inner work leading to health and growth is a valuable journey that is both beautiful and challenging. I hope your attendance and the wonderful content provided in the next two days gives you strength to live in the Beauty Way.
Our commitment to the heritage curriculum programs, the integration and preservation of native languages, and cultural experiences in our school communities is an integral part of educating our students. Our Heritage Language instructors, Bilingual Education team, traditional healers, and school staff provide wellness and mindfulness in traditional ways in schools every day. Their daily work combined with this unique learning experience will assist in supporting our students in weaving together their ancestor’s stories with their own mindfulness and wellness journey.
Thank you for attending this conference with the San Juan Family! I personally express my gratitude to the team who has organized this event and their devoted focus on the future of our children. May we all commit to journey forward on the Path to Wellness and Mindfulness.
Ahéheeʼ!
Christine Fitzgerald
Superintendent of Schools
Keynote Speaker
DJ Vanas
Native Discovery Inc.
D.J. Eagle Bear Vanas is a thought leader, celebrated speaker and best-selling author whose expertise is showing people and organizations how to apply the warrior spirit at work. He is the author of the best-selling book The Tiny Warrior which is printed in six countries and the novel Spirit on the Run. D.J.’s newest book, The Warrior Within was published by Penguin Random House in 2022. D.J. is an enrolled member of the Ottawa Tribe and a former U.S. Air Force officer. He inspires organizations to strengthen their tribe and practically apply traditional warrior principles to serve at their best, stay resilient and lead with courage. For over two decades, he’s delivered his dynamic programs to clients such as Walt Disney, NASA, Intel Corporation, the U.S. military, Amazon, Allstate, Costco, Mayo Clinic and over 500 tribal nations. He’s also been invited to speak at The White House - twice.
He holds a B.S. from the U.S. Air Force Academy and an M.S. from University of Southern California and has served on the Board of Directors on the National Board of Certified Counselors. D.J. is featured on the PBS documentary The Warrior Tradition, exploring the warrior traditions across Indian Country, and was also the host of his own PBS special Discovering Your Warrior Spirit. D.J. has been featured in high-profile media outlets such as NBC, the Daily Stoic podcast, United Airlines Hemispheres Magazine and Forbes. He is also a regular contributing writer for Men’s Journal Magazine.
Albert Pooley
Albert M. Pooley was born to the Hopi and Navajo Native American cultures. He grew up close to both cultures on the reservation where the love of a father taught him outstanding life lessons. He holds a Masters of Social Work (MSW) and Masters of Public Administration (MPA) and has extensive experience as a marriage and family counselor. In 2002, Mr. Pooley founded Native American Fatherhood and Families Association with the purpose of strengthening and keeping families together. Throughout his professional career, Mr. Pooley has worked with over 350 tribes throughout North America in promoting and strengthening families in a variety of national and tribal programs that promote healthy parental involvement in creating happy and safe homes. As a father of six children, he appreciates the role of being a father and he finds joy in teaching principles that are relevant to his Native American
Nathan Brady
Nathan Brady is a Navy Veteran, he served during Operation Desert Storm, and finished up as a Navy Recruiter. Mr. Brady was a Navajo Language instructor at Winslow High School, he taught in Winslow, Arizona for over six years. During his tenure as a high school Navajo Language instructor, he steadily increased the interest of students in taking Navajo language classes, eventually offering two Navajo I classes, two Navajo II classes, and a semester of Navajo Government. He later resigned from that position to become a Patient Advocate at the Winslow Indian Health Care Center in May, 2017, and became a certified Navajo Medical Interpreter. Presently, Mr. Brady made his way back into the classroom and is a Navajo Language Instructor at Shiprock High School.
The Navajo Language has provided Mr. Brady opportunities to speak to various communities, which included fluent Navajo Speakers, and non-speakers of the language. The uniqueness of his native Navajo language has taken him as far as Washington, D.C., to present on how his school was revitalizing the Navajo Language at Winslow High School, and down to Tucson to present on how implementing a Native Language curriculum has helped students with their overall academic achievements.
Tanya smith
Tanya is experienced and certified in Traditional Counseling with 29+ years of practice in providing traditional counseling service to children and adolescents. Demonstrated ability to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams using Navajo traditional counselings as a therapeutic modality for healing. Skilled in conducting individual and group sessions addressing diverse issues such as abandonment, anger, anxiety, domestic violence, grief. Certified in using Navajo Wellness Models and Curriculum.
Leroy blackwater
Leroy has worked with youth and adults, along with Navajo Nation. Prevention and intervention with youth. Advocate with social services.
Christy Fitzgerald, Superintendent . 435-678-1211 . cfitzgerald@sjsd.org
Brenda Whitehorse, Bilingual Director . 435-678-1251 . bwhitehorse2@sjsd.org
Trevor Olsen, Student Services Director . 435-678-1227 . tolsen@sjsd.org