Our staff at the Alliance of Tribal Coalitions to End Violence is committed to addressing domestic and sexual violence in Indian Country. We seek to demonstrate this commitment by supporting and strengthening the work, services, training, and technical assistance provided by the Tribal Coalitions to Tribal governments, Tribal communities, and Tribal domestic and sexual violence response providers and programs.
Leanne Guy, Diné, is of the Tó’ áhani (Near to water) clan and is born for the Tódichi’ii’nii (Bitter Water) clan. Her chei (maternal grandfather) is from the Tábaahí (Waters Edge) clan, and her nali (paternal grandfather) is from the Tachii’nii (Red Running into the Water) clan. This is who she is as a Diné woman. She is a mother, grandmother, sister, auntie, lifelong partner to Charlie, and works for the betterment of tribal communities.
Leanne has over 25 years of experience in tribal community health promotion, disease prevention, and public health and safety initiatives. She has worked to help increase the capacity of tribal programs to organize, develop, and implement public health intervention and prevention strategies for increased wellness, healing, safety, and justice. She is a member of numerous national, state, and boards, task forces, and committees including the Alliance of Tribal Coalitions to End Violence, National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, National Congress of American Indian’s Violence Against Women Task Force and Arizona’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Study Committee.
Currently, Leanne is the founding executive director of the Southwest Indigenous Women’s Coalition, Arizona’s tribal domestic and sexual violence coalition. Prior to this, she was the executive director of a nonprofit, community-based domestic violence and sexual assault services program located on the Diné Nation. Leanne has also worked for the Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc., and the Indian Health Service in HIV/AIDS, cancer prevention, and women’s health. The many blessings Leanne has experienced in working with tribes is getting to know the people—hearing their stories, sharing laughter, observing their customs, and seeing their land.
Yolanda Francisco is the Executive Director of Restoring Ancestral Winds, Inc. She is Diné and from the Edgewater (Tabaaha) clan born for the Basque people. She is a strong advocate for the Native people, especially women and children. In 2017, she helped establish a Navajo Nation Council Sexual Assault Prevention Work Group to address child abduction, sexual violence, and human trafficking. In addition to serving four years as board chair of the Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Yolanda played significant role to pass legislation to protect the LGBTQI2S from employment discrimination and was invited to address the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland on her award-winning program, the Human Rights Education Project. She has spent nearly two decades working at the executive level of local government including diversity and human rights policy. She has received numerous awards for her achievements. Most recently, she received the Pillar of Hope Award from the Rape Recovery Center and Women in Leadership for her work in Indigenous Victim Advocacy from Zions Bank and the Sundance Institute. Yolanda has a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Phoenix.
Keely Linton is an Íipay and Kupa Native from the Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians. She currently lives and works within her community. Keely obtained her Bachelors in Science degree from California State University, San Marcos. She began her 20-year career in domestic violence and sexual assault while working for the Indian Health Council, Inc. During her time at the Indian Health Council, Inc. she worked in collaboration outside the native community to assist victims of intimate partner violence. She spent 6 years as the Coordinator for the North County Family Violence Prevention Center, a multi-agency collaboration, serving victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Through the center Keely gained experience and expertise working with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, the San Diego County District Attorney’s office, and tribal governments. The collaboration combined native and non-native victim services in one location. Providing the community and reservations a broader range of victim services including culturally appropriate resources.
Keely provides community education on domestic violence and sexual assault. Including training service providers and other professionals. She provides a cultural competency course to assist those working within the Native American populations. This training is provided throughout San Diego County and other areas of need. Several years ago she assisted California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA) on the Law Enforcement Training Recovery Act Program. She assisted with training and writing the Peace Officers Standards Training Course on “DV and SA for First Responders on Tribal Lands.”
Currently, Keely is the Chairperson for the Judicial Council of the Intertribal Court of Southern California and Mesa Grande Business Development Corporation. She is the Executive Director for the Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition, advocating for victims and their families by promoting safety and a traditional non-violent lifestyle. Keely has spent the last 2 decades devoted to her community to assist with the reduction in family violence and making policy changes within the local governments she serves to better protect our families.
I am text block. Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
I am text block. Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
I am text block. Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
