UNITY Staff

LorenAshley Buford, Yamassee descendant, is the Project Manager for the Tribal Youth Development Initiative. Buford continues to be active in her  home community while working abroad. Recently, LorenAshley has worked with the PBS “Secrets of Spanish Florida” documentary on Yamassee history, and collaborated with University of North Florida  for The Yamasee Indians: From Florida to South Carolina book. She studied American Indian Studies at Arizona State University with an emphasis in Federal Indian policy, decolonization and historical trauma. She has been a passionate advocate for prison ministries and cultural prevention LorenAshley’s former years as a Prevention Specialist, GONA facilitator, ASIST trainer and grassroots organizer, have helped mobilize communities to address indigenous health disparities, the awareness of HIV/AIDs, substance abuse and suicide prevention. Prior to being named to her new position, Buford was the a UNITY youth leader advisor and Project Manager for the UNITY Wellness Warrior Project funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Tami Patterson is UNITY’s office Manager. Patterson grew up in Arizona, while her father worked for two Arizona tribes in community development and services, CRIT and YAN. She is a proud parent of children and grandchildren enrolled members of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians (Sault Tribe) and worked for their tribe as a J.O.M. Youth Services Coordinator.  Tami was introduced to UNITY in 1998  chaperoning the Sault Tribe Bahweting Anishinaabe Tribal Youth Council (TYC) at the national conference. Inspired by UNITY and serving as an advisor, she helped to establish the Sault Tribe Waaniniigaanzijig TYC. Patterson’s consulting business, Worthwhile Effects, involved working on various UNITY projects, one serving as project coordinator for two ANA grants, called ‘Preparing Native Youth for Life’s Journey’.  Most recently Tami served as UNITY’s bookkeeper and she’s assisted with special projects, including UNITY’s Earth Ambassadors.

Greg MendozaAkimel O’odham/Tohono O’odham/YaquiArizona

Audriana Mitchell, 23, is a descendant of the Navajo and Southern Cheyenne Tribes and is enrolled with the Colorado River Indian Tribes of Arizona. She is a student at Mesa Community College majoring in Communications. Before being elected Co-President, she served as UNITY’s Western Regional Representative and UNITY Peer Guide. Her honors include serving as Miss Colorado River Indian Tribes and Miss Indian Arizona and are a 2018 recipient of UNITY’s 25 under 25 national leadership recognition program.

Will Mosley is a citizen of the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Indians of NJ and is the Communications Assistant for UNITY, Inc. (United National Indian Tribal Youth). He provides UNITY with his creative skills in videography and photography for the nonprofit which can be seen on UNITYs website and social media as far back as 2016. Will has also been elected to the National UNITY Council Executive Committee for 3 terms serving as the Northeast Region Representative.

Joshua Billison is the United Nations Indian Tribal Youth, Inc. (UNITY) Operations and Administrative Manager. “Josh” is a Navajo Nation tribal member, originally from Kin Dah Lichii, AZ (Kinlichee, AZ), but resided in Window Rock, AZ, for most of his life.He graduated from Window Rock High School and Arizona State University with a degree in Human Communications. He earned two Masters degrees in Nonprofit Leadership and Management and Applied Leadership and Management. Josh spent many childhood years in the local Boys & Girls Clubs as a club kid.As part of his professional career, he later implemented youth programs for the club. Josh brings years of experience in youth program development and management, operations and strategic management, and community/regional development.Josh has continuously advocated for youth and children, from birth to five, within the nonprofit sector, tribal governments, and state government systems. He strives to continue to empower youth by providing resources and opportunities throughout Native Country.

Tristan Joe is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation and comes from the Four Corners area. As a youth participant in UNITY, he served as a member of the 25 Under 25 and Earth Ambassador cohorts. He works as the Youth Programs Coordinator working closely with the UNITY youth cohorts. Tristan holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Fort Lewis College. He has a passion for working with and for Indigenous youth in hopes they continue to be the change makers in their communities.

Mary Kim Titla, San Carlos Apache, has served as a Native American youth advocate for more than 30 years. She’s served as UNITY’s Executive Director since 2013 and prior to that served as a Trustee. A former TV News broadcaster, she spent most of her career working for NBC affiliate stations in Arizona. She estimates telling as many as 5,000 stories during her career receiving awards from the Associated Press, Arizona Press Club and the Native American Journalists Association. After leaving TV News, she spent nearly five years working as a Communications Officer and Administrator for the San Carlos Unified School District in the community where she was born and raised. Mary Kim has a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma and two Masters degrees, one in Mass Communications and another for Education Leadership and Supervision, from Arizona State University.