Her Story
About Ava
I graduated from the University of San Diego with a major in English and a minor in Political Science. After college, I initially planned to attend law school but wanted to take a break and explore the real world first. Since I've always loved writing and it's been my strongest skill, I sought opportunities in that field. I started with an internship at Larson and Tubro, a renewable energy company, where I worked with a salesperson traveling to reservations and pitching renewable energy solutions. This was during a time when grant money was being awarded to American Indians for renewable energy efforts. I really loved this work because I'm passionate about making an impact within my own community and working with my people, plus renewable energy aligns with Indigenous values and environmental change. After that internship, I followed my dad's advice (he's been a digital marketer for 25 years) and got into SEO content writing at Clear Desk, an outsourcing company. When my boss left, the company elevated me to act as a manager, but I wanted to do something more aligned with making a community impact. That's how I ended up at Indigenous PACT, where I've been for almost 2 years as a Marketing Integration Manager. In this role, I work cross-functionally with sales, products, and other teams, gathering information and integrating it into our marketing strategies. My most notable achievement has been using my voice to help curate content that truly resonates with how natives talk and communicate, creating a more authentic brand for our Indigenous-owned company that works exclusively with tribes.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Ava
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
My dad told me that SEO content is this new thing that I should really get into. He said it's a content writer role, but it's a little bit more specialized, and a lot of people are needing it now. That advice really shaped my career path because it led me into a specialized area of writing that combined my strongest skills with a growing market need. My dad has been a digital marketer for about 25 years and has several companies, so he's super updated on marketing trends, and his guidance helped me find my footing in the professional world.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say to be aware. I feel like I came in pretty naive, especially at my age. I'm pretty young, and being a woman, I kind of thought the way they treat me is the way they treat everyone. But then there's some times when I see it in person and I'm like, oh wait, they're treating this younger man very differently compared to how they treat me. I think there's some awareness that needs to be made. Rather than being naive and hurt, you have to be aware, and therefore you have to speak up more, maybe, and not be so afraid. Don't let that treatment pass by. You need to make sure you have a seat at the table and don't let unfair treatment go unaddressed.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Making a change for good and creating impact within my community are the values that drive me most. I'm very passionate about environmental sustainability, which is why I was drawn to renewable energy work that aligns with Indigenous values. What matters most to me is working with my people and making an impact within my own community. I love being able to use my voice to help create content and messaging that truly resonates with how natives talk and communicate. Creating something authentic that feels true to our people is incredibly important to me. I also value honest vision and purpose, which is why I'm so inspired by my CEO and his wife's real vision for our company and the change and impact they want to make for our people.
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