Trudy Billy serves as the director of outreach and tribal programs for Raising Special Kids (RSK). In this role, she coordinates events and activities, assigning RSK team members to attend events in central and northern Arizona. She also works with the 22 federally recognized tribes to familiarize them with RSK services, including family support services and workshops.
Trudy is of the Biihbitoodnii clan, born for the Tl’asshchi’i clan. Her maternal grandfather is of the Hopi Sun clan, and her paternal grandfather is of the Todich’eenee’ clan. Living in Tuba City, much of her work is with the Navajo and Hopi tribes, but she works with all recognized tribes in Arizona. Tuba City is in the western Navajo Nation, about 70 miles north of Flagstaff and 70 miles south of Page.
Trudy’s older son, Kenny, initially brought her to RSK. He was diagnosed with a brain stem tumor while in high school. His diagnosis connected Trudy to various nonprofit organizations, inspiring her to get more involved in the community. She saw a job posting for Raising Special Kids and joined as a part-time family support specialist in 2014. She briefly left to work full-time at another organization but stayed involved with RSK on a contract basis. She returned to RSK full-time in 2018.
Kenny is finishing his degree at Northern Arizona University and serves as a peer mentor with NAU’s Supporting Inclusive Practices in College (SIP-C) program. He helps guide other students with disabilities, providing tours and information about university resources. Trudy’s younger son, Ryan, graduated from high school in May and has had an Individualized Education Program (IEP) since kindergarten. He is pursuing training and education to become an electrician.
In her free time, Trudy enjoys cooking and gardening. Recently, she created a salsa garden, and her family enjoyed salsa made from her garden’s ingredients. She also loves to travel around the Southwest for work or leisure.