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There are a few new members to the Resolution Copper communications staff who were hired over the summer. Tara Kitcheyan a lifetime resident of San Carlos is the Senior Advisor for Native American Affairs. James Schneck has been hired as the manager of Community and Social Perfomance, Permitting and Approvals, he and his wife recently moved to Superior following his acceptance of his position with Resoution Copper. Brian Seppela a lifetime native of Globe, Arizona has accepted the position of Stakeholder Engagement Analyst. The community will be seeing these member of the communications staff involved in external relations throughout the region for Resolution Copper.
Tara L. Kitcheyan is the Senior Advisor for Native American Affairs. She joined the Resolution Copper Company in June 2014. Tara applied for the position because she saw it as an opportunity to serve the Native American community. She is an enrolled member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe and resides in the Gilson Wash District of San Carlos, Arizona. Tara is the proud daughter of Kathy Wesley-Kitcheyan and the late Terry L. Kitcheyan Sr., both of San Carlos, AZ.
Tara is a product of the San Carlos Unified School District, being a student from K-12; graduating in 2003 from San Carlos High School. Soon after, she received her Associates of Arts from Scottsdale Community College in 2008, and obtained her Bachelors of Arts degree in American Indian Studies from Arizona State University in 2010.
Among her experiences, Tara has interned with prestigious non-profit organizations that serve the American Indian community on a national level; the National Indian Health Board and the National Congress of American Indians in Washington D.C. She served as the first ever Meth Prevention Coordinator for the San Carlos Apache Tribal Police Department – where she developed and implemented a prevention program that educated the local community on the ramifications of methamphetamine usage. She also served as a Legislative Fellow with the National Congress of American Indians in Washington D.C. – her portfolio included issue areas in the realm of education, health and human services, and youth initiatives.
Tara’s long time dedication to Indian Country will serve as an integral part of her position while she seeks to create partnerships with tribal communities and other agencies.
Tara also enjoys volunteering her time as a member of the Sen Gaa Isdzane Association, the Miss Indian Arizona Association and the Miss San Carlos Queen Committee.
When she is not busy working and volunteering Tara enjoys spending time with her family. “It has been ingrained in my early teachings that family is of the utmost importance. Whether it is assisting in the preparation for traditional ceremonies, birthday parties or our family reunion, I enjoy the time we spend with one another,” she said.
“I have the pleasure of working with the public on a daily basis. Furthermore, I am learning about the needs of tribal communities and how we can make a positive difference in our relationship,” Tara explained when asked about what she enjoys most about working in the communities department.
James S. Schenck is the Manager of Community & Social Performance, Permitting and Approvals. James joined Resolution Copper Company in July 2014. Jim has an extensive education and work experience that qualified him for this position. Jim received his B.A. degree in Latin America Studies at the University of Arizona in Tucson, AZ in 1976. He then went to the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, in 1982 where he received his M.S.
Jim ended his position as a consultant for JSS International Consulting in Guatemala & California to take the position with Resolution Copper. From 2008 to 2011 he was the Regional Director for Sustainable Development in Central & South America, Goldcorp, Inc., Guatemala. With Goldcorp Inc., he oriented mine managers on best practices and provided sustainable development at different mine sites. From 2003-2004 Jim was Deputy Director and Deputy Chief of Party at Chemonics International in Lima, Peru. One of the primary reasons Jim applied for a job with Rio Tino (Resolution’s parent company) was the because of the reputation Rio Tinto has for it’s communities work around the world.
“When I heard about the Resolution Copper position and studied the project, I saw a lot of potential for the project and the communities including Superior and San Carlos for mutual benefit as well as an interesting personal challenge. Once I came for an interview, I was even more convinced that this could be a great place to work and live,” he explained.
Jim is US citizen being fluent in English and Spanish. He has resided in the US, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Paraguay. He has also done some short-term work in Canada, Honduras, El Salvador, Panama, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Jim has enjoyed a global career which inspires his hobbies and interests, he is looking forward to learning more about Superior and the surrounding areas.
“I’ve always been interested in history and am reading up on the area’s history. My great grandfather worked with the Arizona Copper Company,” he said. He is also looking forward to spending time at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum and exploring more of Arizona now that he and his wife have moved to Superior.
When asked what he enjoys most about working with the Communities Department he explained “The Resolution Copper community department is an exciting place, working with communities in the Copper Triangle, San Carlos and other Native American communities. It is a small, but diverse group of professionals with who I get to work in a great part of the world”
Bryan Seppala has accepted the position of Stakeholder Engagement Analyst for Resolution Copper Company. Bryan graduated from Globe High School in 2005 and in 2009 received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Regional/Economic Development and Business Administration from the University of Arizona in Tucson, AZ.
Many locals may know Bryan from his time as a co-manager at the Fry’s Food Store in Globe. Bryan is making this career change after 12 years of service in Globe and Tucson. “Respect, safety, diversity and honesty are my core values each and every day,” he said. Resolution Copper and Rio Tinto are leading companies and their values match his, which is one of the main reasons Bryan decided to apply for a position at Resolution Copper.
Bryan is an active participant and engaging leader in the Globe-Miami community, and has sat on numerous boards and activities. He is currently the President of the Pinal Mountain Foundation for Higher Education, which is a volunteer board that raises money for scholarships to benefit students from Globe, Miami, and San Carlos who are attending Gila Community College. Bryan is the logistics coordinator for the Copper Valley Relay for Life and also sits on the March of Dimes committee. He is the past vice president of the Southern Gila County Economic Development Corporation, graduate of the Gila County Leadership Academy, member of Pinal Mountain Elks Lodge #2809, and the recipient of the 2014 Kroger Community Service Award. Along with his commitment to community outreach, Bryan is committed to his work teams, being trained and certified in diversity, inclusion, and the OZ principle of accountability. Bryan enjoys spending his off time volunteering, however when he isn’t needed for activities for these organizations he enjoys spending time outdoors, especially camping and fishing with his family in the White Mountains.
Bryan’s focus on positive economic development and community engagement, along with a passion for giving back to the local community will aid him as he takes on this new and exciting challenge. “I was born and raised in a mining family. Just about every aspect of my life has been affected by the mining industry. I have seen the ups and downs and how this industry can affect small communities and the people residing in them. I have a deep understanding on the importance of mining to our economic success an our communities’ livelihood. I just want to do what I can to ensure mining remains relevant in our small communities and remains an economic engine,” explained Bryan.
There are news or informational items frequently written by staff or submitted to the Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner, Superior Sun, Pinal Nugget or Oracle Towne Crier for inclusion in our print or digital products. These items are not credited with an author.
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