Workforce Development

Our Mission & Vision

Mission: Empowering the Meskwaki Nation by providing training and educational opportunities and career pathways to promote a thriving and healthy economy.

Vision: To create and sustain a thriving workforce development system that serves the Meskwaki Community.

What We Do

We are here to help develop, sustain, and retain a viable workforce for the Meskwaki Nation. We strive to create a workforce development system that will create economic prosperity for individuals, businesses, and the community.

What We Do 

We are here to help develop, sustain, and retain a viable workforce for the Meskwaki Nation. We strive to create a workforce development system that will create economic prosperity for individuals, businesses, and the community.

Promoting Tribal Economies and Community 

Promoting Tribal Economies and Community (PTEC) is a workforce development program that provides education and training to Meskwaki Community Members. The program includes a training course and on-the-job training within the department’s incubators Red Earth Gardens and Meskwaki Food Sovereignty. Participants will learn about workplace skills, food, farming, seeding, and Meskwaki Indigenous knowledge and life-ways during the growing season, from plant to harvest.  CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE.

Department Incubators 

Red Earth Gardens
The Red Earth Gardens is an organic farm committed to growing food in a way that was taught to us by our ancestors. Nourishing Mother Earth while supporting the community through environmentally-sustainable practices, we grow vegetables, herbs, and more!  CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE.

Meskwaki Food Sovereignty
Our mission is to secure food sovereignty by seeding, growing, and harvesting Meskwaki Indigenous knowledge and life-ways.  CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE.

Financial Literacy

We offer financial literacy to educate individuals to make informed financial decisions. The training utilizes the curriculum from Building Native Communities – Financial Skills for Families that covers the following topics: 

  • Building a healthy economy
  • Developing a spending plan
  • Working with checking and savings accounts
  • Understanding credit and your credit report
  • Using credit
  • Be a smart consumer

Upcoming Events

Recent News

Workforce Development Staff

Avis Bear-Bass

Youth Education Coordinator

Workforce Development

[email protected]
(641) 484-9510

Frank Blackcloud

Farm Team Member

Red Earth Gardens

[email protected]
641-484-9550

Shoshonis Brown

Project Manager

Workforce Development

[email protected]
641-484-9506

Shelley Kapayou

Workforce Development Director

Workforce Development

[email protected]
641-484-9508

Luke Kapayou

Ancestral Farming Manager

Workforce Development

[email protected]
641-484-9513

Trey Keahna

Community Engagement Assistant

Workforce Development

[email protected]
641-484-9508

Adonis Lasley

Farm Team Member

Red Earth Gardens

[email protected]
641-484-9550

Ann Lasley

Farm Sales Coordinator

Red Earth Gardens

[email protected]
641-484-9550

Tyrell Roberts

Farm Crew Leader

Red Earth Gardens

[email protected]
641-484-9550

Stephanie Snow

Workforce Education Coordinator

Workforce Development

[email protected]
641-481-1855

Ray Tahahwah

Assistant Farm Manager

Red Earth Gardens

[email protected]
641-484-9508

Waylon Wolf

Instructional Farm Manager

Red Earth Gardens

[email protected]
641-481-0404

Department Contact Information  

Department Hours

Monday – Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. 

Phone Number

(641) 484-9501

Physical & Mailing Address  

3134 H Ave Tama, IA 52339

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Contact the Meskwaki Nation

Get in touch with our main office if you have general questions or need assistance finding the correct department to contact.