16 GaminG ’10 – ’11 indian Country today

The mulTiple roles of indian women execuTives

Balancing acT

Photos courtesy raving consulting

www.indianCountrytoday.Com GaminG ’10 – ’11 17

Photos courtesy raving consulting

By Christine Motta FariaSpecial to today

Here’s the backdrop: in 2010, women still occupy lower level positions despite similar education as their male counterparts and

they earn less money for the same job. in 2010, the highest paid officers in Fortune 500 companies are represented by a minute percentage of females; and women still have the primary responsibility for home and family matters despite comprising nearly half of the workforce. nothing new, right? you know all about super-women, wearing several hats, trying to succeed in numerous roles as mothers, daughters, wives, finan-cial providers, business leaders. and don’t forget, ladies, while you’re at it: Be beautiful, be sexy, be spiritual, volunteer, mentor and know how to dance, cook and clean like a pro. the women that have enjoyed professional suc-cess, i think we can agree, have been their own advocates; they are assertive and they are confident. these necessary attributes valued in the business

world are often in conflict with the culture that tribal women are raised within. and even though many tribal cultures are based on a “matriarchal society” – certain behaviors, still today, are not considered respectful coming from a woman. i had the opportunity to interview three native american businesswomen, all working in the gam-ing industry, and i asked them how they balanced their different universes: respecting and embracing the traditions of their tribal culture while developing the skills and attitudes necessary to succeed in the business world. “i consider myself a woman of two worlds, the Shawna that holds her place at the executive table at Circus Circus reno and ushadisa, the daughter of my mother, Eleanor red Eagle and my grandmother, Leona tybo,” said Shawna ridgebear (pictured at left), casino marketing manager, Circus Circus reno, te-moak tribe of western Shoshone and Edge water Clan of the diné nation. “my grandmother taught me as a little girl that women don’t speak sharply or loudly. they don’t express their views unless asked

“The businesswoman must exude confidence and assertiveness. Many times in our culture this assertiveness is mistaken as disrespect and being overly aggressive.”

– Laura Stensgar, director of marketing, Coeur d’Alene Resort in Idaho and member of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe

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18 GaminG ’10 – ’11 indian Country today

and are most beautiful when they sit silently in a room. we respect our elders and at no time do we speak directly to them unless first spoken to, and we would never contradict what is said by them.” when i asked ridgebear how her two worlds have collided she said, “i can recall many meetings that when the time came that i had to speak up, i would turn red as i realized i was speaking to people with more life experience, and according to tradition, i should give them the floor. in our way, the young learn from the elders, so to speak in front of them still seems out of place for me. in a traditional role i would ask forgiveness from those in the room before speaking, but in my professional role it would not be appropriate to behave in this way. Crossing over to my professional roles, i have had to sacrifice many interactions with my heritage, but i have been able to reflect and utilize the teachings of my culture.” “there are contrasts and they have been, at times, difficult,” said treena Parvello, director of market-ing at desert diamond Casino, ariz., San Carlos apache tribe and the tohono o’odham nation. “as young women, we were taught that our role in the community included taking care of others, especially our families. when we grow up we are supposed to take care of our husbands and children.” Laura Stensgar, director of marketing, Coeur

d’alene resort, in idaho and member of the Coeur d’alene tribe added, “respect is very important in our culture. i was taught to respect our elders, respect our leaders, and respect our place as a woman. this is where there is a fine line. Being a native woman is very beautiful and there is a great admiration and place for them in our culture. How-ever, there has been some conflict with the business-woman of today. the businesswoman must exude confidence and assertiveness. many times in our culture this assertiveness is mistaken as disrespect and being overly aggressive.” However, despite challenges, these savvy, strong and passionate women credit where they are today and who they strive to be directly to the principles and beliefs of their tribal heritage, men-tors and family. For Parvello, it has been largely about education. “Because i have had such phenomenal role models, i was able to understand the importance of educa-tion at an early age. my mom played a critical role in this and went above and beyond to ensure that i was focused on education at an early age. the urban area i grew up in had very high dropout rates and native americans have the lowest retention rates for post secondary education. However, through the strength of my family, i never even considered this as an option. i am quite fortunate that this support

Photos courtesy raving consulting

“As young women, we were taught that our role in the community included taking care of others, especially our families. When we grow up we are supposed to take care of our husbands and children.”

– Treena Parvello, director of marketing at Desert Diamond Casino, Ariz., San Carlos

Apache Tribe and the Tohono O’odham Nation

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www.indianCountrytoday.Com GaminG ’10 – ’11 19

afforded me opportunities my parents never had, such as obtaining my bachelor’s and mBa degrees. i fully understand that with these opportunities come more responsibilities. in our culture we are taught that these are things that you do not only for your-self, but also for others. your actions also impact others and generations after you.” Female family members have been a huge influ-ence for ridgebear. “on my desktop, i keep a picture of my great-grandmother sitting in the new mexico sun in a full velvet shirt and satin skirt. when the opportunity came for me to become a manager within my company i was nervous. i called my mother for advice. She said very seriously, ‘you can’t say you can’t do this. and you can’t waste this chance. Look back at the women in your bloodline and think how smart and strong they were. what if they had the same chance in their life that you do today? what would they have accomplished? For them, for their struggles, you can’t fail.’ now anytime i get nervous about a project i remember two words, ‘what if?’ what would they have accomplished if given the chance? what if they had the same opportunity presented to them as i have been fortunate enough to have been given by my corporation?” weaving through all of their lives is a strong sense of spirituality and a belief system that guides them through the multi-faceted roles in which they strive to succeed. all three continue to be involved in their tribes either through traditional dance and pow wows, native language classes, tribal council

meetings or spiritual ceremonies. Preserving and sharing their heritage and traditions, specifically with younger generations, keeps them active in mentor-ing and giving back to their tribes.

Christine Motta Faria is a marketing writer for Raving Consulting Company. She can be reached at chris@ravingconsulting.com.

Photo courtesy raving consulting

Christine Motta Faria