2023 Conference

Brenda Pusher-Begay has shown great leadership in the White Mountain Apache Tribe Environmental Protection Office. Brenda started working for the WMAT Watershed Program in 1999 as the Water Quality Officer/Quality Assurance Officer until 2001. In 2001, she was hired as the Environmental Manager for WMAT Environmental Protection Office, and she has been there ever since – Brenda has been employed with the WMAT EPO for 32 years in total.

Through her work with the WMAT, Brenda assisted in developing the Tribal Water Quality Standards, Tribal Solid Waste Ordinance, Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan, and other important environmental regulations for the Tribe. One of Brenda’s greatest attributes to the Tribe is being a grant writer for her program; she has successfully applied for and received funding from USEPA and other federal agencies. Brenda is also the Central Arizona Regional Tribal Operations Committee (RTOC) representative for three terms.

Brenda is very passionate about her work and her people. In 1996, the WMAT Tribal Council passed a resolution to form the Tribe’s Tribal Plan and Project Review (TPPR) process. TPPR was created to ensure that all projects and plans occurring on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation are better coordinated and are consistent with Tribal and Federal laws, policies, and regulations, and more importantly, to protect and conserve the vast and critically important natural resources on the Reservation. Brenda has been the TPPR’s Tribal Coordinator since 2001, overseeing the TPPR committee, which consists of Tribal professionals from the Cultural Center, Game and Fish, Tribal Forestry, Land Office, Water Resources Program, Tribal Historic Preservation Office, and others. Brenda is an enrolled member of the White Mountain Apache Tribe and is fluent in the Apache language; using her language helps her to better inform and educate the Tribal community members on environmental protection issues and concerns.

One of Brenda’s other roles in life is being a wife and mother – Brenda lost her husband of 24 years in May of this year, and she has six wonderful children. As any parent here, who has a fulltime job and raises a family at home, should know how hard life can be. Brenda told me there were times when she wanted to quit, with the stress at work and having a spouse who had many health issues, but she shrugged it off and had to go on. Her favorite motto in life is “Water under the bridge”, to her it means whatever struggles and hardships you may have today, this too shall pass, and tomorrow is a new day.

For these reasons and there are many more, and I believe Brenda Pusher-Begay represents the Conner Byestewa Jr’s values and teachings of being a true environmental role model and she deserves this award

Rob Roy is the Environmental Director for the La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians and has been employed by the Tribe for over 20 years. He is responsible for the Environmental Protection Office which employs a staff of seven people working on clean water, air quality, solid waste, wastewater, natural resources, and other critical environmental and human health issues, and also works closely with the Domestic Water and other Tribal Departments. His education is in Geographic Information Systems and he previously worked for the City of San Diego Environmental Services Department. Rob received the EPA Environmental Achievement Award in 2008 for his work with solid waste management including recycling, reducing illegal dumping, hazardous and electronic waste recycling, tire cleanup, and disaster recovery. Rob works hard to foster collaboration between groups to achieve common goals and increase the scope and impact of projects. He also serves as a member of the TWAR steering committee, as an elected RTOC rep for Southern California, is the EPA R9 RTOC Solid Waste Workgroup lead, is an alternate member on the San Diego IRWM Regional Advisory Committee, and previously led Team 1 of the Interagency Infrastructure Task Force Solid Waste Workgroup. Rob has a passion for the natural world and goes travelling, hiking and backpacking whenever he can.

Rob was directly involved with receiving funding from the EPA to build a transfer station on the La Jolla Indian Reservation which is still used by tribal residents today. Through Rob’s leadership and guidance, the La Jolla water and air programs have both made strides in the last 15 years. The air program received TAS for CAA §126, §505 and §105, is now funded under the CAA §105 program, and will be moving into regulatory ozone monitoring for comparison to the NAAQS. The water program received TAS status for CWA §518(e) to develop water quality standards for the Tribe. Rob is responsible for starting a Natural Resource program for the Tribe which now operates independent from the Environmental Office with a seven staff crew. Rob received the EPA Environmental Achievement Award in 2008 for his work with solid waste management including recycling, reducing illegal dumping, hazardous and electronic waste recycling, tire cleanup, and disaster recovery. Rob works hard to foster collaboration between numerous groups to achieve common goals to safeguard public health and to restore, protect, and enhance the natural environment of the La Jolla Indian Reservation. He currently serves as a member of the TWRAP steering committee, as an RTOC representative, and is the RTOC Solid Waste Workgroup lead. And these are only some of the great things Rob has done for the Tribe. I can’t think of anyone else that deserves this award more. His passionate dedication to environmental protection and to the La Jolla Tribe is commendable.

Annette is employed in the Duckwater Shoshone Tribe Natural Resources, a position she has been in since 2005, prior to the director position Annette was the assistant. Annette oversees all EPA grants- GAP, CWA106, NPS319, Noxious Weed projects, which includes the eradication of grasshoppers to save the hay crops on the reservation, surface water monitoring, the drinking water system, the solid waste services, invasive species youth program, coordinates with the White Pine CWMA, assists tribal assignment holders with FSA programs, as well is seated on the WP FSA committee, in addition Annette serves on both NTOC & RTOC. Annette networks with outside agencies such as USDA, USFS, BLM, US Fish & Wildlife and other Tribal Environmental Departments in Nevada. There is no end to what Annette has accomplished in her position as the Director.

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Annette has worked for the Duckwater Shoshone Tribe’s Natural Resources Department for over 2 decades. The reservation is an oasis in the arid Nevada environment and Annette manages her natural resources program with the help of her crew and the community. Her weeds management program is evident when you visit the reservation. There are few weeds that are not controlled and this is quite a large area she manages. Her solid waste program is efficient and convenient for the community and an example of reacting to the communities needs. For being so far away from cities and landfills, her transfer station supports and addresses the waste generated by the people and she conducts controlled burns, source reduction, and other means to manage the waste. What Annette also brings to the table is experience on numerous committees and her time serving on the National Tribal Operations Committee representing Nevada. Her opinion is valued by her peers.