| Penelope Laura Pinnecoose, an enrolled member of the Ute Indian Tribe (Uncompahgre Band) and descendant of the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes, earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Utah.
Since 2009, Penelope has devoted herself to the Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake, serving as former Youth Program Coordinator and Interim Director of Community Health Services, and currently managing the Family & Community Services Department. In 2022, the National Council of Urban Indian Health honored her for her commitment to UICSL's mission.
Since 2019, she has served on the board of the Indian Training Education Center. In her free time, Penelope plays slow-pitch softball. She has three children: one is a recent University of Utah graduate, one plays collegiate basketball at Highline College in Washington, and one works for Granite School District/West Valley Fitness Center.
1) What inspired you to pursue leadership in Family and Community Services, and what has been most meaningful to you about serving our Native community?
My inspiration comes from my mother, Gay-Dawn Pinnecoose (St. Clair). She is our IT Coordinator and has served UICSL since 2002. I value her strength and persistence as she’s worn many hats while working at the center. I am inspired by Native cultures and by the services we offer to help Native people build community connections and access community resources.
2) Family and community are at the heart of the work you do. How do you incorporate culture, traditions, and community values into the services your department provides? The Family & Community Services Programs offer a variety of tribal cultural enrichment activities, such as traditional storytelling, traditional games, and cultural identity and language. Youth & Family Culture Classes and elder programs include traditional medicine for prayer, such as smudging with Sweetgrass, Sage, or Cedar. We also promote awareness of the differences between commercial tobacco and traditional tobacco. 3) What do you believe are some of the biggest challenges facing the families and individuals in our community today, and how can Family and Community Services help address those needs? AI/AN populations face many obstacles that hinder health and exacerbate disparities, including economic oppression, food insecurity, job security, housing struggles, educational support, and substance abuse, many of which result from historical trauma. FCSD introduced a new program, the Strengthening Families Program (10-14), held in June-August, an evidence-based program for youth and caregivers, including elders raising their grandchildren, focused on educational success, communication skills, and substance abuse prevention/awareness. Many of our elders also attend monthly programs at the UICSL, which offer discussion-based events on aging, health education, historical trauma, mental health support, and community resources. 4) How do you build trust and meaningful relationships with families who may have experienced barriers or difficult experiences when accessing services in the past? Great question. I show respect to the clients I serve and honor trust to ensure integrity. Our Native families face many hardships, as I explained in question 3. Last November, we served 100 Thanksgiving turkeys to Native elders, and recently our Annual Back-to-School event served over 300 Native youth with back-to-school supplies, backpacks, wellness checks, and community resources. 5) What does family wellness and stability look like to you, and what role does your department play in helping families achieve it? Preserving culture and sustaining Health Promotion/Disease Prevention programs for AI/AN people through state, Federal, and local county funds are essential to sustaining prevention-based programs for youth/parents and community-based programs for an aging community. 6) Family and Community Services often connects people with many different resources. How do you work with other departments, organizations, and community partners to make sure families receive the support they need? When we collaborate internally with department programs, we strengthen client support, especially for mental health and clinical needs. I want to highlight the Utah State Office of Education Title VI Indian Education Programs as a strong ally in the Urban Indian Center's success. We have developed Memoranda of Agreement (MOUs) and support school districts along the Wasatch Front.
Community partners such as the Indian Training Education Center, American Indian Services, the University of Utah (Center for Native Excellence), and many others are essential to the UICSL. 7) How do you support your team when they are working with families experiencing complex needs, difficult circumstances, or significant life challenges? I provide open communication, transparency, and understanding. I show empathy for the challenges they may face and offer guidance and support. Helping and serving people can be challenging but supporting each other through difficult moments and uncertain times can feel daunting in the moment, yet supportive in the end. 8) What role do you believe cultural traditions, family support, community connections, and traditional practices can play in strengthening the families we serve? Cultural identity is a key protective factor; it promotes resilience, family cohesion, tribal heritage, language preservation, traditional values, traditional culture, and a sense of belonging. 9) How do you measure the impact of Family and Community Services, and how do you know when your department is truly making a difference in the lives of the people and families you serve? Community feedback gives parents and elders a voice. We also offer community outreach throughout Utah, such as raising awareness of commercial tobacco at local powwows, Title VI events, and statewide community events.
Over the summer, we sent a group of young adults ages 18–24 to the United National Indian Tribal Youth Conference in Oklahoma City, OK, all expenses paid. This UICSL Youth Council will acknowledge the needs of our Native youth. Next summer, the UICSL Youth Council plans to attend the National UNITY conference in Florida.
10) On a personal note, what is one experience, person, or lesson that has shaped who you are today and continues to inspire you in the work you do? My immediate and extended family near and far (past and present), education, athletics, and tribal identity/culture shaped who I am today. I’m fortunate to have both parents in my life today; my dad is grounded and direct about a strong work ethic and humility- I think that’s a Pinnecoose trait. My grandmother, Leona Buckman (94), is the oldest member of the Northern Arapaho Tribe. She overcame adversity through education: starting at age 6, she lived through the Assimilation Era (boarding school), graduated from the University of Wyoming, became a professor at Haskell Indian Junior College in the 1980s, and today she continues to share her history and stories with our family and community. She always said, “Learning doesn’t stop, and once you earn your degree, no one can take it away.” | 
