CASSANDRA BEGAY
West Jordan,UT
Summary
Award-winning leader and social impact strategist with a proven track record of driving community resilience, mobilizing resources, and achieving transformative results. I bring 10+ years of experience in political campaigns, grassroots movements, and non-profit leadership, including co-founding two high-impact organizations: PANDOS and the Navajo & Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund. My key achievements include:
- Raised over $20 million and delivered direct relief to 500,000+ Navajo and Hopi families during COVID-19.
- Spearheaded the successful campaign to secure Congressional reintroduction of Bears Ears National Monument resolutions.
- Mobilized 5,000+ Navajo voters to elect the first Native representation majority in Utah.
- Led campaigns resulting in increased protections for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.
- Recognized by President Obama as a "positive change-maker" for advocacy and grassroots organizing.
I combine transformative leadership, strategic campaign building, and deep community engagement to empower communities and navigate complex challenges. I am passionate about sustainability, equity, and fostering cultural vitality. I am eager to leverage my expertise to make a significant impact on a larger scale.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Co-Founder and Deputy Executive Director
Yee Ha'ólníi Doo d/b/a Navajo & Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund
03.2020 - Current
- Raised over $20 million to help provide COVID-19 relief to Navajo and Hopi reservation communities and to make those communities pandemic-proof for the long term
- Provided COVID relief to almost half a million Navajo and Hopi people
- Mobilized approximately 1,300 Navajo & Hopi volunteers
- Hired 30 staff members to provide over $10 million in direct relief (food, water, and PPE) to almost half a million Navajo and Hopi people
- Led public health and vaccination campaigns to prevent the spread of COVID on the Navajo and Hopi nations
- Helped form the Utah-based nonprofit of Yee Ha'ólníi Doo to manage funds and staff
- Launched and established two community centers in Monument Valley (Navajo Nation) and Sheep Springs (Navajo Nation) focused on entrepreneurship, cultural programming, youth empowerment, and food sovereignty
- Top 5 fundraiser on GoFundMe in 2020
- Led organization successfully through an audit.
Director of Community Engagement
The Natural History Museum
05.2019 - 12.2019
- Helping to design a program of presentations, workshops and curricula for museums and related disciplines exploring how institutions of natural history can play a role as allies to Indigenous-led movements and tribal nations to protect natural and cultural heritage
- Organizing ongoing public programming and events associated with exhibitions in museums and cultural venues nationwide
- Panels, talks, and training
- Develop environmental justice-themed curricula and training
- Develop educational programs that expand upon and activate environmental justice-themed exhibitions.
Southwest Regional Organizer
350.org
07.2019 - 11.2019
- Helped organize one of the largest global Climate Strikes in history
- Nuts and bolts of organizing including recruiting, organizing, training, and supporting volunteer-led grassroots organizations and experience supporting the development of effective leaders
- Organizing with an orientation to movement building and a broader social justice approach, including working in diverse coalitions, especially in communities of color, low-income communities, and communities impacted by climate change
- Campaign strategy, planning, and volunteer management experience
- Drafting emails to a volunteer base, hosts or leaders for distributed actions.
Co-Founder and Tribal Liason
Peaceful Advocates for Native American Dialogue and Organizing Support
11.2016 - 01.2019
- Successfully helped establish 501c3 status and drafted 501c3 by-laws and articles of incorporation
- Managed 30+ interns, committee members and volunteers
- Exclusive interview with President Obama highlighting PANDOS
- Led and established a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) campaign
- Organized, sponsored, and coordinated 80+ large-scale community events, rallies, public and board meetings, and fundraisers to protect the environment and honoring tribal sovereignty
- Creative directed film documentary on Bears Ears National Monument.
Field Deputy and Media Coordinator
Rural Utah Project
04.2018 - 11.2018
- Reregistered 1,600 Navajo and Ute voters
- Registered 5,000 Native voters
- Recruited, trained, and managed volunteers for out-of-county events to bring Wasatch Front activists to other parts of Utah as directed by RUP's Field Director
- Collect and maintain a record of media stories related to RUP and RUP's programs
- Prepared media summaries and responses as necessary to assist with RUP's programs or fundraising efforts
- Managed data entry from RUP's voter registration and other programs.
Community Outreach Coordinator
Utah Dine Bikeyah
01.2017 - 12.2017
- Successfully collected, managed and uploaded 20,000+ signatures during the public comment period to help save Bears Ears National Monument in less than 45 days
- Strong knowledge of social media channel usage that resulted in a viral video that made national headlines to millions of viewers to bring awareness to the Secretary of Interior ignoring Native American tribes
- Helped elevate UDB on a national and international level through multiple channels of social media/communication
- Built relationships and networked with tribes
- Assisted with fundraising event coordination and planning with volunteer team members
- Organized large-scale UDB community activities and events.
Admissions Consultant
Independence University
02.2015 - 11.2016
- Recruited and consulted 600+ prospective students nationally through the application and admission process from the prospective student stage through matriculation
- Met and exceeded monthly recruiting quotas
- Heavy prospecting via outbound and inbound calls utilizing multiple information and CRM databases
- Managed and maintained large sales pipeline identifying opportunities and bottlenecks
- Identified new and innovative ways to become more effective in new student recruiting and new student services
- Cultivated relationships with student parents, high school counselors, financial aid administrators, management, and auditors.
Business Development Manager
GENCOMM
07.2014 - 12.2014
- Provided custom turnkey audiovisual solutions to Corporate and Educational markets by assessing client needs and pain points
- Successfully secured $1 million in new business within the first five months of employment
- Managed the design, installation, and service processes of each of my accounts across internal departments
- Represented the company at trade shows, trade associations and client meetings to promote products
- Reviewed operational records and reports to project sales and determine profitability
- Networked with major regional and national Audio Visual distributors, dealers, engineers, representatives and manufacturers.
National Sales and Marketing Campaign Manager
Blu. Transfuels LLC
05.2013 - 07.2014
- Lead all efforts in marketing strategies, opportunity prospecting, and integrated sales campaigns to support all commercial development goals
- Developed and implemented national promotional plans, marketing budget, and strategies for client and commercial development events
- Developed and leveraged a vast network of key marketing contacts in local communities, trade associations, national alternative fuel associations and major transportation publications
- Developed and implemented all Sales & Marketing's training materials, tools, presentations and resources to promote the benefits of Blu's services and alternative fuel
- Lead the management process of coordinating Blu's presence at local, regional, and national tradeshows while minimizing costs
- Responsible for market research, intelligence, client database utilization, analysis, and maintenance
- Supported all sales efforts in the field by coordinating their needs with internal support and third-party contractors.
Sales and Lease Consultant
C.R. England
Salt Lake City, Utah
04.2009 - 04.2013
- Awarded 'Top Sales Performer' consistently for three years; successfully generated more than $1.9 million in truck lease financing sales
- Financed over 300 Class-8 equipment loans generating revenue of more than $5 million
- Facilitated and assisted the careers of 3,000+ independent contractors and helped propel their truck driving businesses by analyzing operating costs and revenues
- Developed department Training/Policy and Procedures manual and successfully trained more than 10 sales and management staff constituents
- Developed and maintained successful business relationships with more than 3,000 independent contractors
- Established and maintained highest priority accounts with wholesale dealers and fleet owners
- Managed all auction procedures, marketing, and advertising processes
- Reported and documented all departments' weekly accounting and inventory reports
- Scheduled all freight pickup and delivery appointments for more than 40 of CR England's highest-priority customer accounts including Nestle, Hershey, Wal-Mart, and Coca-Cola
- Proactively tracked, identified, and de-escalated freight-related issues.
Youth Wellness Program Coordinator
Indian Walk-In Center
04.2008 - 11.2008
- Worked closely with Supervisor, Executive Director and Board of Director members in collaborative efforts to successfully meet Youth Program objectives
- Directed and coordinated large-scale community events
- Wrote grants and secured $80,000 in grant funding.
Regional Sales Representative
Blu. Transfuels LLC
- Successfully facilitated and executed Liquefied natural gas demo trucks in one of the toughest markets that resulted in 4-year fueling contracts within the first six months of employment
- Developed and delivered financial pro-forma presentations on LNG fleet conversion, fuel savings and company services to small, medium, and large groups of fleet owners and executives
- Performed market research and collaborated with cross-sectional departments to determine optimum fueling station locations to maximize capital deployment
- Managed the implementation of natural gas demo trucks to provide customers with turnkey solutions to expose them to the benefits on natural gas
- Tracked, managed, and reported all fueling metrics to demonstrate to customers the financial advantages of natural gas
- Developed and cultivated channeled partnerships with major OEM's and dealers to promote the benefits of natural gas vehicles and calculate the best ROI for fleet conversion to LNG
- Lead all negotiating and contracting responsibility for the Rocky Mountain region.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Sociology
Utah State University
05.2008
Skills
- Strategic Thinking and Vision
- Leadership and Team Building
- Communication and Interpersonal Skills
- Financial Acumen and Business Sense
- Decision-Making and Problem-Solving
- Innovation and Change Management
- Global Mindset and Cultural Awareness
- Operational Efficiency
- Industry Knowledge and Expertise
- Data Analysis, Insights and Reporting
- Results-driven
- Fundraising
- Business Development
- Stakeholder Relations
- Public relations and Lobbying
Awards
Exclusively interviewed by and recognized by former President Obama as a positive social change maker 2019 Salt Lake City Mayor's Emerging Leader Award Arizona House and Senate Community Service and Leadership Award 2020 Top 5 Gofundme campaign
Accomplishments
- Exclusively interviewed by and recognized by former President Obama as a positive social change maker
- 2022 ALANA Foundation Navajo Community Hero Award
- 2021 Arizona House and Senate Community Service and Leadership Award
- 2020 Giraffe Hero Commendation
- 2020 Top 5 Gofundme campaign
- 2019 Salt Lake City Mayor’s Emerging Leader Award
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Co-Founder and Deputy Executive Director
Yee Ha'ólníi Doo d/b/a Navajo & Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund
03.2020 - Current
Southwest Regional Organizer
350.org
07.2019 - 11.2019
Director of Community Engagement
The Natural History Museum
05.2019 - 12.2019
Field Deputy and Media Coordinator
Rural Utah Project
04.2018 - 11.2018
Community Outreach Coordinator
Utah Dine Bikeyah
01.2017 - 12.2017
Co-Founder and Tribal Liason
Peaceful Advocates for Native American Dialogue and Organizing Support
11.2016 - 01.2019
Admissions Consultant
Independence University
02.2015 - 11.2016
Business Development Manager
GENCOMM
07.2014 - 12.2014
National Sales and Marketing Campaign Manager
Blu. Transfuels LLC
05.2013 - 07.2014
Sales and Lease Consultant
C.R. England
04.2009 - 04.2013
Youth Wellness Program Coordinator
Indian Walk-In Center
04.2008 - 11.2008
Regional Sales Representative
Blu. Transfuels LLC
Bachelor of Science - Sociology
Utah State University
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