Learning the ropes through mentorship 

Southern Ute tribal member, Morgann Graham is currently serving in an apprenticeship under Robin Duffy-Wirth to take on the role of SunUte Community Center Director.  

Graham is no stranger to SunUte or recreation. She worked as a lifeguard and front desk attendant at the Durango Recreation Center while earning a bachelor’s degree in public health from Fort Lewis College. Nor is this her first apprenticeship under the Tribe. Graham successfully completed an apprenticeship position in 2018 with Shining Mountain Health and Wellness, a program under the Southern Ute Indian Tribe’s Health Department where she served as the program manager for the past six years.  

Prior to that, Morgann also spent numerous years working for SunUte as a lifeguard early in her career.  

Graham sees this apprenticeship as a once in a lifetime opportunity. Not to just jump into the position of SunUte Director, but to learn the position with a growth mindset. “I couldn’t pass up on this opportunity … I find passion in this,” Graham, said. “I don’t think I could have found a better fit. I feel at home here.” 

  Graham is a people person and very passionate when it comes to the programs that make SunUte an integral part of her tribal community. 

“Robin and I are very similar; we both have compassion for the community,” Graham said. 

“If you’re not adapting to a community, then you’re not serving the community with their input,” Graham said. “It’s about being able to keep the positive things going.” 

Going from Program Manager at Shining Mountain Health and Wellness to the SunUte Community Center is no easy feat, Graham is stepping into a leadership position on a much larger scale. She has already transitioned from two full time employees under her guidance at Shining Mountain to working with close to 65 at SunUte.  

Duffy-Wirth feels that Graham is the ideal candidate for this apprenticeship. 

“While the apprenticeship is roughly a year long, it’s ultimately ‘when Morgann is ready’ Duffy-Wirth explained. “It’s important that I go from here to there, to out there,” Robin said referring to her gradual transition of responsibility to Morgann Graham. “In six to seven months, Morgann takes over more responsibility,” Duffy-Wirth explained, reinforcing the notion that she will step back and let Graham step into the driver’s seat, assuming more for the leadership roles at SunUte with her continued guidance.  

Both Duffy-Wirth and Graham laud the Tribe’s apprenticeship program for its forward-thinking mindset versus the traditional onboarding, which offers less opportunity for an employee to grow into their new leadership role. 

“Robin really shows me what I aspire to be,” Graham said. “She really has given me those steppingstones to get there — I’m excited to get there.” 

In her role as apprentice, Graham is also bringing over grant writing knowledge and other skill sets to her new role at SunUte. Communication and teamwork will also be key for Graham as she enters her new role and builds relationships at SunUte. 

“I’ve known Robin for more than half my life,” Graham said. “I look up to Robin. The energy she brought [to this place]. SunUte is the pinnacle of the community and I’m excited to help guide the way it grows.”  

“I’ve felt I’ve made full circle here from lifeguard to director,” Graham said. 

The Southern Ute Indian Tribe’s Permanent Fund has been successfully mentoring Southern Ute tribal members through their apprenticeship program for nearly 20 years. The program, which is tailored to the needs of individuals, focuses on training and career advancement. While many participants opt to gain experience through the mentorship component, others use this program as an opportunity to reach their career goals. 

Duffy-Wirth also serves on the Tribe’s Apprentice Committee and feels strongly about the success of the program and the Tribe as a whole.  

“You have to be dedicated,” Duffy-Wirth emphasized in a previous interview. “It’s a gift from the Tribe to its tribal members, allowing them to grow, and gain experience under a mentor. But you have to put the work in.”  

“We [the committee] all believe so strongly in membership growth and opportunity, but we have to find people that are willing to mentor, and tribal members that are willing to be mentored,” Duffy-Wirth said. 

“I could not imagine a tribal member that could be a better fit than Morgann for SunUte!” Duffy-Wirth said.