Staff

Corey Greaves

President & Founder

Corey, along with Gina (wife), founded Mending Wings in 2006, and has watched it grow to be one of the largest, spirituality-based youth organizations in the country. They have a family of four children (Steven, Kathleen, Carissa, and Matea), and make their home in Toppenish, WA. on the Yakama Reservation.

Corey has served as Youth Pastor for both the American Indian Evangelism Association/McKinley Indian Mission (where he pastored the largest Native American youth ministry in the Restoration Movement churches—Churches of Christ/Christian Church denominations—and the Central Washington Presbytery where he facilitated the growth of the largest Native American youth ministry in the Presbyterian Church, USA.

Corey is a gifted speaker who holds a passion for his people, and a deep love for Creator. He speaks at colleges, universities, churches, youth groups, and organizations across the U.S. He seeks to bring reconciliation between the Church and Native people by dealing with real issues, both historical and contemporary.

Dewy Bill

Intern

Josephine Buck

Youth Leader

Josephine is a Youth Trainer for the Native Youth Leadership Alliance (NYLA), a Research Assistant for the University of Washington Indigenous Wellness Research Institute, a full-time student at Yakima Valley Community College and a Youth Leader with Mending Wings. She has worked with Mending Wings since October of 2013. Since that time, she has watched youth engage, grow, and even work through hardship. With an overwhelming schedule, Josephine finds care, support and value in all the friendship and fellowship that has grown during her Mending Wings service.

Gina Greaves

Community Liaison

Gina is the co-founder of Mending Wings, the Community Liaison and has served on the Mending Wings Board since 2006. She currently works for the Yakama Nation in the Human Resources department as a Training and Development Specialist. Prior to working for the tribe, she was employed at Indian Health Service for 24 years. Gina also volunteers with Mending Wings as a youth leader. She is an enrolled member of the Yakama Nation. She is also a descendent of the Puyallup and Grand Ronde Nations, as well as Filipino and Hawaiian.

Katina James-Ashlock

Youth Leader

Katina began attending Mending Wings as a youth of 15 years. She is currently a Youth Leader and is involved in many aspects of Mending Wings. She credits the work of Mending Wings as playing a huge part in developing her as the person and mother she is today. Katina is married to her husband of 15 years. They have 3 children.

Danny Leon

Cook/Youth Leader

Dawn Lustre

Youth Leader

Annaweinita Miller

SLAM Trips Director

Since the age of 12 Anna has been involved in Mending Wings. She now fulfills a dual role as the Route Coordinator and a Youth Leader. She enjoys being around the youth to watch them grow and learn about their culture. Her wish is to see the youth achieve their dreams and move on in a healthy lifestyle. In her free-time Anna enjoys beading, sewing, crocheting and making cakes.

Denyse Sampson

Cook/Youth Leader

Shayla Tomaskin

Youth Leader

An enrolled member of the Yakama Nation, Shayla works at Legends Casino Hotel in the Marketing department. She started attending Mending Wings at the age of 13. After graduating in 2006, Shayla started volunteering and became a Youth Leader. Mending Wings has been a positive influence in her life after experiencing a traumatic childhood. Mending Wings helped her find Creator and find herself. Shayla’s daughter is now old enough to be a part of Mending Wings. Shayla’s goal is to break the generational cycle of trauma that was passed down to her.

Jeremy Vargas

Dancing Our Prayers Co-Director of Planning

Jeremy Vargas was born and raised on the Yakama Reservation. He has been a part of Mending Wings since he was 12 years old. Mending Wings is more than just a organization to him … it’s his family.

Jasmin Mayokok

Footprints of Our Elders Language Teacher

Jasmin Mayokok is an enrolled member of the Yakama Nation and a Teacher’s Assistant at the White Swan Head Start in White Swan, WA. She currently is the Footprints of Our Elders language teacher and also teaches Mending Wings’ female students dancing. Jasmin has been a part of Mending Wings since she was 11 years old and has been a part of our language program throughout her time as a student at Mending Wings.  She was also part of our Dancing Our Prayers program and SLAM TRIPS program from 11yrs. of age to 18.