'Challenges Every Day'
Editorial assistant Brenda Duncan recently interviewed Kelli Bradley, of Sherrill, who is a legal administrator for the Oneida Indian Nation. She was named as an Employee of the Year in 2007. Name: Kelli Bradley
Age: 34
Where do you live? Sherrill
How long have you lived here? I moved to Sherrill five years ago, but I've lived in the area for nine years.
Do you have a family? I'm married and I have a little girl.
Educational background: I received my associate's degree in applied science in paralegal at Herkimer County Community College and my bachelor's degree in sociology from SUNY Institute of Technology in Utica/Rome.
Occupation: Legal administrator for the legal department of the Oneida Indian Nation
How long have you been doing that? I started with the Nation in May of 1999 as a paralegal and I was promoted in 2005 to legal administrator.
What did you do before? I worked as a paralegal in Herkimer County.
What do you do as legal administrator? I assist the general counsel with the administrative functions of the legal department. I administer the legal department budget, I also help with technological support . . . I'm pretty much the go-between between all the different departments within the Oneida Indian Nation and the legal department.
What do you like best about your job? I really enjoy the people that I work with. I've made a lot of friends at the Nation. The people that I work with are very talented and very professional and hardworking individuals and it makes coming to work every day enjoyable.
What is the most challenging aspect? There's a lot of different issues that arise in working with the legal department so there are challenges every day with the different projects that we work on. Every day is challenging, every project is challenging and it makes you strive to be the best.
How did you feel when you found out you were being named an Employ ee of the Year? I was very honored, I was overwhelmed and I was very happy that the Nation had picked me for that. I knew that I had a chance because I was Employee of the Month in July, but I never thought that I would actually be the Employee of the Year. I'm very thankful for the opportunity that the Nation has provided me. I've grown personally and professionally during my time here and I couldn't ask for anything more.
Why do you think they chose you? I have established a lot of relationships with the different departments over the years. I have always striven to do my best for the department. The people that I work with have always encouraged me to be the best that I can be and maybe that's what helped them determine that I was the Employee of the Year.
What do you do in your spare time? I spend time with my family. My family owns a camp on Hatch Lake and during the summers I like to go there.
Do you have a key philosophy in life? Always strive to do your best.
The person who has most inspired me is: My grandfather, his family started a store when he was very young. He had a mom and pop store in Utica and he was in business for over 70 years and he worked every day of the week and has always been a hard worker and had good work ethic. I think growing up with that and seeing how he has impacted my family impacted me.
When you were a child, what did you dream about becoming? I actually wanted to be a lawyer.
The greatest obstacle I've overcome: Living in the community, I know that there is a lot of opposition. I would just like people to know that the Nation has provided great opportunities for me personally and professionally and they have a lot to offer the community.