Tahlia Natachu

Tahlia Natachu is the Executive Director of the Zuni Youth Enrichment Program (ZYEP). She is from Zuni Pueblo and her clans are dakkya:kwe (frog) deyan yadokkya:kwe awan cha’le (child of the sun). After receiving her Masters in Education from Portland State University, she returned to her hometown of Zuni to teach 7th grade language arts. She loved the youth and the classroom but knew there were foundational needs beyond academics. The opportunity to work for Zuni Youth Enrichment Project has allowed Tahlia to foster the growth, resilience, and holistic wellness of Zuni youth through engaging programs that are rooted in the strengths of Zuni culture. Being a ZYEP summer camp counselor when she was in high school, Tahlia feels honored to work for the organization that supported her to strive for her goals as she grew up. She feels a deep sense of responsibility to continue the ZYEP tradition of providing high quality activities and caring mentors to youth. Tahlia would not be able to do this work if it weren’t for her son, partner, family, ZYEP team, her mentors, and the Zuni community.