FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: Monday, December 2, 2024

CHARLEY NAMED PEACEMAKING PROGRAM’S BI-CULTURAL TRAINING MANAGER

Rosiene Charley from Tuba City, Ariz., has been hired as the Bi-Cultural Training Manager for the Peacemaking Program effective Monday, December 2, 2024.

The Bi-Cultural Training Manager is a very difficult position to fill due to the specialized expertise in Navajo traditional culture that is necessary for the job. The person filling the position plans, develops and implements curriculum in Navajo traditional cultural practices and beliefs and provides training for judges, peacemakers and Judicial Branch staff on traditional law and principles. The position also assists the Peacemaking Program Coordinator in day-to-day operations and supervises the Traditional Program Specialists at the judicial districts across the Navajo Nation.

Charley is Honágháahnii, born for Kin Łichíi’nii. Her maternal grandfather is Naasht’ézhí Tábąąhí and her paternal grandfather is Tó Dích’íi’nii.

Charley has worked for the Judicial Branch for 11 years starting out as a Court Clerk. She has been with the Peacemaking Program for 9 years, first as an Office Technician and then a Traditional Program Specialist with the Tuba City Judicial District.

The hiring of Charley represents growth and mobility of Peacemaking Program personnel and development of uniformity within the Program, said Peacemaking Program Coordinator Dempsey Harvey.

Because Charley has worked for the Branch for so many years in different capacities, she is very familiar with Branch policies and processes, Harvey said. In addition, Charley has often provided training from the perspective of Diné teachings to Judicial Branch staff. She recently developed and presented customer training service to all Branch staff in partnership with the Branch’s Training Manager.

“Our training is different, unique,” said Harvey. He noted that one cannot just find training and curriculum on Navajo teachings online and it must be developed.

Charley began her career in law enforcement, including at the Western Navajo Juvenile Services Center where she worked with youth. She said, “I would think, how can we help the people, especially our relatives who are coming through a revolving door?” This led to her applying to work at the Tuba City District Court. Eventually she was introduced to peacemaking. “I thought that would be a good place to work because that was the concepts and teachings I was raised with as a child,” she said.

She also began thinking about what kind of role model she would be for the next generation. “My mentality was I’m not going to just sit there and say I don’t know when my grandchild comes to me asking for traditional knowledge,” she said.

With encouragement from her colleagues, she applied for the position of Bi-Cultural Training Manager. “I want to work with them as a team, to continue to leave peacemaking in its original form instead of bringing Western influence into it,” she said.

Charley emphasized that she wants to continue to support peacemaking and be respectful of Peacemaking Program staff and partners. “I’m very humbled with this new step,” she said.

With the hiring of Charley, the Peacemaking Program administration is now fully staffed with Harvey as the Program Coordinator, Elphonso Curley as the Traditional Diné Researcher and Cassandra Little as the Office Technician.

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