Navopache Electric Cooperative Welcomes New Tribal Board Member
By Jennifer Wade
Navopache Electric Cooperative is no stranger to change, and the latest change is the NEC Board of Directors welcoming a new director to the group. Brenda Pusher-Begay was elected by the NEC members in District 3 Fort Apache Indian Reservation during the September 2023 election.
Brenda graduated from East Fork Lutheran High School in Whiteriver in 1992. She went on to get her Bachelor of Arts in environmental science with an emphasis in environmental management. Brenda started her career as a tribal water quality officer in January 1998. From there, she became the director of the water quality office in 2001. She was in this role sporadically to allow her time with her children and family and later became the full-time director in 2007.
Brenda also serves on several committees, including the EPA Regional 9 Committee that covers Arizona, California, and Nevada, the Regional Tribal Operations Committee, and as the Central Arizona Tribal Representative. Brenda cares for her people and the environment. She is dedicated to ensuring the tribal legacy and protecting the natural resources.
When asked about the driving force behind her seeking election to the NEC Board of Directors, Brenda says in her position as the director of the environmental protection office, she realized many tribal members are unaware of the issues impacting them. When she was collecting signatures to allow her to run for the NEC board seat, many of the individuals she talked to were unaware the tribe has a seat on the NEC board.
1 of her goals as a director is to help NEC find ways to increase engagement with the tribe and ensure tribal members are aware of various energy-efficiency and low-income programs that are available to them.
Brenda initially considered running for the District 3 seat in 2019, but due to the declining health of her husband, Julian, they decided it was not the best decision for their family. When it was time for the election this year, Brenda had Julian’s full support to run, knowing she could make a positive impact for not only the Fort Apache Tribal members but all NEC members.
Julian died in May and was unable to see her become the newest member of the NEC Board of Directors. Brenda talks fondly about Julian, who she calls her best friend.
When asked about her greatest accomplishment, she immediately says her family. Brenda has 6 children, 1 son, and 5 daughters, ranging in age from 14 to 25. She talks with pride of their accomplishments—1 with a psychology degree, another working toward a degree in biology, and a 3rd, inspired by her father’s health journey, working toward a nursing degree from Northland Pioneer College.
Brenda is also proud of the greatest gift that her husband left her family: the home he built by hand when he wasn’t working for Burlington Northern Railway. Brenda says he built the beautiful 2-story home to shelter and care for his family, somehow knowing he wouldn’t be around for long to do that.
It seems impossible to think Brenda would have any free time with all she is involved in, but when she does get spare time and is not spending it with her family, she loves gardening, beading, and reading.
