Intertribal Life Newspaper -

LeeAnn Dreadfulwater could be described as a woman who "wears many hats." Although little is shared via the media regarding her family and personal life, LeeAnn does not mind others knowing is that she loves riding her gleaming white Paso Fino gelding-a naturally gaited horse originally imported from Spain and prized for its natural, four-beat, smooth and ambling gait.

Dreadfulwater is married, lives in Park Hill, Oklahoma, and has also lived in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Dreadfulwater's professional accomplishments overshadow all else: She is Project Manager of the Cherokee Film Project and fulltime manager of Cherokee Nation Businesses in the area.

The professional roles she loves most, however, include covering script and research related to her functioning as archival producer for Osiyo TV, a regional Emmy Award-winning series focused on Cherokee culture, history and the Cherokee people.

Although Osiyo means "Hello" in the Cherokee language, it also embraces a deeper, more spiritual meaning-that of the welcoming and hospitality extended by the Cherokee for centuries.

LeeAnn's work also includes historical research, managing social media for the television show, vetting scripts for their accuracy, and writing and supporting various marketing efforts. She also wrote and developed a 500-year historical timeline for Osiyo's website. In addition to other external projects, LeeAnn handles script coverage for film incentive applicants and provides historical and cultural consultation for producers and script writers for Cherokee film.

Seasons six and seven of Osiyo were awarded Heartland Regional Emmy awards. Season eight aired in the Spring of 2023. The fact that Dreadfulwater and her team are now preparing for their ninth season is proof of the level of interest in her and her team's work.

Dreadfulwater has also prepared a policy framework for her team. Its purposes include goals and procedures that may be used in negotiating or making decisions that guide to a more detailed set of policies. Such are designed to lead to ongoing maintenance of their organizational policies.

Targeting supervisors and managers, LeeAnn has created a 64-hour curriculum with interactive classes and exercises. In it, she includes strategies for coaching, interviewing, time management, hiring and evaluating. The curriculum also incorporates federal and tribal employment laws, current trends, recognition and reward, terminations, and progressive discipline.

LeeAnn Dreadfulwater has also developed and taught classes on drug testing, reasonable suspicion, computer skills, professionalism, and management.

KB Schaller

Her duties further include managing a writers team to gather and disseminate important news to Cherokee citizens while making sure to promote the image of Dreadfulwater's beloved "Great Cherokee Nation."

But, even though her many responsibilities may seem daunting to most, LeeAnn Dreadfulwater sums it all as "a role I love."

Sources:

Cherokee Phoenix Weekly

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KB Schaller is the Award-winning author of 100+ Native American Women Who Changed the World, Women's Issues Category. Other KB Schaller books are available through amazon.com and other booksellers.