Ashley, Segay named new division directors

WINDOW ROCK

Joelynn Ashley and Glorinda Segay, two young, highly educated and professional Diné women, have been selected by Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye to take the executive director positions for the Division of General Services and Department of Health.

Ashley, a current doctorial candidate in department of politics and international affairs at Northern Arizona University, and originally from Tuba City, is currently awaiting final confirmation by Navajo Nation Council for the executive director position for the Division of General Services.

Since the beginning of the Begaye-Nez administration, the acting director for General Services was Virgil Brown. Ashley has served in an acting capacity since April.

Within the division, Ashley will oversee 10 departments such as Telecommunication & Utilities, Information Technology (Computer), Employee Housing, Facilities Maintenance, Insurance Services, administration, Records Management, and Transportation (air, bus and fleet) Systems.

With only a few weeks on the job, she is working on some new and much needed projects.

“One of the big projects is Navajo Transit System,” said Ashley, who said the program is currently seeking new drivers. “On the ground we are working with each community to get small routes going within those communities.”

Currently she is working with Shiprock to get smaller bus routes going. She has also focused on getting a memorandum of understanding with Farmington so a one-way fee is the only thing needed for commuters coming in from Shiprock.

Tribal planes have not been flying lately due to their age and the planes wear and tear. Ashley said they have a plan of operation in the works, which they’ve presented to the Health, Education and Human Services Committee.

She is also working on trying to get a new building constructed; recently the Navajo Police Department had to be closed due to gas leakage; and currently the president’s office is under renovation. Renovation of the Council Chamber is almost complete.

“We are looking to get a new tribal building,” said Ashley. “So hopefully we get a new building. We have issues with the Window Police Department building, it’s bad.”

For the past 16 years not only has Ashley been working diligently in the classroom, she’s also been out in the field gaining experience while working for the Hopi and Yavapai tribes.

She said working as project manager in construction “the foundation for any type of tribal government is looking at capital improvement” such as: water, sewer, drilling wells for drinking water, utility infrastructure, creating and writing to improve tribal policy. These are all areas she has physically dealt with and has become familiar with.

“You’re going to have wear many hats in tribal government because a lot of times you won’t have that technical person,” said Ashley. “A lot of times you have to put your boots on and get the work done. I like to see finished projects.”

Segay, from Blue Canyon, Arizona, received her doctorate in behavioral health from Arizona State University. She has been selected to head the Department of Health, which oversees 14 different programs, and for the past two-years Ramona Antone-Nez has been its acting director.

Already working with Navajo Nation Behavioral Health, Segay has worked with direct patient care.

In her line of work Segay has overseen psychotherapy and group therapy, as well as working on suicide prevention. She also developed the Dr. Segay Theoretical Framework to help categorize what services individuals she was treating would need.

Once with aspirations to be a veterinarian, Segay said her late father, Francis Segay, who was a Native American Church roadman, was the influence for her to change career path.
Preferring to speak in Navajo, Segay explained that by witnessing her father’s positive influence on others made her want to do the same.

“My dad was my influence…when he would talk to people he helped with issues as far as alcohol, drugs, domestic violence, anger, grief,” said Segay. “I seen him help people like that, so that was my immediate influence.”

Vice President Jonathan Nez said Segay, who has worked on the Communities of Hope initiative with Nez, has worked her way up the ranks. Which is what the Begaye-Nez administration encourages.

“She’s been with the Navajo Nation working from the bottom to the top,” said Nez. “The door is open for our young people to come home. You have to get your foot in the door first, and then you show the Navajo Nation what you are about.”

So far in her new role, Segay said she has been learning the ropes of all that she has inherited and the people she will be working with. She currently awaits confirmation from the Naabik’íyáti’ Committee.

“We have a lot of brilliant and talented Navajo Nation workers,” said Segay. “They just need to be given the opportunity, the right support and encouragement and they’ll do great.”
Both Ashley and Segay said they are more than appreciative to Begaye and Nez for giving them their new opportunities.

“This is why I went onto college and earned the various degrees I have,” said Ashley. “For now I am truly putting what I learned into action for the benefit of making the Navajo Nation greater and more independent.”

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