Jessica Wiarda
Salt Lake City
Summary
Dynamic leader with a proven track record at the Utah Indigenous Fashion Collective, excelling in project management and fostering collaboration. Skilled in negotiation and communication, I successfully coordinated large-scale events, enhancing community engagement and promoting Indigenous visibility. Committed to inclusivity, I leverage critical thinking and organizational skills to drive impactful initiatives.
Overview
4
4
years of professional experience
Work History
Indigenous Committee
National Wilderness Coalition
Washington, DC
01.2024 - Current
- Coordinated logistics for Indigenous Visibility Event, featuring Women of Bears Ears, guiding seamless execution and adherence to timelines remotely.
- Conceptualized and helped coordinate Indigenous Visibility Event at Washington, DC during National Wilderness Coalition fly-in hosted on Wednesday, Sept. 17. Communicated travel needs/requests on behalf of the Women of Bears Ears to National Wilderness Coalition staff including cultural sensitivity needs, physical safety needs, and communicating effectively to the Indigenous matriarchs of Women of Bears Ears.
- Developing outreach strategies that benefit both Indigenous sovereignty and National Wilderness Alliance goals in an intertribal and intergenerational collaborative environment.
Executive Director
Utah Indigenous Fashion Collective
Salt Lake City, UT
04.2023 - Current
- Experience with project management techniques and software like Asana, Google Forms, and Google Sheets.
- Coordinate a fashion show with 70+ Indigenous models, 15+ Indigenous Fashion Designers and their assistants, audience seating of 350+, as well as communicating to 5 UIFW staff members for a seamless fashion show experience for an audience of over 350 show attendees.
- Establish partnerships with local and international businesses and other nonprofits to promote sustainable program practices.
- Manages budget allocation for projects, optimizing resource utilization across initiatives.
- Leads creative brainstorming sessions, fostering collaboration among cross-functional teams.
- Oversees financial management, ensuring fiscal responsibility and long-term sustainability for the organization.
- Guides staff through periods of organizational change, maintaining morale and engagement during transitions.
- Manages a diverse intertribal Indigenous team of professionals, fostering a collaborative work environment for increased productivity.
- Trains and mentors junior staff, fostering a collaborative team environment focused on continuous improvement.
- Set organizational goals and objectives to guide and direct UIFW team focus and achieve mission fulfillment.
- Create promotional graphic materials and provide insightful information to social media, websites and print media to educate public.
- Implements continuous process improvements resulting in reduced turnaround times for project completion.
Indigenous Outreach Fellow
Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance
Salt Lake City, UT
05.2025 - 12.2026
- Conducted research on Indigenous outreach policies, providing insights for advocacy campaigns and policy recommendations for SUWA to pursue to engage effectively with Indigenous communities.
- Coordinated volunteer activities, fostering engagement and support for conservation projects within the community.
- Developed targeted communication strategies to increase awareness of programs and services within the Indigenous community in the four corners area including Southern Ute, Northern Ute, Navajo, and Hopi.
- Networked across Northern Ute, Southern Ute, Navajo, Hopi, Acoma Pueblo, and Jemez Pueblo to build new connections and make initial contacts with prospects by visiting communities and developing relationships.
- Represented SUWA at industry conferences by manning booths and giving polished presentations to Indigenous and non-Indigenous audiences interested or willing to learn about conservation projects.
- Facilitated communication between diverse cultural groups to enhance understanding and collaboration.
- Mediated conflicts by employing culturally sensitive negotiation techniques to achieve positive outcomes.
- Developed training materials focused on intercultural awareness for community workshops and seminars.
- Conducted assessments of cultural dynamics within organizations to inform strategic recommendations.
- Collaborated with stakeholders to design programs that promote inclusivity and diversity initiatives.
- Analyzed feedback from participants to refine intercultural mediation processes and improve effectiveness.
- Provided ongoing support and consultation for teams navigating cross-cultural interactions to foster harmony.
- Facilitated collaboration among team members from various cultural backgrounds, fostering a positive work environment.
- Spoke at "Wilderness Week" in New York City for SUWA and Green Latinos.
- Promoted open dialogue between individuals of differing beliefs by organizing roundtable discussions on controversial topics within the community.
- Assisted in the organization of community events to promote intercultural exchange and appreciation.
- Created safe spaces for people from diverse backgrounds to share their experiences and learn from one another''s perspectives.
- Developed customized training materials for specific cultural contexts to maximize learning outcomes.
- Coordinated community outreach efforts targeting Indigenous populations, increasing participation in programs designed to bridge cultural divides.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Bachelor of Fine Arts - Illustration
Utah Valley University
Orem, UT08-2018
Skills
- Friendly, positive attitude
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Customer service
- Problem-solving
- Flexible and adaptable
- Excellent communication
- Critical thinking
- Organizational skills
- Multitasking
- Decision-making
- Problem resolution
- Verbal communication
Affiliations
Bears Ears Coalition - Bears Ears Conservation Corps
Save our Great Salt Lake - Community Organizer
Timeline
Indigenous Outreach Fellow
Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance
05.2025 - 12.2026
Indigenous Committee
National Wilderness Coalition
01.2024 - Current
Executive Director
Utah Indigenous Fashion Collective
04.2023 - Current
Bachelor of Arts - Bachelor of Fine Arts - Illustration
Utah Valley University