Lea Wetzel

Conscientious professional with extensive experience advocating for the social and economic well-being of individuals and families. Skilled at providing guidance, support, and assistance. Strong communication and management skills and committed to inspiring community service. Collaborative leader with a dedication to partnering with coworkers to promote an engaged, empowering work culture. Documented strengths in building and maintaining relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders in dynamic, fast-paced settings.

• Used Microsoft Excel to develop inventory tracking spreadsheets, as well as monthly narrative reports.
• Collaborated with all BHDD contracted drop-in center organizations, in monthly networking meeting and individual one-on-ones.
• Supervised eight organizations the past two years, under Montana state BHDD contract and drop-in center projects.
• Supported Drop-in Center Organizations with their Mission, Vision, Strategic Planning, and Sustainability.
• Researched Resourceful Opportunities for Organizations on tribal, urban, and rural areas of Montana.
• Developed podcasts and webinar campaigns to educate the state on the benefits of Montana recovery-oriented behavioral health drop-in center organizations.
• Collaborated in the ongoing work of developing standards for behavioral health drop-in centers in the state of Montana.
• Facilitate training and offered educational consultations with multiple organizations.
• Liaised multiple sessions and offered continued outreach for upcoming opportunities and collaborations on both, urban and tribal settings.
• Resolved product issue through surveys and action plans.
• Developed Awareness Campaigns.
• Offered space for survivor voice in events and ongoing collaborative conferences.
• Offered Technical Support and Training.
• Offers mentorship to organizations and agencies that have implemented peer support programming.

• Department of Corrections Advisory Council
• Montana's Peer Network Criminal Justice Sub-Committee
• Return to the Heart Foundation
• National Human Trafficking Capacity Center
• Attorney General
• American Indian Office of DPHHS
• Montana Indian Educaton
• Montana Department of Justice
• Hopa Mountain
• Mountain Pacific
• IFHC
• White Bison
• NAFFA
• BCC
• Indigenous Vision
• SAMHSA GAINS Center
  

• cBHPSS - Certified Behavrial Health Peer support Specialist- Certified through Montana Board of Behavrial Health(PS-101) (11/21-Present)
• Certified Group Peer Support (GSP)(05/21-Present)
• Certified Motherhood is Sacred; Fatherhood is Sacred American Indian Parenting and Relationship Building Course (NAFFA)(11/21-Present)
• Certified Life Coach (Emdy) (07/21-Present)
• Warrior Down Re-Entry Coach (White Bison) (07/21-Present)
• Wellbriety 12-steps (White Bison) (08/22-Present)
• Master Trained Cultural Humility (Indigenous Vision)
  

Lea Wetzel is a cBHPSS, Certified through the Montana Board of Behavioral Health. She is Master Trained in Cultural Humility, and Master trained in SAMHSA GAINS TTT (How Being Trauma-Informed Improves Criminal Justice Responses), and has been an innovated energy in multiple spaces across the state. She enjoys working with the American Indian dynamics and promotes, that culture is prevention. She Piloted a successful project with the 8th Judicial Veteran's Court Program, specifically with the American Indian population. She was the President of the North Central MT Human Trafficking & MMIP Task Force before being elected as the first Director of now, Big Sky MMIP. Similar to this position, and many others, Lea embraces giving back to her community, and state, through volunteer work. She is passionate about being a voice for survivors of human trafficking, as a survivor herself. She connects with others in her multiple roles across the state, and has developed Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) awareness campaigns, to strengthen support systems and cultural connections. Recently she collaborated with Montana Attorney General, Montana Dept. of Justice, and other organizations, to be a voice for survivors, in recent movements to strengthen human trafficking laws, in Montana. Lea, is on the Montana Department of Corrections Victim Impact Panel, where she shares her story of overcoming and hope. She continues to reconnect to the beauty and strength of her people as a Blackfeet ( Amskapii- Piikani) woman, mother of two, that dedicates her life to supporting the empowerment of others. She realizes the significance od building a platform for survivors of human trafficking, surviving family members of missing and murdered Indigenous people, and uses her voice to advocate for those who may not have a voice. Her testimony at the MMIP Silent Act hearing was spoke with transparency and innovation. Lea believes that human trafficking survivors, and surviving family members of missing and murdered indigenous relatives, are the true experts and will continue to advocate for their voices to be heard. in 2022, Lea was recognized with the Montana Board of Crime Control's 2022 Innovated Community Improvement Award. She's been awarded by White Bison Inc. for her work, and continues to be an example of what she calls, intergenerational healing. She's a recipient of the Return to the Heart Foundation Traditional Helpers and Healers, and plans to continue to build strength in the cBHPSS workforce, through a survivor-based aspect. She hold positions on multiple criminal justice and behavioral health committees across Montana. She recently became a member of the Montana BHDD North Access Sub-Committee, and also holds a position on the Montana Department of Corrections Advisory Council.