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Fabian Martinez became the Southern Ute Museum’s Director Trainee in December of 2024, he received the full Museum Director position on December first of this year. Martinez was one of 17 employees that were selected to take part in the recent Project RUN leadership course for the Permanent Fund.
TIS Records Retention Manager, Shiri Howell works alongside Jack Frost III in the Records Division, which she oversees. Howell was one of 17 employees that were selected to take part in the Project RUN leadership course for the Permanent Fund.
HR Training and Development Coordinator, Michelle Wagner congratulates the Permanent Fund’s Project Run cohort with a celebratory class to finish off the six-week leadership course, which was held in person, Wednesday, Nov. 19.
Photo Credit: Jeremy Wade Shockley | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Jeremy Wade Shockley | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Courtesy Michelle Wagner | HR Dept.
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Project RUN hones leadership skills for tribal employees

Tuesday - December 23, 2025 by Jeremy Wade Shockley | The Southern Ute Drum

Cohorts hail from Pagosa, Ignacio and Durango 

Project Rural Upskill Network (RUN) is a workforce collaboration between the La Plata Economic Development Alliance and Fort Lewis College. Supported by a three-year, $1.25M Opportunity Now grant from the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), the program develops microcredentials with direct collaboration from employers and industry partners across Southwest Colorado.  

According to Project RUN, “‘Fundamentals of Leadership & Management 1: People’ is a six-week training designed to build the leadership capacity that a strong regional workforce depends on.” Led by professional leadership coaches, the training helps participants clarify their leadership style, communicate with intention, support team accountability, and navigate workplace dynamics. The training has been offered three times, with the most recent taking place from Oct.15 to Nov. 19. Project RUN hosted cohorts in Pagosa Springs, Ignacio, and Durango to ensure leadership development is available across the region. 

“I went into the Project RUN cohort with every intention of honing my managerial skills while transitioning into my role as the Museum Director,” Fabian Martinez said. Martinez became the Southern Ute Museum’s Director Trainee in December of 2024, he received the full Museum Director position on December 1. Martinez was one of 17 employees that were selected to take part in the recent Project RUN leadership course for the Permanent Fund. “I was genuinely surprised by the content that was introduced during the six weeks as I was able to learn skills relating to handling conflict and putting forth meaningful conversations with my staff.” 

“Being a part of the cohort and keeping up with the additional homework was a big challenge, especially while working full-time,” Martinez said. “Through this experience, I was also able to learn how to prioritize my work and narrow my to-do list to make sure I was not multi-tasking too often. Learning not to multi-task has been helpful for me to ensure I am giving my best every day.” 

There were 17 Permanent Fund employees from Health, Tribal Services, TERO, Facilities, TIS, Education, HR, Finance, Culture and Natural Resources who completed the Fundamentals of Leadership & Management series. 

The course was co-taught by Dr. Christine Fonner and Michael de Lisser. 

Fonner, who hails from Silverton, Colo., offers ongoing leadership development coaching, workshops, and training options for one-to-one sessions and team building needs. With a master’s degree in change management and transformational leadership, a PhD in Organizational Leadership, and 25 years of experience (including experience in rural communities across the country),  Fonner has dedicated her career to supporting leaders in the everyday workplace. 

Lisser, based in Durango, Colo., is a strategic leadership consultant with over 20 years of experience helping organizations and individuals improve performance in several industries. Lisser earned his Bachelor’s (University of Rhode Island) and Master’s (University of Utah) degrees with a focus on interpersonal, intercultural, and organizational communication. He also spent over a decade as an adjunct professor in the Professional MBA and Executive Education Programs at the University of Utah David Eccles School of Business. He is currently the Managing Director and co-founder of de Lisser Leadership Consulting, a strategic leadership consulting firm, and is the author of “Leadership Accelerators: High-Impact Communication Skills That Strengthen Relationships and Drive Results.” 

“The portion of the course I teach focuses on increasing emotional intelligence, improving communication self-awareness and skills, and understanding how to improve team performance and relationships,” Lisser said. “Many of the topics I cover in the program are the same topics as I teach in MBA programs and in senior leadership development training.” 

“The Permanent Fund Human Resources team is proud to have partnered with Project RUN to deliver a valuable training class for staff,” said Michelle Wagner, HR Training and Development Coordinator for the Permanent Fund. “This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to investing in employee development and fostering growth. We look forward to continuing this partnership and creating future opportunities that enhance the skills and knowledge of our workforce.” 

Learn more by visiting Projectrunco.work 

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