Board & Staff

Clockwise from upper left: Y.E.S. Board Member and TDR chef Irene Dayzie; Jimmy Keith; Board President Ron Barton & Louella Barton;

Director Tom Riggenbach; Fred Holiday with his family; and Board Member/Trip Leader Kristine Laughter

NavajoYES is a program committed to providing the greatest benefit to youth in the most efficient and effective manner possible. Tom Riggenbach, our Executive Director, has been with the organization since its inception in 1994. Additional trip leaders and instructors are hired on a contract basis or are volunteers.

The NavajoYES Board of Directors includes:

Tom Riggenbach, Executive Director (T'iis Nazbas, Arizona)
M. Ronald Barton, M.D., President (Navajo, New Mexico)
Jim Crittenden, Vice President (Rough Rock, Arizona)
Kathy Block, Secretary-Treasurer (Whiteriver, Arizona)
Louella Pablano-Barton (Navajo, New Mexico)
Betty Charley-Hawley (Chilchinbeto, Arizona)
Irene Dayzie (Shonto, Arizona)
Jina Ethelbah (Mesa, Arizona)
Kristine Laughter (Winslow, Arizona)
Sharon Lang (Ganado, Arizona)

Advisory Board Members:

Larry Price (Shiprock, New Mexico), Navajo Photographer
Mike Buchheit (Grand Canyon, Arizona), Grand Canyon Field Institute
Toni Nez (Gallup, New Mexico), Navajo Coordinated School Health
Jimmy Keith (Monument Valley, Utah), Navajo Guide
Clare Hoffman (New York, New York), Musician
Sharon Nelson (Grand Junction, Colorado), Grand County Health Dept.
Michael D. Risinger (Peoria, Illinois) Attorney-at-law
Andy Salmon (Flagstaff, Arizona) Single Track Bikes

Tom Riggenbach, the voluntary Director of NavajoYES and lead guide on most treks, has over 22 years experience in the backcountry of the Southwest. He has led over 200 youth wilderness outings, including backpacking, mountain biking and hiking adventures throughout the Grand Canyon, across the Navajo Nation and the Four Corners region. His personal experience includes an ascent of Kilimanjaro, trekking in the Everest region of Nepal, cycling from the Arctic Ocean to Canada and hiking the Inca Trail. He has also ran hundreds of miles below the rim of Grand Canyon, including six rim-to-rim runs, and is a dedicated marathoner, with 52 marathons to date. He is a trained Wilderness First Responder, with additional work in backcountry medicine. Tom has studied with the Four Corners School of Outdoor Education, the Grand Canyon Field Institute and the Native American Environmental Education Program in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Board President Ron Barton, M.D., of Navajo, New Mexico was one of the first Navajo physicians. After completing medical school, Dr. Barton served with the Indian Health Service in Oklahoma before returning to his Navajo roots, with stints at Inscription House, Fort Defiance and Shiprock. Ron now teaches science at Navajo Pine High School in Navajo, New Mexico.

Past President Sharon Nelson, RN, FNP worked in Navajo Nation healthcare for eight years at Inscription House, Dennehotso and Chilchinbeto and is recently retired from the Grand County Health Dept. in Grand Junction, Colorado. Ms. Nelson helped to bring significant growth to the organization during her time at the helm and continues to provide major leadership in fund-raising and program development.

Jim Crittenden of Rough Rock has been involved in the Tour de Rez and NavajoYES outings since 2005. Jim loves to share his passion for the night sky and brings incredible tech skills to the organization.

Kathy Block, a Peace Corps volunteer for four years in southern and West Africa, has been involved in NavajoYES programs and Native American education for nearly two decades. An avid backpacker and hiker, she has biked the Tour de Rez route on four occassions and has assisted on over fifty outings. Kathy was instrumental in the creation and operation of the Shonto Community Library in 1995 and served as president of that organization for three years.

Larry Price of Shiprock heads the Wells Fargo bank there and is also active in promoting Native American music acts throughout the region. A board member since 1999, Larry has been instrumental in Native American music and photography and continues to be a strong advocate for NavajoYES in the eastern portion of the Navajo Nation.

Ganado native Sharon Lang has served on the NavajoYES board since 2006 and is now pursuing her dream of heading back to dental school.

Louella Pablono-Barton, M.A. an administrator with Navajo Elementary School in Navajo, New Mexico, has been an advocate for youth and children for nearly two decades. Her various teaching and educational leadership roles have led her to Shonto, Red Mesa, Window Rock and now Navajo Pine.

Jina Ethelbah brings an Apache perspective to the NavajoYES program, having been raised in Whiteriver and now attending medical school in the Phoenix area. Jina is an avid runner and is passionate in her outdoor pursuits.

Chilchinbeto native Betty Charley-Hawley has been involved with NavajoYES outings since 1996. Her children's involvement in the program was what originally brought her to the events, and we are pleased that she has continued to serve as a volunteer and board member for nearly a decade now.

The Director of the Grand Canyon Field Institute, Mike Buchheit serves in the role of advisory board member for NavajoYES. Mike oversees the Grand Canyon's largest program for providing backcountry experiences for visitors.

Native flutist Jimmy Keith has led foreign tour groups on the Navajo Nation for ten years, earning a reputation as one of the most knowledgeable and culturally-aware guides in the area. An accomplished player of the Native American flute, Jimmy infuses Dine' heritage and the arts on many NavajoYES trips. Jimmy, who has recorded two CDs and appeaared on KTNN and events across the rez, has been involved in the Tour de Rez, Havasupai, Chuska, Durango and Grand Canyon trips in recent years.

Kristine Laughter of Window Rock, a very active board member on NavajoYES outings, spends her days as the Manager of Wells Fargo Bank in Winslow. Kristine herself has climbed in the Rockies and Tetons, and is developing a adventure-based mentoring project for Navajo girls. Krsitine is frequent co-leader on our Grand Canyon backpacking trips.

NavajoYES PROGRAM STAFF

Tom Riggenbach is the voluntary Director of the organization and the trip leader on most outings. We partner with various individuals to staff our programs during peak times, particularly the summer months.

Jimmy Keith has led foreign tour groups on the Navajo Nation for eight years, earning a reputation as one of the most knowledgeable and culturally-aware guides in the area. An accomplished player of the Native American flute, Jimmy infuses Dine' heritage and the arts on many NavajoYES trips. He has been involved in the Tour de Rez, Supai, Durango and Grand Canyon trips in recent years.

Irene Dayzie has been a supporter of the Tour de Rez since her first children were part of the Tour experience in 1995. Irene, a public school educator in Kayenta, is renown throughout the Four Corners for her fabulous cooking on the Chuska Challenge. Irene has spent hundreds of days in the Tour de Rez kitchen since 1996 and is well-known for her driving skills behind the wheel of "the Hummer" (the Tour's reliable '86 Suburban).

Fred Holiday of Monument Valley, Utah has worked the Tour de Rez and other bike outings for NavajoYES., bringing over 15 years of classroom experience to the field. Fred quickly develops a positive rapport with students on outings and provides a stable, steady influence throughout the trips.

Shonto resident Kee Dayzie has brought his unique skills to many trips since the early 1990's. Kee has supported multiple Tour de Rez trips, as well as camping/backpacking treks in the Navajo Mountain, Shonto, Chuska Mountain and Rainbow Bridge areas.