The annual employee recognition program celebrates the hard-working individuals who help make the Salt River-Pima Maricopa Indian Community one of the premiere places to work in Arizona. 

3 Takeaways:

• Human Resources Recruitment Manager Monica Hernandez was selected as the 2025 Employee of the Year. Previous winners include Christina Prichard, Kimberly Enos, Eric Burke, Aaronn Mattingly and Dr. Nancy Mangieri. 
• The recognition luncheon was held at the Salt River Grand Resort Ballroom inside Talking Stick Resort and Casino. 
• Additional recognition awards went to SRPMIC employees celebrating five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 years of employment with the Community. 

“What a glorious day we have,” began Community Manager Bryan Meyers of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.  

Meyers served as emcee for the annual employee awards recognition program, which was held in the Salt River Grand Resort Ballroom at the Talking Stick Resort and Casino on Jan. 16.

He continued, “As most of you know, we’ve grown a lot over the years. With 3,000 employees now, we’re happy to celebrate five years all the way up to 35 years of service to the Community.”

Special invited guests, staff, managers, directors and Community leaders attended the luncheon.

The employee recognition program highlighted a new change this year: the announcement of one of the prestigious awards the Community government bestows, the Employee of the Year award. In previous years, the Employee of the Year award was announced during the annual employee holiday luncheon held in December. 

Each service award recipient received a special bonus in their paychecks. Additionally, employees celebrating 20-plus years received additional annual leave hours. 

“It fills my heart with joy to look out at the faces here and to think about the number of people that have had their whole careers here,” said Meyers. “That’s an anomaly today, but again, that’s the type of employees we bring in. It’s also the result of the Community being an awesome place and a great place [in which] to work and serve.”

SRPMIC Vice-President Ricardo Leonard provided a blessing to not only those in attendance, but also to their families and loved ones. “We’re family. When family comes together for a good time to sit and talk, this is what we do. We sit down, we eat and talk.”

Later, President Martin Harvier provided a few words. 

“I just want to say thank you to you all for bringing your talents to our Community. We’re achieving things now that were dreams long ago,” he said.

He added, “I think each of us can make a difference in this world with how we speak to people and the actions that we do. I can’t stay silent on what’s going on in the world; I don’t approve of it. I also want to thank all our veterans here. From their time serving this country to working here, thank you. Let’s be what Mr. Meyers says, let’s be a good human being.”

SRPMIC Human Resources Director Steve Haydukovich took the stage and announced the nominees and winner of the Employee of the Year award, which was presented to SRPMIC Human Resources Recruitment Manager Monica Hernandez.

As she was given a commemorative plaque and check, a five-minute video played on the ballroom projector screen that detailed Hernandez’s achievements. In the video, Haydukovich detailed how Hernandez updated crucial and confidential policies to a more user-friendly layout, as well as utilizing social media for employee recruitment.

“She also places new hires in situations for them to succeed. It’s getting tougher and tougher in this day and age to find great employees, but she’s finding different ways to help our departments,” said Haydukovich in the video. 

Hernandez was showered with hugs, handshakes and congratulations as she etched her name among the many other SRPMIC legends who have also taken home the award, including last year’s winner, Christina Prichard, and the 2023 winner, Kimberly Enos. 

The recognized SRPMIC employee of the year nominees, listed alphabetically by last name:

Anderson, Reed 
Arredondo, Antonio
Bodmer, Haley
Byler, Joseph
Calzadillas, Orlando
Daniels, Erica
DeSalle, Renee
Hayes, Kelly
Hernandez, Monica (Winner)
Jackson, Genese
Lewis, Elyse
McAllister, Richard
Maldonado, Blossom
Mangels, Catharine
Manuel, Westley
Manwell, Roxanne
Montanez, Thomas
Neilson, Kellie
Ryan, Denise
Simpson, Jennifer
Tracy, Pamela
Willis, David

The recognized SRPMIC employees and their years of service, listed alphabetically by last name.

                                                      Years

Adams, Sarah                        5
Adams, Tasbah                     15
Aguilar, Karla                          5
Aguilar, Manuel                     10
Ahasteen, Catherine          10
Andrews, Ian                          5
Arthur, Collette                     5
Banuelos, Carla                    30
Baptisto, Marla                     5
Bartsch, Gem                         25
Baum, Myra                             5
Beach, Preston                     10
Beeles, Darah                        10
Begay, Roxanne                    15
Bejarano, Salvador              5
Bennett, Leander                 20
Bercovich, Richard              25
Beyler, Darla                           15
Bia, Damian                            5
Bohnee, Gary                         10
Brown, Daniel                        15
Burke, Michelle                     10
Butler, Jared                           5
Cabrera, Justine                   5
Calderon, Lori                        25
Carino, Becky                        10
Carlos-Jones, Raven          10
Carlson, Marisa                    5
Carlston, Gailyn                   5
Casavant, Catherine          5
Castaneda, Amber              15
Castaneda, Gabriel            20
Caston, Elissa                       10
Cathcart, Jennifer                10
Chavez, Evangelyn              10
Clark, Marie                            10
Clark, Robert                          20
Claw, Cheryl                           20
Claw, Lisa                                25
Conger, Delford                    25
Correa, Jennifer                    5
Dalton, Doran                        30
Daniels, Erica                        20
Davis, Christopher              20
Davis, Spencer                      5
De Lao, Jose                           20
De Leon, Tiye                          10
Dee, Johnna                            5
Deer, Lavella                          20
Dent, Carl                                15
Descheny, Elijah                   10
Dinehdeal, Chris                  20
Drye, Adam                             20
Durand, Kailah                      5
Ellington, Rachel                  5
Enos, Carris                            5
Flores, Olivia                          10
Frederick. Lavaree               10
Fulwilder, Winston              5
Gallagher, Thomas              15
Gallegos. Basilio                  10
Garcia, Monique                   10
Garza, Brian                            15
Garza, Gilbert                        5
Gene, Charmayne               5
Gillette, Renia                        10
Gomez, Gilbert                      20
Gonzales, Fidel                     10
Gonzalez, Rudolpho           5
Goodwell, Landon               10
Goodwin, Joe                         5
Goseyun, Cye                        5
Graham, David                      5
Gray, Cathleen                      10
Haines, Adrienne                 10
Hansen, Melinda                  20
Harris, Darren                        15
Harvier, Ashley                      10
Hawee, Kristen                      20
Hayes, Kelly                            30
Hernandez, Jose                   15
Hernandez, Monica            5
Hidalgo Jr, Christopher     5
Hill, Christopher                   15
Hillman, Wendy                    25
Hodge, Carrie                        15
Holloway, Walter                 20
Holmes, Jessica                   15
Horvath, Mark                        5
Houston, Molly                      5
Hoza, Steven                          20
Huizar, Chris                          5
Hume, Joseph                        15
Jackson-Eckert, Lena         20
Jackson, Gene                       15
Jackson, Keilani                    5
Johnson, Delanie                 10
Jones, Harold                         25
Juan, Durwin                          5
Juan, Ivan                                 20
Keating, Vonda                      20
King, Emily                               25
Kingsley, Jon                           15
Kinsey, Dave                           10
Klain, Cassandra                  5
Kuamoo, William                 35
Kuna, Robert                          15
Lane, Sarah                             10
Lane, Tianee                           10
Lanter, Gregory                     10
Lara Del Pilar, Rafael         5
Lara, Stephanie                    5
Leading Fox, Randall          10
Lee, Dean                                 25
Leos, Nazhonii                      5
Lewis, Alonzo                         10
Lewis, Angelina                     5
Lewis, April                              10
Lewis, Tina                              25
Littrell, Jeffery                        10
Lomawaima, Tamecia       10
Lopez, Christen                    5
Lopez, Lynna                          10
Loring, Gregory                      10
Loya, Lisa                                 15
Lubchenco, Nicholas        5
Ludlow, Kathy                        20
Lundy, Tamra                         5
Lupe, Mowell                          15
Maktima, Leventonio         10
Manuel, Arlo                           5
Manuel, Darren                     15
Manuel, Erin                           10
Manuel, Kimberly                 15
Marrujo, Victor                      5
Martin, David                          5
Martinez, Anthony               5
Martinez, Belen                     5
Martinez, Caesar                  10
Martinez, Melissa                 10
Martinez, Ray                         25
Martinez, Ricky                      10
Matha, Todd                           5
Mayberry, Bennie                 10
McCain, William                   10
McCraven, Kristina             5
McFarlin, Rick                        10
McGinty, Catherine            25
Medina, Silverio                    20
Mendoza, Pila                        10
Merritt. Oscar                        25
Miller, Allison                         15
Mitchell, Stacie                     25
Molina, Erickson                   20
Montano-Lewis, Cheryl    20
Morgan, Marcellus              5
Morgan, Mercedes              25
Mungai, Christopher          5
Murph, Riley                           10
Murphy, Melissa                   20
Musacchio, Drew                 10
Myore, Erik                              5
Nakajima, Katsura               20
Nash, Cecelia                        25
Nash, Latoya                          5
Nieto, Juan                              20
Norris, Candace                   30
O’Connor, Damaris             5
Ochoa, Delwin                      25
Olmedo, Gabriel                   5
Olvera, Timothy                    5
Ontiveros, Maria                   10
Orozco, Joseph                     10
Owens, Gary                           30
Owens, Susan                       25
Pfeil, Deborah                        5
Pflugfelder, Jameson         10
Picciuolo, Chris                    5
Pineda, Adriel                        20
Prieto, Rudy                            5
Primeaux, Angelique          10
Puicon, Jade                           10
Pule, Shannon                       20
Quintero, Maricella             15
Ramirez, Victor                     20
Ramos, Carmella                 25
Reede, Zachery                     10
Reina-Manzanares, Esther 20
Reyes, Miguel                         5
Reyna, Christina                   20
Rincon, Lisette                      15
Rivera, Gina                            5
Robinson, Virginia               25
Rodriguez, Britney               10
Rodriguez, Violet                  10
Rohwer, Samantha             15
Ronstadt-Contreras, Rebeca          10
Rose, Amy                               15
Rosier, Theresa                     20
Ruiz, Eric                                  20
Ruiz, Katrina                           5
Ruiz, Yolanda                         10
Salazar, Jessica                    5
Saldivar. Adam                      15
Sandoval, Ann                       20
Sandoval, Linsay                  5
Scabby, Vanessa                 15
Sears, Charles                       20
Sepulveda, Heaven             10
Shoemaker, Quentin          5
Silversmith, Ash’ki               10
Smith, Adrianne                    10
Smith, Iva                                 5
Smith, Pauline                       10
Solis, Reyna                            10
Tapaha, Patrick                     25
Te, Amaryllis                           10
Tenorio, Lynn                         5
Thomack, Antonette           5
Thomas, Melissa                  10
Thomas, Reba                       10
Tice, Pamela                           5
Tom, Jennifer                          10
Torres, Margaret                   10
Torrez, Rogelio                      10
Truesdell, Michael               5
Tso, Delbert                            5
Underwood, Amelia            10
Upshaw, Jonathan               5
Valdez, Loretta                      20
Vasquez, Sergio                    5
Veloz, Brittany                       5
Villa, Geovanny                     10
Washington, Kelly                30
Weber, Nicklas                     10
Webster, Angela                   10
Werito, Tashai                       5
West, Sean                              10
White, Amanda                     5
Wilds, Brittany                       5
Williams, Diane                    5
Williams, Erin                         10
Wilson, Priscilla                    5
Wood, Natisha                      5
Wood, Navin                           15
Yates, Kathryn                       5
Yazzie, James                         10
Zotigh, Kevin                           5