Joni’s passion to serve has driven every action in her life, both professionally and personally. Her parents instilled their Cherokee way of life of service to community. Joni is CEO of granted, a grants management service, educational consulting through Indigenized Instructional Design, and business consulting focused on start-ups.
granted assists organizations secure funding for projects designed to enhance the lives of underserved people. Through skillful research and writing skills, granted locates funding sources, writes grant applications or proposals (RFPs), and evaluates program effectiveness for organizations supporting social justice programs.
Education has always been so important to the Cherokee people (Ani’Yun’wiya - the real people). We see education as the method to interact with the colonized world and the only way to life peacefully in the dominant culture. As a result, education is a key component of granted’s services, specializing in Indigenized Instructional Design. Joni is one of the few education professionals who actively work to Indigenize Western adult educational business curriculum by incorporating Indigenous worldviews, lived experiences, language, and teaching models through Native representation.
Previously, her passion guided Joni into a long career as a Registered Nurse on the front lines of people in need by providing direct patient care, administration, and consulting to keep patients in comfortable, economical environments providing the most effective treatments. In consulting capacities, Joni advised health-care systems on program efficiency while focusing upon consumer needs.
After earning a Master’s Degree in Nursing Education from Oklahoma City University, Joni began university teaching, primarily Research Methods at undergraduate and graduate levels, while advancing her knowledge in monitoring and evaluation of programming. Joni has completed additional training to augment her knowledge in all aspects of grants and proposal management.
As an Educator and Instructional Designer, she was a Director of a college Nursing School and has taught in traditional and non-traditional classrooms and online environments. She is proud to have been instrumental in growing a generation of healthcare professionals including nurses, technicians, and acupuncturists. As a business consultant, she managed the Education Department for a Native American non-profit educating and providing technical assistance to Native American entrepreneurs, as well as building the infrastructure and membership needed to a growing national Native American non-profit organization.
While serving as Chairperson for a culturally-focused non-profit organization, Joni began winning grants to promote and further the organization’s mission and providing business support start-up services to artist non-profit co-operatives. As a traditional Cherokee potter (mentor: Crystal Hanna, Cherokee Nation), art feeds her soul. She is passionate about her tribe’s pottery traditions and the stories they bring to life.
Some highlights of her work include a 98% pass rate for RN licensure in an Associate Degree Nursing program, over 400 graduates of a foundational Native American business course over 2+ years, and having the opportunity to share her tribal culture, art, and storytelling.
When not working, Joni spends her time writing about her bank robber grand-aunties and other nutty family tales, playing in the mud (pottery), hiking, traveling and generally spending time with her family and friends. She values the great honor of working with her chosen population, Native Americans, to advance their economic efforts and recovery.
Contact Us —
(360)487-0933
joni@getgranted.org