AHJINAKWE SALAS, APSW
Ashland,WI
Summary
Accomplished professional specializing in tribal relations and community engagement, with a proven track record in program development. Expertise in policy implementation and conflict mediation enhances the ability to foster collaboration among multidisciplinary teams. Extensive experience in higher education and social services supports outreach initiatives aimed at advancing Native communities through strategic planning and strong relationship-building.
Mental health professional prepared to bring compassion and expertise to therapeutic settings. Proven ability to develop tailored treatment strategies and foster client progress. Strong focus on collaboration and adaptability, ensuring reliable support for both clients and team members. Skilled in active listening and empathetic communication.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Mental Health Therapist
Bad River Health and Wellness Center
Odanah, WI
06.2025 - Current
- Provided targeted therapeutic interventions to enhance client well-being across various demographics.
- Performed in-depth mental health evaluations to create customized treatment strategies for clients.
- Facilitated group therapy sessions, enhancing peer support and community integration.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to coordinate holistic care for clients.
- Maintained detailed documentation of client progress, effectively communicating with other healthcare providers as necessary.
Research Specialist
UW-Madison School of Nursing
Madison, WI
02.2024 - 08.2025
- Facilitated early study development, statistical design and budget.
- Created detailed reports summarizing key findings from conducted research studies.
- Served as representative of research interests and needs on committees, panels and groups.
- Collected and analyzed data to contribute to manuscripts and publications.
- Collaborated with faculty members on various research studies by providing technical guidance and expertise.
Tribal Operations Manager
Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians
Odanah, WI
11.2024 - 06.2025
- Reports directly to the Tribal Chairman.
- Oversees all Tribal Departments
- Provide vital recommendations to the Executive Director on various programs.
- Supported Executive Director with policy execution.
- Provide oversight (financial and programmatic) for Tribal programs.
- Coordinate strategic tribal planning initiatives and activities.
- Conduct regular department head meetings.
- Assist with policy implementation and oversight of tribal programs.
- Supervise department heads within the tribal organization.
- Monitor tribal budgets, and maintain a rapport, as the lead tribal contact, with the various funding agencies.
- Be a liaison between the Tribal Council and community members as necessary.
- Attend all meetings required, including Tribal Council meetings.
Tribal Liaison
Madison College
Madison, WI
08.2023 - 01.2025
- Cultivate respectful and mutually beneficial relationships between Wisconsin tribes, Madison College, and relevant stakeholders.
- Serve as a liaison and resource coordinator, nurturing strong ties with community organizations, K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and residents to foster collaborative opportunities in alignment with the objectives of various divisions and departments.
- Promote understanding and appreciation of tribal governance, enterprises, culture, and customs among college administration, faculty, and staff.
- Develop and implement a strategic community engagement action plan to amplify Madison College's presence and impact within diverse communities.
- Monitor state and federal legislation pertinent to Madison College's obligations to Native American tribal governments, communities, students, and partnerships.
- Conduct comprehensive research, review, interpretation, analysis, and synthesis of complex data to generate actionable insights from diverse information sources.
Financial Aid Advisor, and Native American Community Outreach Specialist
UW-Madison Office Of Student Financial Aid
03.2019 - 08.2023
- Create, and implement programming to recruit and retain Native American students
- Serve as a liaison between Tribal Nations and the university
- Outreach to Tribal Nations
- Professional development for staff and faculty
- Provide support to the front desk operations
- Effectively communicate and escalate customer service issues to upper management to ensure matters are handled swiftly and appropriately
- Create and build campus partnerships
- Well-versed in federal financial aid regulations and policies
- Collaborate with other OSFA units and campus departments to improve processes and policies
- Collaborated with team members to create basic needs program.
School Social Worker-Intern
Horizon Elementary School
08.2022 - 05.2023
- Participate in special education assessment meetings as well as individual educational planning meetings
- Providing staff with essential information to better understand factors affecting a student's performance and behavior
- Provided crisis intervention support for students, families and educators
- Tracked attendance of students and noted issues, including submitting truancy referrals where merited
- Worked with teachers, administrators, students, parents and external support agencies to maximize treatment success
- Assisted teachers with identifying, referring, and supporting students.
Graduate Assistant
UW, Madison Office Of Student Financial Aid
06.2018 - 03.2019
- Provide financial aid counseling to FASTrack/BANNER students
- Plan and host OSFA outreach events
- Implement retention efforts for highest need students.
Indian Child Welfare Case Manager
Bad River Social Services
06.2017 - 06.2018
- Provide case management to clients
- Conduct investigations of child maltreatment
- Collaborate with county and state agencies.
AODA Native Connections Prevention Specialist
Bad River Health And Wellness Center
12.2016 - 06.2017
- Work with community to identify, select and implement EBP prevention strategies
- Create structure for a sustainable AODA program focused on culture-based intervention
- Collaborate efforts with the Ashland School District including school counselors and teachers.
Sales Representative
American Family Insurance
01.2015 - 09.2016
- Use consultative selling techniques to sell insurance products to new customers
- Retain existing customers by providing industry leading customer service
- Secure new business through individual effort and established lead methods.
Advisor
Wisconsin Virtual Academy
02.2014 - 01.2015
- Liaison between student and other academic teachers and administration
- Provides support and orientation to new virtual school families
- Serves as single point of contact for all non-instructional issues after the completion of placement.
Education
Master Of Arts - Social Work
University Of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, WI05.2023
B.A. - Social Welfare
University Of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI12.2012
Skills
- Customer Relations
- Problem solving
- Conflict mediation
- Attention to Detail
- Tuition support
- Student Assistance
- Clear Written Communication
- Time management
- Knowledge and experience working with people from diverse backgrounds
- Policies and procedures implementation
- Multidisciplinary collaboration
- Public speaking
- Individual counseling
- Child and adolescent therapy
- Interdisciplinary collaboration
- Psychosocial assessment
- Research and evaluation
Certification
APSW
LCSW-In training
Timeline
Mental Health Therapist
Bad River Health and Wellness Center
06.2025 - Current
Tribal Operations Manager
Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians
11.2024 - 06.2025
Research Specialist
UW-Madison School of Nursing
02.2024 - 08.2025
Tribal Liaison
Madison College
08.2023 - 01.2025
School Social Worker-Intern
Horizon Elementary School
08.2022 - 05.2023
Financial Aid Advisor, and Native American Community Outreach Specialist
UW-Madison Office Of Student Financial Aid
03.2019 - 08.2023
Graduate Assistant
UW, Madison Office Of Student Financial Aid
06.2018 - 03.2019
Indian Child Welfare Case Manager
Bad River Social Services
06.2017 - 06.2018
AODA Native Connections Prevention Specialist
Bad River Health And Wellness Center
12.2016 - 06.2017
Sales Representative
American Family Insurance
01.2015 - 09.2016
Advisor
Wisconsin Virtual Academy
02.2014 - 01.2015
B.A. - Social Welfare
University Of Wisconsin-Madison
Master Of Arts - Social Work
University Of Wisconsin - Madison