After years of searching, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe has hired the new Director of Human Resources for the Tribe’s Permanent Fund. Kerrie Kellerman, of Farmington, N.M. started her new position for the tribe this past week.

Kellerman started her HR journey at the University of New Mexico where she received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, with a concentration in Human Resources. It was while she was attending college that she first realized she loved HR and being around people.

“I’m a very people focused person,” she said.

Since then, she has gained experience working in HR for big organizations including, Home Depot, San Juan College, and most recently BHP Billiton – where she spent the last six years.

“I’m really excited to be here,” she said. “Learning the culture for me is important … not only the culture of the tribe, but the culture of the Permanent Fund and the business culture.”

Since the beginning of her career, Kellerman has enjoyed being challenged. She views challenges as a way she can continue to grow, personally and professionally.

Now with the tribe, she has taken over a vital position that has been vacant for over two years. Needless to say, she will be facing a new set of challenges in her role here at the tribe.

“Sometimes it’s hard to find the right fit,” Kellerman said about the tribe’s long search for a HR Director. “But sometimes the right fit is what it takes.”

Kellerman isn’t shying away from the responsibilities of her new endeavor and feels the current HR Department is a good team to start building with.

“I think they got a good core team … they are doing the best they can with the resources they have, so we’re going to find ways to make it better for them and the tribe,” she said. “I’ll be looking at a lot of things, keeping things that are doing great and moving things around that need improvement.”

She said she brings to the tribe her integrity, and her commitment to a fair process.

“My most important goal is to make sure we’re efficient, fair and people oriented.”

Kellerman is happy to be staying in the Four Corners Area for work. She has strong ties to the area, growing up in Farmington, and now raising a family there – two sons and a daughter – with her husband.