Diversity/EEO seminar July 24-25 in Albuquerque

"Diversity is a Team Sport: Let's Play to Win," is the theme of this year's seminar. The Laboratory is a platinum sponsor for this year's event.

The Albuquerque/Santa Fe/Los Alamos EEO Council, a nonprofit organization, sponsors the seminar annually to provide managers, supervisors and interested parties with an affordable way to stay current on the vital issues of employees' rights.

This year's guest speakers include Todd Conklin of Nuclear Materials Information Management (NMT-3). Conklin will speak on "How to Successfully Survive Outside your Comfort Zone and Culture."

Other scheduled keynote speakers are former Dallas Cowboy and University of New Mexico running back Don Perkins; sociologist, author and poet Irene Blea; Native American storyteller and educational development consultant Joel Orona; and KOAT Channel 7 weather and television personality Mark Ronchetti.

In addition to Conklin, several Laboratory employees are scheduled to speak at the conference:

• Jim Kleinsteuber of the Nuclear Materials Technology (NMT) Division will speak on "Partnerships Within our Communities: Giving Back"
• Danny Lujan of Pit Disposition Science and Technology (NMT-15) will speak on "Rules for Team Success"
• Crestina Vigil, a student in NMT, will present a poster titled "Diversity is a Team Sport: The Best Team Players will always Win"
• Carol Smith and Mary Van Eeckhout of Materials Management (BUS-4) will speak on "Mentoring: Building a Bridge to Employment"
• Dee Dee McInroy of the Ombuds Program Office will speak on "Challenges and Opportunities Small Business Encounter While Working with a National Laboratory."

John Rowley of Electronic and Electrochemical Materials and Devices (MST-11) and Richard Pearson of Integrated Information Management (FWO-IIM) are on a panel that explores "What it Means to be Deaf in a Hearing World."

Scheduled workshops will focus on age-related issues, workplace harassment, the federal Family Medical Leave Act and psychiatric disabilities. In addition, workshops will offer information on "Coaching for Improved Performance;" "Religious Tolerance at Work;" "An ADA Tool You Can't Live Without;" "The Tuskegee Airmen;" "Working Through Team Conflict;" "Feng Shui Fun for Your Office;" "Diffusing Hostility;" "Immigrants' Rights in the Workplace;" "How Teams Communicate," "History in the Making of the Sacagawea Golden Dollar;" "Curanderismo in the Southwest;" "The Memorable Manager: Qualities and Attitude;" "Rules for Team Success;" "Caution: Men and Women at Work;" "Playing on the Air Force Team: Then, Now and In the Future."

Registration is $130 through July 15. Payments can be made to A/SF/LA EEO Council and mailed to P.O. Box 443, Los Alamos, N.M. 87544.

After July 15, interested participants can register only at the conference and the cost is $180.

For more information and to obtain registration forms, contact Maryrose Montalvo of the Nuclear Materials Technology (NMT) Division at 7-4988 or mmontalvo@lanl.gov by electronic mail or Kathy Rokop of Deployed Resources (HR-DR) at 5-1846 or krokop@lanl.gov by electronic mail. Or go to www.eeocouncil.org online.

--Steve Sandoval

Sacagawea coin model speaks in Los Alamos July 23 It isn't every day that a coin with your likeness is minted. In 2000, Shosone and Bannock-Cree Native American Randy `L He-dow Teton was the model for the Sacagawea gold dollar coin. Since the coin was minted and put into circulation, Teton has traveled around the country to promote the new coin and bring attention to American Indian and Alaska native issues and concerns. At 1 p.m., July 23, in Fuller Lodge downtown, Teton will speak on the importance of education and specifically, higher education for Native Americans. The talk is sponsored by the Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) and the Albuquerque/Santa Fe/Los Alamos EEO Council and cosponsored by the Nuclear Materials Technology (NMT) Division ATOMICS program, the Women's Diversity Working Group and the American Indian Diversity Working Group. The talk is free and open to the public. The talk precedes the 17th annual Equal Employment Opportunity Diversity Training and Awareness seminar, sponsored by the Albuquerque/Santa Fe/Los Alamos EEO Council, July 24 and 25 at the Crowne Plaza Pyramid Hotel in Albuquerque (see accompanying story). Teton is the second oldest of five siblings. According to a biography from Teton, He-dow (pronounced he-dough) means "meadowlark" in Shoshone. In the Bannock language, He-dow is pronounced hi-though and means "close to ground." Last year, Teton interned at the American Numismatic Association Money Museum in Colorado Springs, Colo. Teton has a bachelor's degree in art history from the University of New Mexico and an associate's degree in museum studies from the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe. She is currently a graduate student at the University of Idaho. Santa Fe artist Glenna Goodacre created the design for the Sacagawea dollar coin in 1998. "I can't believe I'm on a coin," Teton said during the coins creation. "It is a real honor for me and my family." --Steve Sandoval

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