ABQ Times

The search committee for the position of director for American Indian Student Services has announced three finalists who will each participate in open forums next week. UNM students, faculty, and staff are invited and encouraged to attend these candidate forums. The forums provide an opportunity to learn about each candidate’s experience and engage in dialogue regarding their interest in the position.

Forums will take place in SUB Fiesta A and B and on Zoom with Meeting ID 943 3032 1710.

Natalie Arellanez

Forum: June 10, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Natalie Arellanez currently serves as the operations manager and certification officer at the UNM College of Education and Human Sciences (COEHS) Center for Student Success. Previously, she was a senior academic adviser and later the coordinator of student advisement in the college. Additionally, Arellanez coaches youth cross-country and track and field. She was Miss Indian New Mexico from 2012 to 2013 and has been the organization's incorporator and Board of Directors president since 2018. She holds dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and Family Studies with minors in Native American Studies and Psychology respectively, as well as a Master of Arts in Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies focusing on American Indian Education.

Dawn Blue Sky-Hill

Forum: June 11, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Dawn Blue Sky-Hill is currently the program manager for UNM's Student Support Services-TRIO (SSS-TRIO), where she oversees daily operations of the Department of Education grant initiative, supervises staff, and executes program services aligned with federal grant objectives. She has been with SSS-TRIO since 2001. In 2017, Blue Sky-Hill served as TRIO New Mexico president. She received the Southwest Association of Student Assistance Programs Legacy Award in 2023. Blue Sky-Hill holds dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Sociology and Psychology along with a Master of Public Administration.

Andrew Yazzie

Forum: June 12, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Andrew Yazzie is currently the manager of student success for UNM's American Indian Student Services (AISS). He has been with AISS since 2010 in various roles including student success leader, professional intern, student recruitment specialist, and now manager of student success. Yazzie is co-chair elect of the NASPA Indigenous Peoples Knowledge Community. He has served on several committees including NASPA’s President’s Implementation Committee for Indigenous Engagement & Inclusion among others. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Family Studies with a minor in Psychology and a Master of Public Administration.

The role provides strategic direction, consultation, and support to develop integrated approaches addressing educational needs for American Indian/Indigenous students at UNM while promoting an environment that fosters advancement for Native students.