When the Awards Don't Matter

When the Awards Don't Matter

Sep 23, 2025

The success of the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument is largely due to its veritable army of volunteers, meaning its volunteer appreciation luncheon was absolutely packed. Moments like this are routine for the small staff that manages one of the nation's most critical cultural and historical sites.

For Amala Posey-Monk, who manages visitor services, volunteer, education, and recreational programs, it was anything but - because Ray O'Neil, the monument manager, was calling for the crowd's attention. And he began talking about her.

As O'Neil recounted a litany of her accomplishments, Amala was shocked to be the focus of a room full of people she had recruited, trained, and now saw as friends - a room that burst into applause when she received the 2025 Eric Finstick Stewardship Award.

Amala Posey-Monk receives the Eric Finstick Stewardship Award from her manager, Ray O'Neil.

While the letter nominating her for the award tells an impressive story, the most remarkable thing about Amala has nothing to do with her accomplishments. According to those who know her, her values and character are what set her apart.

"In almost 40 years of public service and management, I have never seen anyone who is as good at education as Amala," said O'Neil. "She truly cares, and it comes out in every interaction."

"Amala is truly one of the best people I've ever known or worked with," said Connie Jacobs, the national conservation program lead for Colorado state office of the Bureau of Land Management. "Her kids are lucky to have her as a role model."

Amala Posey-Monk and her husband, Bentley, on the set of Sesame Street, where Amala was a guest on the show.

Having worked with the Children's Television Workshop and appeared as a guest on Sesame Street, Amala understands the difference strong role models can make in a child's life. In raising her own two children, Amala seeks to emulate the qualities of those who made the biggest impact on her own.

Virginia Kozlowski was born in Flint, Mich. to Polish immigrants who did not speak English. She quickly learned the value of an education and set her sights on obtaining one. Her resolve led to her earning her doctorate and teaching as an adjunct professor at Northern Arizona University and the University of Arizona. While there, Virigina met Steve Posey and decided he was the one. Within six months, she asked him to marry her.

"My mother was a force of nature," said Amala.

Virginia Posey holds young Amala while on a trip to Baja.

Virginia Posey's will, said Amala, was matched only by her empathy and compassion for others. These traits made an enormous impact on her young daughter.

"She focused her education efforts on marginalized and disadvantaged communities because she wanted to do work that mattered," said Amala. "Growing up, I remember sitting in the back of those classrooms, seeing the real-world challenges these people faced, and seeing the difference education can make."

Steve Posey influenced his daughter in other ways. He would often spend summers traveling in Mexico with young Amala in tow. It was during these trips that Amala began to form a layered understanding of culture and history, and their impacts on communities.

Amala and her father, Steven Posey, on her wedding day.

"I came to understand how much more difficult their histories were than anything I had faced," she said. "I often wondered who I would be if I had grown up somewhere else."

In an area with an incredibly complex history, a genuine respect for cultures can easily be the difference between success and failure. Whether in classrooms with her mother, or in Mexico with her father, Amala got to see the world in a way that most others never could - and it has made all the difference.

"Her outreach and work with the Tribes, and her dedication to making those connections and keeping their best interests in mind, earns trust and builds connections," said Jacobs. "That site is what it is because of Tribal input and commitments."

A passion for education. A deep appreciation for a landscape, its history, and its culture. Understanding the immense impact role models can have on children. These traits form the core of Amala Posey-Monk's character, and they shape the way she interacts with the world. The fact that they make her exceptional at her job is entirely secondary.

"She's one of those individuals who attract people to her. She would give you the shirt off her back, and that creates a self-perpetuating cycle of others who care," continued Jacobs. "She is exactly who she seems to be. She is incredibly dedicated."

Amala, her husband, Bentley, and their two daughters, Geneva and Norah.

Despite being presented with the Finstick award, accolades have never been the point for Amala. Her work is a reflection of the values instilled by her parents and an opportunity to honor their legacy after their passing.

"Educating young people, making a difference for those who have been ignored or forgotten, is a way to honor what my mother and father did for me," she said. "I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to do what I do."