Robert Paull is an enrolled tribal member of the Lummi Nation from the Pacific Northwest of Washington State and is a Persian Gulf War combat veteran. He received his BS in Business from California State University, Channel Islands and has worked and volunteered for tribal non-profit organizations for over five years. Robert is a founding member of CINC and has a keen understanding of the challenges many Native American students face as they seek acceptance among their peers reaching for their educational dreams. Through his own challenges, Robert appreciates the mission of CINC and is dedicated to seeing it succeed and thrive for generations to come in the Native Community. As president of the CINC Foundation, Robert provides resource support to California Indian Nation College  ranging from monetary donations to community partnerships that advance both the College and its students.

Dr. Sandy Kewanhaptewa-Dixon is Hopi and she received her doctorate in Educational Leadership and Change from Fielding Graduate University in 2006. She is currently chair of the Department of Ethnic & Women’s Studies at California Polytechnic University, Pomona in the College of Education and Integrative Studies. Before teaching in higher education, Sandy taught special education in Los Angeles Unified School District. She also worked at the Bureau of Indian Affairs for sixteen years and Sherman Indian High School in Riverside County. At Sherman, she served as the Special Education Coordinator and Curriculum & Instruction Coordinator and was a former Principal at Noli Indian High School in San Jacinto, California. She has served on many educational school boards and commissions. She is the mother of two children.

Samantha Thornsberry is an enrolled member of the Cahuilla Band of Indians. In 2008, after 18 years working in secondary and higher education as a Professor of Literature, earning a Bachelor of Science in Education (English and History) and a Master’s degree in English from the University of Central Arkansas, Samantha moved back home to Cahuilla and began working as a Victim Advocate for the newly formed Cahuilla Consortium Victim Advocacy Program in 2010, becoming the Program Director in 2015, a position she currently maintains. Additionally, Samantha has served on various committees for the Cahuilla Band, including the Scholarship committee, the Economic Development Committee, served as an alternate-delegate on the Indian Health Board, served as the Board Secretary on the Cahuilla Casino’s Board of Directors (2014-2021), and is currently serving as a Tribal College alternate-delegate (2022-2023), as Co-Chair of the Riverside Tribal Alliance (2022 to present), and as a Tribal Councilmember (2010-2014, 2024 to present). Samantha continues to engage and serve on behalf of the Cahuilla Band and the tribal community through activities that support and promote the welfare and security of Native people. Currently, Samantha resides on the Cahuilla Reservation with her husband of 34 years, Tim, and their two adult sons and families. In her spare time, Samantha is an avid reader, enjoys Yoga, traveling, and spending time with her two grandchildren.

Theresa Mike (Si-Mi-Hlot) was born and raised in the Lummi Nation in Washington State. Growing up in humble way on the reservation, her parents always encouraged their children to do their best in school. This fed her personal motto of “never stop learning.” Ms. Mike worked through Whatcom Community College and later the Lummi Indian School of Aquaculture (LISA) while raising a family, maintaining her culture, and serving in tribal government. In the 1980s, she helped lead the transition of the LISA to the Lummi Community College and helped see it through to accreditation and its transition to Northwest Indian College as it expanded to serve many tribes.

Ms. Mike helped in her tribe’s economic diversification through their gaming enterprises in the 1990s. She brought that knowledge to bear for the benefit of her husband and children’s tribe, the Twenty-Nine Palm Band of Mission Indians in Coachella, California. Together, Theresa and Dean Mike were instrumental in the founding of both Spotlight 29 and Tortoise Rock Casinos. They used the benefits that resulted for good causes including the Northwest Indian College Foundation, Theresa A. Mike Scholarship Foundation, and the Native American Land Conservancy, all of which she helped found. Ms. Mike wanted to further expand upon the good gaming brought to tribal communities as she knew the importance of healthcare and higher education. While she continues to work towards an Indian health clinic in the Coachella Valley, she founded California Indian Nations College, which the Twenty-Nine Palm Band of Mission Indians chartered in 2017. It is her hope that the fire that keeps her fighting for her communities will inspire others to help better the future for everyone.

Dineen Mike is a Trustee Member and Secretary for the California Indian Nations College Board of Trustees.  Mike is a member of the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians.   Mike’s outlook on her life when she was young did not include higher education.  Through conversations with numerous people and seeing her loved ones completing their higher education, Mike realized the importance of higher education for others and for herself.  Getting through high school was difficult for her, but she later realized that it was difficult, because she made it difficult on herself.  Developing better study habits and a better work ethic has helped her focus on realigning the focus for life.  These adjustments has led her to participate in a more positive active role in education. Placing college possibilities in front of her was very intimidating at first, but jumping in with both of her feet was the best decision she has ever made.  Having this new outlook on life and the educational tools that she has learned has made her college journey fulfilling, and it has shown her that she is a self taught, self disciplined woman who is ready to accomplish her goals in life.

David J. Montoya III is an enrolled member of the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo and has been serving Indian Country as an attorney and in higher education for over 15 years. David graduated from UCLA School of Law’s Federal Indian Law joint degree program in 2009, earning a J.D. and Masters in American Indian Studies. He has worked as an in-house attorney for several tribes across California and, additionally, served as both executive leadership and faculty within the CSU and California Community College systems. Currently, David is a full-time Ethnic Studies professor at College of the Desert and is chairing the recently created Hispanic Service Institution Committee. He is also a Tribal Appellate Judge through the Northern California Court Coalition and is currently working with several Tribes on matters related to tribal sovereignty and economic development.

Candace Patencio Anderson previously served as the Vice Chairman of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, having been elected March 21, 2023. She previously served as a Tribal Council Member 1996 to 2000 and in 2002.

Ms. Patencio Anderson has a deep commitment to protect the security and general welfare of the Tribe and its members. Prior to her service as Vice Chairman of the Tribe, she served as Director of Player Development for the Tribe’s Agua Caliente Casinos for more than a decade. She also previously served on the Agua Caliente Gaming Management Committee.

While serving previously on Tribal Council, she helped establish Tribal gaming operations, working on and supporting California Proposition 5 in 1998, which allowed Tribal Indian Gaming Compacts with the State of California allowing gaming devices at tribal casinos. She was serving on Tribal Council during the construction and opening of the Tribe’s second casino, Agua Caliente Casino Rancho Mirage.

She is a long supporter of improving access for Tribal Members to obtain higher educational goals. In addition, she currently serves on the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce Board, and is a delegate to the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), Indian Gaming Association, Tribal Alliance of Sovereign Indian Nations and California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA).

Ms. Patencio Anderson earned a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of San Diego. She was one of the first participants in the Agua Caliente Tribal Management Internship Program.

Dr. Shaina Philpot (she/her/hers) is an enrolled tribal member of the Hopland Band of Pomo Indians and a higher education scholar, educator, and student affairs professional committed to advancing Indigenous and LGBTQIA2S+ student success, belonging, and equity.

Shaina earned her Bachelor’s degree in Native American Studies from the University of California, Berkeley, followed by a Master’s degree in Public History, with a subspecialty in Native American History, from the University of California, Riverside. She later earned a second Master’s degree in Teaching from the University of Southern California and an Educational Doctorate (Ed.D.) in Leadership in Higher Education from National University.

Her scholarship centers on American Indian students’ sense of belonging in higher education, with a particular focus on comparing the experiences of American Indian students at predominantly White institutions (PWIs) and tribal colleges and universities (TCUs). Her work is grounded in a commitment to understanding how higher education institutions can create environments that honor Native identity, culture, community, and belonging.

Shaina currently serves as the inaugural Director of the Native American Student Support and Success Program and Director of the PRIDE Center at Cosumnes River College. In these roles, she advocates for and develops culturally responsive programs and services that support Native and LGBTQIA2S+ students. She also serves as Adjunct Faculty in the School of Education at Notre Dame de Namur University.

Outside of her professional and scholarly work, Shaina enjoys reading, watching anime, and playing video games.

Heather Torres (San Ildefonso Pueblo, Navajo) [she/her/hers] is a graduate of UCLA School of Law’s Critical Race Studies program, where she focused her courses and research on Federal Indian law and the racialization of American Indian identity. Currently, she is the Program Director for the Tribal Law and Policy Institute. From 2018-2019, Heather served as Director of  Native Student Programs (NSP) at the University of Redlands.  Heather was the founding staff of NSP when the program was created in 2011, serving as Creating a Passion for Learning Coordinator. Heather’s work in education started during her undergraduate years at UCLA where she was a student leader in the American Indian Student Association overseeing the American Indian Recruitment and Retention of American Indians Now! projects. Her passion for education continues today through her work on the board of the American Indian Scholarship Fund of Southern California and active membership in the American Indian Alumni at UCLA. Heather earned her BAs in English and American Indian Studies in 2011, her MA in Collaborative Educational Leadership in 2014, and her J.D. in 2017. She is licensed to practice law in the State of California.

Thomas Tortez previously served as the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Tribal Council Chairman. Tortez serves as principal advisor to the Tribal Council on all matters pertaining to the Torres Martinez. Tortez previously served on the Tribal Council as Treasurer for 4 years. Tortez has also worked under the Torres Martinez Regulatory Gaming Commission for 5 years and Tribal Administrator for the Mountain Cahuilla for 4 years.

After graduation from Coleman University, Tortez enlisted in the United States Navy and received an Honorable Discharge in 1993. Tortez served as an Avionics Technician for the F-14 Tomcat Fighter Aircraft, under Navy Squadron VF-302. Following his military service, Tortez joined the Civil Service on North Island Naval Air Base, San Diego to train personnel for the S3A Anti-Submarine Warfare Aircraft via Flight Simulator maneuvers. Utilizing skills developed in the military, he served as a Wildland Firefighter for the Bureau of Indian Affairs for several years.

Tortez serves on several Boards, such as the Salton Sea Authority, California Tribal Business Alliance and Southern California Tribal Chairman’s Association. Accomplishments include; with Salton Sea Authority, California Natural Resource Agency and California State Legislators, countless visits to the State Capitol, to have Governor Jerry Brown sign into the State Budget, $80.5 million for restoration of the Salton Sea in June of 2016. More importantly, since 2017, the advocation and follow through of California Assembly Bill 738 for Native American Model Curriculum.

Tortez continues to plan for the future of Torres Martinez to advance and expand opportunities for economic development; to provide quality educational experiences with improved retention rates of Native youth in high school, college and vocational education; to promote healthy lifestyles for the community; and to continue to invest in Government to Government consultation to secure sovereignty and comprehensive, culture based education.

TBD