Gift Shop Supervisor Shylah Martin is proud to have worked for Navajo Gaming for 15 years. “Congratulations to all my other teammates who share this 15-year achievement with me,” Martin said. “I’m very grateful/thankful for this job that has allowed me to provide for my family. Time flew, it doesn’t seem like 15 years at all.” Martin started with Navajo Gaming as a Gift Shop Clerk, working his way up to Gift Shop Supervisor. He said he grew with the company and learned a lot from his former marketing manager. “I think this job matured me a lot and made me work towards reaching my goals,” he said. Martin said he enjoys receiving 10 hours PTO every pay period, the incentives, health benefits, training, and the fun atmosphere in Marketing. “I can spend time with my son, family, and friends with this job,” she said. “I like to camp, travel, and watch high school basketball. I’m very thankful for this job.” Martin takes pride in being named Employee of the Month and receiving his ADOT Badge, but she said she particularly enjoys working with her fellow employees. “There are such a lot of good people who work in Navajo Gaming,” she said. “I’ve learned from them how to be well organized and how to get along with people.”

Sara Lewis Montoya, 67, was born in Crownpoint, New Mexico and grew up north of Church Rock, New Mexico. Her clans are Meadow People Clan and Red Streak Clan. She attended elementary/middle school at Standing Rock Boarding School and Crownpoint Boarding School. Montoya graduated from Gallup High School. Now employed as Fire Rock Navajo Casino’s Shipping and Receiving Supervisor, she said she loves having a job that allows her to work with new materials, become more creative, make mistakes, and learn from her mistakes. “Working with Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise is extremely exciting because it’s the first casino on the Navajo Reservation and it’s very special to be a part of a historical development for our people,” Montoya said. “Colleagues who have helped and guided me along the way are Cecelia Au, Steve Hoskie, Mary West, Lori Ortega, Felicia Chee, Jeremiah McCabe, and Lionel Livingston. They all made a great impact on my job status. They encouraged me with a smile and helped played a big role when issues needed to be resolved.”

Virginia E. Perry is thankful for the past 15 years at Navajo Nation Gaming. “We are all a family here,” she said. “I believe anyone can do 15 years, just believe in yourself, and challenge yourself each day. I can say I did my best in everything that was given to me and in return I appreciated that the company took care of me and my family.” Perry grew up in Church Rock, New Mexico. Her clan is Bitter Water for Towering House.

Lucia Redhorse, born Lucia Lee Chee, learned her father’s family’s original last name was Redhorse, or Bi lii’li ch’ii in Navajo. “Through the years the name was broken up and some family members were able to keep Redhorse and others were changed to LeeChee or Lee Chee or just Chee,” Redhorse said. “My father always told us our last name was Redhorse and said his dad did have red horses. I decided to take the name back after a divorce.” Born and raised in Ganado Arizona, on the Navajo Reservation. Her maternal clan is Tse nijikini, her paternal clan is Tachii’nii, her grandfathers are Tabaahi and her Nali’s are To tsohnii.

For Players Club Manager Gloriann Tom, there’s never a dull moment working for Navajo Gaming. She’s been with the company for 15 years. She began working with a job in the Navajo Nation Youth Program at age 14. As an adult, she worked at Fire Rock Casino when it was unfinished, so she trained offsite. Her first position was a Players Club Representative, then she advanced to a Players Club Supervisor, a Casino Host and ultimately, a Players Club Manager. “At the end of each day, I say to myself, ‘How did we do it?’” Tom said. “Lol, there are times we have to make it work or make it enough. Overall, just getting things done each day is something to be proud of, knowing I had fun and gave it 150%.”

Karen Willie, Slot Supervisor for Navajo Gaming, has learned the ins and outs of troubleshooting and installing slot machines over the past 15 years. She said she’s learned the value of teamwork, communication, leadership, and developed a good work ethic.  “Leaving the Navajo Nation for the brand new Navajo Gaming Industry at first kind of scared me, but with encouragement from Paul Hamm, Derrick Yazzie, and my family, I was able to move out of my comfort zone and continue this new journey that has now lasted 15 years and counting,” Willie said.

For Derrick Yazzie, Executive Director of Slot Operations, the biggest challenge of his job is having team members understand the importance of what guest services are all about. “Working with the Navajo Nation, we never had this particular training, but within the gaming industry, guest services are such an important aspect of this industry, because you are working with patrons on a daily basis,” said Yazzie, who has worked with the Navajo Nation for 20 years. Yazzie’s first job with Navajo Gaming was as a slot technician. “I came about this position through a friend who notified me of a new gaming enterprise and said now would be a good time to consider this organization,” Yazzie said.

From her first job as a Soft Count Supervisor for Navajo Gaming in 2008, to her current position as a Slot Tech II, Elvira Yazzie said she has found much enjoyment in helping build and put a casino floor together with the help of other team members. “During my time with the casino, I’ve met very many faces that came and went and came back again,” she said. “I enjoyed my time with the company and had so much fun putting in some honest hard work with body aches, sweat, and pain. I put a lot of hard work into this company.” Yazzie, born for Mexican People and Tangle People clans, began working at the age of 16 at Dairy Queen with her aunt and cousin in Phoenix. She graduated from high school in 1999 and started off working at Fire Rock Casino Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise as a Soft Count Supervisor. She was eventually promoted to her current position in 2012. Although the people she looked up to no longer work there, she’s very thankful to have a job and to be close to home and family. In her spare time, she likes to stay home, watch movies, cook, and spend time with her family. Her advice to others is this: “Appreciate your job, make it to work even though you might not like it, mind your business, do your job and keep your nose clean,” Yazzie said. “Get up for work even though some days may be rough and tough. Just make the best of it because it pays your bills.”