Karen Willie

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.

Derrick J. Yazzie

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.

Elvira Yazzie

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.”

More than $2.5 Million in Payments Made to Organizations Established to Address Problem Gambling Church Rock, NM - Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise (NNGE) is committed to raising awareness about problem gambling within the Navajo Nation. March is National Problem Gambling Month providing an ideal opportunity to raise awareness about responsible gambling education, prevention, treatment and wellness programs. To support those efforts and consistent with the New Mexico Gaming compact requirements, the NNGE has paid more than $2.5 million, to help address problem gaming. Other payments include $100,000 in unclaimed and forfeited jackpots to The New Mexico Council on Problem Gambling (NMCPG) and The Responsible Gaming Association of New Mexico. Additionally, NNGE’s commitment extends to all its properties as demonstrated through required employee training, proper implementation of self-exclusion procedures, providing public education and awareness, providing problem gambling helpline messaging, commitment of financial resources, establishment of an NNGE oversight committee and conducting periodic assessments and program evaluation. "For most individuals gaming is a social or recreational activity that is fun and entertaining. For others, gaming can cause problems that adversely impact an individual’s life. said Quincy Natay, NNGE, Board Chairman. "Being able to refer those struggling with gambling addiction to the proper resources who are trained to help is the right thing to do.”

WINDOW ROCK, Navajo Nation — Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren announced in coordination with the Navajo Department of Health and Speaker Pro Tem of the Navajo Nation Council Otto Tso the COVID-19 mask mandate on the Navajo Nation has been lifted effective at 5 p.m. on Friday. The public health emergency order applies to public spaces, which include the 110 chapters, according to the Navajo Office of Environmental Health and Protection. The order leaves the continued wearing of masks optional for the general public and for all businesses with four exceptions. “It’s time for the Navajo people to get back to work,” President Nygren said. “It’s time for them to be able to open their chapter houses to conduct local business and to receive services they are asking for and deserve.”

[kc_row use_container=”yes” _id=”65044″][kc_column width=”100%” video_mute=”no” _id=”238435″][kc_row_inner column_align=”middle” _id=”677838″ cols_gap=”{`kc-css`:{}}” equal_height=”yes”][kc_column_inner width=”50%” _id=”440549″][kc_single_image image_size=”medium” _id=”104603″ image_source=”media_library” image=”2831″ css_custom=”{`kc-css`:{}}”][/kc_column_inner][kc_column_inner width=”50%” _id=”897118″][kc_single_image image_size=”large” _id=”625594″ image_source=”media_library” image=”2830″ css_custom=”{`kc-css`:{}}”][/kc_column_inner][/kc_row_inner][kc_spacing height=”35px” _id=”720167″][kc_column_text _id=”389497″] Flagstaff, AZ – The Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise (NNGE) and Hard Rock Digital have joined forces to launch the Hard Rock Sportsbook mobile app in Arizona. The Navajo...

The Enterprise has experienced NO outbreaks or clusters of exposures – ALL positive Team Member tests and exposures have been contact-traced to holiday/family/social gatherings and were immediately handled in accordance with Enterprise’s Workplace Safety Plan requirements. The NNGE continues to maintain the most comprehensive COVID-19 safety protocols to be found anywhere. The casinos continue to...