KIARA TY ZUNIE
Zuni,USA
Summary
Optimist with strong background in program coordination, mentorship, and community outreach. Proven ability to foster positive youth engagement and develop impactful programs. Strong focus on team collaboration, adaptable to changing needs, and committed to achieving measurable results. Skilled in communication, leadership, and strategic planning, with passion for empowering young individuals.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Youth Development Coordinator
Zuni Youth Enrichment Project
01.2023 - Current
- Organizing enriching and engaging opportunities for youth to be healthy, connect with their culture and elders, and embrace resiliency.
- Serves as Project Director under Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association (SAMHSA) Native Connections grant.
- Develops and implements youth programs promoting holistic wellness and prevention education.
- Coordinates community outreach efforts to increase program participation and support for local youth.
- Leads training sessions for youth leaders, enhancing program delivery and participant experience.
- Collaborates with local schools and organizations to establish partnerships that support youth development initiatives.
- Assesses program effectiveness through feedback collection, driving continuous improvement in service delivery.
- Supports the development of comprehensive youth development guides tailored to individual needs, addressing policy and procedures, holistic well-being, and career readiness.
- Enhances youth engagement by developing and implementing innovative programs and activities.
- Provided ongoing mentorship to youths facing challenges in their personal lives or academic endeavors.
Program Leader
Zuni Youth Enrichment Project
01.2022 - 12.2022
- Served as a hybrid leader of Physical Activity and Youth Development.
- Supported Youth Development Coordinator in facilitating events, presentations, campaigns, community wide coalitions, and activities.
- Supported Physical Activity Coordinator in facilitating events, presentations, sports leagues, and outdoor recreational activities.
- Learned and rehearsed topics exploring applications of group facilitation concepts that guide decision making and planning for interactions in group programming.
- Explored factors of risk management on macro and micro scales to ensure safety of group facilitation by also fostering healthy learning environments.
- Gained opportunities for personal development through engagement in facilitation and program development.
Physical Activity Leader
Zuni Youth Enrichment Project
10.2021 - 12.2021
- Created a positive learning environment for Shiwi Ts’ana Elementary students through relatedness, competency, and autonomy support in physical education and activity.
- Assisted physical education instructor in increasing students’ intrinsic engagement by supporting their psychological needs, encouraging participation through positive role modeling, and fostering peer support.
- Guided Shiwi Ts’ana Elementary students to set meaningful goals by emphasizing the importance of physical and mental health.
- Actively participated in physical education instruction by teaching Shiwi Ts’ana Elementary students a variety of sports and strength training activities.
- Participated and engaged in learning sessions hosted by Physical Activity Coordinator on theoretical frameworks of performance psychology and behavior change to gain understanding of the Zuni Youth Enrichment Project approach to program development.
Zuni Social Dance Assistant Instructor
Zuni Youth Enrichment Project
08.2021 - 10.2021
- Created a positive learning environment for Zuni Middle School students learning traditional Zuni dances.
- Provided a sense of cultural unity and grounding through PowerPoint presentations based on traditional Zuni regalia, importance of cultural identity, and Zuni history.
- Gave a motivational presentation to the Zuni Middle School students on the importance of mental health, healthy coping strategies, and self-care.
Lead Counselor
Zuni Youth Enrichment Project
06.2021 - 08.2021
- Served as a positive role model for the youth and fellow summer camp counselors by conducting motivational/educational speeches that consisted of how to maintain the lifelong fundamentals to preserve a healthy well-being.
- Instructed safety procedures and precautions to students such as: safety drills and proper usage of playground equipment to prevent injuries.
- Assisted children ranging from the ages of 8-12 to perform activities such as: outdoor games, painting, coloring, learning how to make traditional art, and peer mentoring, to promote and create a positive and healthy environment.
- Acquired leadership skills by efficiently communicating with the chain of command and fellow staff, which facilitated monitoring of campers.
- Participated in activities such as paint pouring, making traditional Zuni fetishes, STEM activities, and making traditional Zuni regalia.
Student Employment
New Mexico Highlands University – Native American Center
08.2019 - 05.2021
- Providing assistance for incoming Indigenous students to facilitate their first and outgoing college career by organizing weekly schedules, conducting lessons on time management skills, and utilized knowledge of campus resources to provide the best experience for fellow students.
Virtual Summer Camp Counselor
Zuni Youth Enrichment Project
06.2020 - 08.2020
- Served as a positive role model for the youth in the first ever ZYEP Virtual Summer Camp by providing encouragement, motivation, optimism, and ways to preserve a healthy well-being while in a pandemic.
- Virtually assisted children ranging from the ages of 6-12 to perform activities such as: gardening, painting, coloring, learning how to make traditional art, and peer mentoring.
- Acquired leadership skills by efficiently communicating with the chain of command and fellow staff.
- Participated in activities such as building a waffle garden, creating a time capsule, and learning the importance of good nutrition.
- Created a video capturing summer camp activities and resilience through the 2020 pandemic.
Summer Camp Counselor
Zuni Youth Enrichment Project
06.2019 - 08.2019
- Served as a positive role model for the youth by conducting motivational/educational speeches that consisted of how to maintain the lifelong fundamentals to preserve a healthy well-being.
- Instructed safety procedures and precautions to students such as: safety drills and proper usage of playground equipment to prevent injuries.
- Assisted children ranging from the ages of 8-12 to perform activities such as: gardening, outdoor games, painting, coloring, learning how to make traditional art, and peer mentoring, to promote and create a positive and healthy environment.
- Acquired leadership skills by efficiently communicating with the chain of command and fellow staff.
- Participated in activities such as watering waffle gardens, making traditional pottery, teaching children the fundamentals of American football, and learning the importance of good nutrition.
Peer Mentor
New Mexico Highlands University – Native American Center
01.2019 - 05.2019
- Served as an adviser for incoming Native American students to assist students with class management, organizing schedules, communicating with their professors, time management skills, personal matters and promoting campus resources.
- Provided emotional support to incoming Native American students to enhance their experience as a NMHU Cowboy/Cowgirl in their first year.
- Assisted the Native American Center director to manage confidential information, printed fliers for future events, and conducted and received phone calls to engage with fellow tribal scholarship opportunities.
Control Officer Trainee
Zuni Education Career Development Center – Zuni Department of Corrections
05.2018 - 08.2018
- Monitored security cameras throughout the facility and reported any discrepancies to the immediate supervisor to prevent misconduct of residents.
- Collaborated with the Zuni Police Department and Telecommunications Center to efficiently communicate and inform fellow facilities of incoming residents and times the Zuni Police would arrive at the Zuni Corrections Department for bookings.
- Transcribed and recorded list of daily activities such: log of pod door openings, times officers distributed hygiene products to inmates, times officers requested for resident count, all conducted by utilizing a two-way radio to communicate with officers, which resulted in work efficiency.
- Conducted 12-hour night shifts from 6 o'clock pm to 6 o'clock am.
- Created a work experience video for Zuni Education Career Development Center video that summarized duties at the facility which was viewed by head officials to request funding for the Summer Youth Employment program.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Social Work
New Mexico Highlands University
Las Vegas, NM05.2021
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
Arizona State University Online
Tempe, AZ05-2026
Skills
- Youth program development
- Community outreach strategies
- Holistic wellness promotion
- Multitasking Abilities
- Project management
- Excellent communication
Certification
- QPR Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Instructor (Expires 2027)
- HEARTSAVER First Aid CPR AED - American Heart Association (Expires 05/2027)
- Youth Mental Health First Aid (Expires September 2026)
Languages
Zuni
Native or Bilingual
Timeline
Youth Development Coordinator
Zuni Youth Enrichment Project
01.2023 - Current
Program Leader
Zuni Youth Enrichment Project
01.2022 - 12.2022
Physical Activity Leader
Zuni Youth Enrichment Project
10.2021 - 12.2021
Zuni Social Dance Assistant Instructor
Zuni Youth Enrichment Project
08.2021 - 10.2021
Lead Counselor
Zuni Youth Enrichment Project
06.2021 - 08.2021
Virtual Summer Camp Counselor
Zuni Youth Enrichment Project
06.2020 - 08.2020
Student Employment
New Mexico Highlands University – Native American Center
08.2019 - 05.2021
Summer Camp Counselor
Zuni Youth Enrichment Project
06.2019 - 08.2019
Peer Mentor
New Mexico Highlands University – Native American Center
01.2019 - 05.2019
Control Officer Trainee
Zuni Education Career Development Center – Zuni Department of Corrections
05.2018 - 08.2018
Bachelor of Arts - Social Work
New Mexico Highlands University
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
Arizona State University Online
Practicum
- Bachelor of Social Work Practicum
- Big Brothers Big Sisters Mountain Region - Gallup, NM
- August 2020 – May 2021
- Assisted Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) Mountain Region of Gallup in facilitating interviews and intakes with potential volunteers and youth by use of Match Force software and Zoom.
- Effectively collected and logged former volunteer and youth applications through Match Force software.
- Created a year long list of engaging activities for community-based and school-based BBBS matches in Gallup, NM.
- Acquired communication and interpersonal skills through conversing with Big Brothers Big Sisters staff, facilitators, directors, Big Brothers Big Sisters participants and engagement in weekly BBBS meetings.
Presentations
- Broncheau, A., Zunie, K., Langi, J.; Moderated by: McGinnis, M., and Lynch, R. "Learning from Tribal Youth: A Holistic Approach to Suicide, Substance Misuse, and Overdose Prevention," 20th Annual SAMHSA Prevention Day. National Harbor, MD, January 2024.
- Zunie, K. "Generosity: Honoring our Elders," SAMHSA Native Connections Regional Site Visit. Phoenix, AZ, June 2024.
- Zunie, K. "Living Balanced: Exploring Holistic Wellness," Partnerships with Native Americans Third Cohort Session. Zuni, NM, August 2025.
Community/Volunteer
- New Mexico Auxiliary Girls State, 06/2016, Participated as an ambassador to assists the Zuni American Legion Auxiliary Post 98 in public appearances such, parades and legion functions to improve and reinforce community unity.
- Big Sister - Big Brothers Big Sisters Organization, 09/2016, 05/2017, Provided encouragement and motivation for an assigned "little sister" by tutoring and provided support to ensure and improve emotional and educational well-being.
- Youth Football Manager - Tony Dorset Football League, 2012-2015, Assisted the first ever youth football league coaches and the board of the Zuni Pueblo to managed both girls and boys with football practices, which increased their skills and performance at games., Demonstrated leadership skills by conducting motivational speeches to students-athletes to encourage and promote healthy diets.