Presentation Summary

The North Dakota Health and Human Services (NDHHS) Community Engagement Unit will share practical insights for HR professionals working with employees and communities across North Dakota. The presentation will focus on building strong working relationships, increasing cultural awareness, and understanding important considerations when working with Tribal Nations and foreign-born communities. Attendees will explore common communication and engagement challenges, discuss approaches for creating more productive workplace relationships, and learn about resources available through NDHHS to support organizations across North Dakota. The session will conclude with an opportunity for attendees to ask questions and discuss real-world workplace scenarios.

Key Objectives

Attendees can expect to:

• Learn how to access available training resources.
• Increase awareness of cultural considerations when working with Tribal and foreign-born communities.
• Increase understanding of historical, cultural, and social factors that may influence communication, engagement, and workplace experiences.
• Identify factors that may affect communication, collaboration, and workplace success for these populations.
• Explore practical strategies for strengthening workplace communication, and building positive working relationships, and supporting collaboration across communities.
• Participate in an interactive Q&A focused on HR-related challenges and best practices. 

Presenters:

Cheyenne Smith is a Tribal Health Liaison for the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services. She has served in this role for 5 years. Cheyenne graduated from Carroll College with a Bachelor of Arts in Health Sciences and Community Health. She lived on the Standing Rock Reservation for a few years, where she worked in the schools and briefly in healthcare. She works with the other Tribal Health Liaisons at ND HHS to serve as a link between ND HHS and North Dakota Tribal communities, as well as bridge communication gaps and support deeper cooperative efforts among the Tribal communities. 

Luisa Hoyos is a Community Engagement Specialist with the Community Engagement Unit at the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services. Originally from Colombia, Luisa has called North Dakota home for nearly a decade. Her own experience immigrating to the USA and navigating life with limited English proficiency gives her a personal understanding of some of the challenges newcomers may face. Luisa is passionate about supporting foreign-born communities across North Dakota. She builds relationships with community leaders and works with internal and external partners to help make health programs and resources more accessible, culturally responsive, and connected to the needs of the communities they serve.

Luticia Mann is a Lakota and a tribally enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, band of the Mnicoujou. She is currently employed as a Tribal Health Liaison working within the NDHHS Community Engagement Unit. Luticia works closely with the health programs/systems in the Spirit Lake Nation & Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate tribal communities. Luticia has extensive prior work experience in the following areas: criminal justice & law enforcement, tobacco prevention, sexual assault & domestic violence advocacy, teen suicide prevention, case management & working in, with or alongside Tribal Communities. Her passion is connecting with others and helping where she can! 

Rylee Dahlen is a Tribal Health Liaison with the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services (NDHHS) Community Engagement Unit, where she works to strengthen relationships between NDHHS and Tribal Nations throughout North Dakota. In her roles, Rylee collaborates with Tribal health programs, community organizations, and public health partners to connect communities with resources, programs, funding opportunities, and workforce initiatives.

Event Schedule

• 11:30 AM – Lunch & Networking (In-Person Attendees)
• 11:45 AM – Chapter Announcements
• 12:00-1:30 - Speaker Introduction, Presentation, Q&A

Registration Details

In-Person Sign-up: CDHRA: CDHRA September 2026 In-Person Meeting Sign Up

Due to the location change, the virtual portion of the meeting will be held on Teams.

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/291949545679026?p=uy1ePs0zZaLeV7SZBy

Meeting ID: 291 949 545 679 026

Passcode: 3DL3Hq6g

Bring a Guest – First Meeting is FREE!

Know someone who’d benefit from this session? Invite them to join you, either in person or via Zoom. Their first meeting is on us!