Public Safety and Education Promotions at Tlingit-Haida
Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska
The Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska promoted a couple of social services professionals to the ranks of management.
Daaljíni, the lead instructor for the Tribe’s Haa Yóo X̱ʼatángi Kúdi (HYXK) Language Immersion Nest since 2019, is now Tlingit Immersion Manager. In that role, Daaljíni develops and implements the Lingít immersion curriculum and collaborates with birth speakers, elders, tribal programs, educators, and partners to embed Indigenous languages in early childhood education programs throughout Southeast.
Daaljíni, whose English name is Mary Cruise, is Tlingit and Southern Tuchone of the Ch’áak’ (Eagle) moiety and the Yanwaasháa Kaagwaantan clan. She grew up in the Haines area. Daaljíni holds a bachelorʼs and masterʼs degree in education through the UAS Preparing Indigenous Teachers and Administrators for Alaska Schools program.
Daaljini
Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska
“Working in Haa Yóo X̱ʼatángi Kúdi has been the most rewarding job I have ever held,” says Daaljíni. “I love working in a safe space with my teaching team, helping to nurture our children in our language. I cannot wait to see where this path takes our language.”
HYXK is a community-based language learning program focused on improving language transmission between generations for children age 3 to 6. Tlingit & Haida Senior Director of Cultural Heritage and Education Amelia Rivera says, “I’m in awe of the profound impact she and other Haa Yóo X̱ʼatángi Kúdi Language Nest staff have on our youngest tribal citizens. Because of their work, our students are firmly rooted in their culture, a foundation that allows them to be unapologetically Tlingit.”
Current Issue
April 2024
Tlingit & Haida’s new Public Safety Manager is Sabrina Grubitz, promoted from her previous role as emergency operations coordinator. As manager, Grubitz oversees the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) within the tribe’s Public Safety Division. She serves as a liaison with all governments involved in emergency management and supervises community volunteers and employees. Grubitz also oversees the Tribal Access Program, Tlingit-Haida’s criminal background check and fingerprinting program, the First Responders Opioid Education Program, and the Tribal Homeland Security Education Program.
Grubitz
Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska
Grubitz is Kaagwaantaan from the Eagle Nest House. She holds a bachelor’s degree in public health administration from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. Grubitz joined Tlingit & Haida’s Public Safety Division in 2020, when the OEM was established to coordinate COVID-19 pandemic response.
Grubitz says, “I find immense joy in my work within the Public Safety Department, particularly in supporting Native initiatives to bring about meaningful change in the systems that impact our people. The trust placed in me to navigate these tasks is both an honor and a privilege.”
Tlingit & Haida Public Safety Director Jason Wilson adds, “This elevation reflects our confidence in Sabrina’s ability to bring continued excellence and resilience to our community’s safety landscape. Her expertise in fostering these critical alliances plays a pivotal role in elevating our emergency response capabilities, ensuring our preparedness and commitment to safeguarding the well-being of our tribal citizens.”
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