Faculty

Toni Bakal has instructed Media and Communication courses at CINC and spent several years teaching Film, Introduction, Intermediate and Advanced Radio Production and Mass Media at the college level. She received the title of Best On-Air Personality in the Nation in 2016 through the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System and during her time working with College of the Desert’s radio station, it received five nominations for Best Community College Radio Station in the Nation. Toni has an MFA in Writing & Producing for TV and a BA in Communication and Political Science.

Daniel Collister is a mathematics professor and the California Indian Nations College Institutional Researcher. Prior to his career at CINC, he taught undergraduate mathematics for five years and was Lead Program Coordinator for Advanced Mathematics Program (AMP), a program focused on equity and advancing the careers of underrepresented undergraduate math majors through preparatory seminars. He also served for four years as Unit Chair for the Graduate Student Union at the University of California, Riverside. Professor Collister began his own post-secondary education in community college, eventually going on to a B.S. in Mathematics and an M.S. in Pure Mathematics from California State University, Los Angeles. He is currently completing his dissertation for his Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of California, Riverside.

Dr. Veronica Daut teaches a range of courses in the field of sociology, from Sociological Analysis/ Critical Thinking to Introduction to Statistics. In addition to teaching for California Indian Nations College, Dr. Daut is also Associate Professor of Sociology for College of the Desert. She has a B. A. from B.A. 2006 Vanguard University, an M.S. from National University and an Ed.D. from Concordia University.

Dr. AnnMaria De Mars teaches courses in Business Management and Entrepreneurship. She is also the Academic Program Development Coordinator for California Indian Nations College. A serial entrepreneur, Dr. De Mars’ most recent venture is 7 Generation Games, an educational software company. Dr. De Mars has over 30 years of post-secondary teaching experience, at Minot State University, University of Jamestown, Cankdeska Cikana Community College, Pepperdine University, Loyola University and National University. She has written grant proposals funded for over $30 million and authored articles for academic journals on topics ranging from factor analysis to the needs of educators in rural schools serving Native American students. She has an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of California, Riverside, MBA from the University of Minnesota and BSBA from Washington University in St. Louis. Email her at ademars@cincollege.org

Gwendolyn Earle, MBA, ACUE earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Services from California State University, Fullerton and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Webster University.  In addition to serving as adjunct faculty for California Indian Nations College, she is currently an Assistant Professor in the Business Department with College of the Desert.  Prior to her roles in higher education, she had an accomplished career in corporate telecommunications with leadership positions held in the areas of operations, sales and global marketing.  Professor Earle also has significant nonprofit leadership experience in the area of community engagement.

Professor Eric Elliot was born in Los Angeles, but raised in the Coachella Valley from the age of two.  He says, “I’ve known since I was four years old that I was supposed to help revitalize the indigenous languages of my home. I am doing my best to revitalize Luiseño, Cahuilla, Cupeño, and Serrano.  I have had excellent teachers: Mrs. Villiana Hyde, Mrs. Dorothy Ramón, and Mrs. Katherine Siva Sauvel, may they rest in peace. ” In his personal life, he has been married for over thirty years.  He has three children and a grandson who you can see in the picture at left. (You can also see Professor Elliot!)

Roger Griffin is the Registrar and Director of Enrollment Services at California Indian Nations College, as well as professor of political science. An extremely popular professor at CINC, students have attributed their decision to major in International Relations to taking a class from him. If you have an opportunity to be in his course, don’t miss it!

Professor Griffin has a B.A. in Liberal Arts, International Relations from Albion College, a M.A. in TESOL from CSUSB, and a M.S. in Global Studies & International Relations from Northeastern University. He is currently working towards his Ph.D. in International Relations at Salve Regina University. 

Professor Guerra has over ten years of experience working in higher education, helping incoming freshman and transfer students transition into a 4-year university. She teaches the First Year Seminar (COLL 101).

Professor Guerra’s education and experience specialize in academic counseling, student programming, and development. She has presented at local and national conferences and won grants and awards for her student programs geared toward helping underrepresented students. Professor Guerra is currently in the last year of her Doctoral Studies in Higher Education Leadership. She was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA and now resides in the city of Riverside with her family. 

Courtney Hampton, a Palm Springs native, is California Indian Nations College Director of Adult Education and Communications Specialist. She holds a B.A. degree in Communication Studies and a Master’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Project Management. In addition to teaching all Business courses, Courtney comes with over 10 years’ experience in college and university settings. She brings a wide range of knowledge and skill sets both in operational management as well as student support specialist, advisor, coach and mentor in communicating with a diverse population of students. She is dedicated and committed to carrying out the overall college mission and helping each and every student accomplish their educational and career goals.

Professor Carol Park is the author of two books: “Korean Americans: A Concise History,” (2019, Korea University Press/YOK Center, UCR) and “Memoir of Cashier: Korean Americans, Racism, and Riots,” (2017, YOK Center, UCR). Park also helped lead the Korean American Oral Histories Project at the YOK Center, UCR; she and a team of academics, researchers, and interns interviewed 50 subjects and created an online platform and repository for the video and audio files. The project was completed in March 2019. Carol is also a filmmaker and researcher and wrote and produced two short documentaries: “Footsteps of Korean Americans,” (2018) and “The 1992 L.A. Riots: Reflections on our Future,” (2012). She graduated from the University of California Riverside with a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing in 2011 and is currently completing her Ph.D. in Ethnic Studies, also from UC Riverside. Professor Park teaches in both the English and Sociology programs at CINC.

Takahito (Taka) Tanaka received his M.A. in Sociology from California State University, Fullerton in 2019 and his second M.A. in Ethnic Studies from the University of California, Riverside in 2022. He also received his B.S. in Sociology from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) with concentrations in Social Inequality and Crime/Deviance in 2005. Taka is currently completing his Ph.D. in ethnic studies at the University of California, Riverside. For his M.A. thesis in sociology, Taka conducted an ethnographic case study on the intergenerational and intercultural relationships between the Japanese American and Muslim American grassroots social movement groups in Los Angeles. Taka’s current research projects involve the Harada House where he is currently assisting in the historical preservation process with the Harada House Foundation and the Museum of Riverside. He is also exploring multiple theoretical vantage points that will elucidate how the Harada House is an intersectional project that transcends individual national identity.

Taka is excited to teach at CINC where he hopes to be the spark that inspires forthcoming sociological and ethnic studies inquiry and research. His teaching philosophy is based on critical pedagogies where the student is left with a transformative and empowering experience in the classroom.

Dr. Vincent Whipple teaches courses in Ethnic Studies, American Indian Studies and English. He is an American Indian educator and performing artist who has worked in Southern California and tribal communities for over 30 years. He is an enrolled member of the Navajo Tribe of Arizona and is also descended from the Oglala Sioux Tribe of South Dakota. He received a Doctoral degree in Education from Fielding Graduate University, a Master of Arts degree in American Indian Studies from UCLA, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from Harvard. Since 1991, he has been the Artistic Director for the Wichozani Native American Dance & Theater Company, a Native theater group focusing on cultural revitalization through American Indian music, dance, theater, and storytelling.

Prior to working at CINC, Dr. Whipple was the Arts Alive Artist in Residence and Special Lecturer in Native American Music & Dance at San Diego State University, and he served as the Director of Tribal Relations for California State University, San Bernardino. He was an Associate Instructor in the Dance Department at the University of California, Riverside, and he was a former Coordinator for the Native American Student Center at Cal Poly Pomona. Dr. Whipple spent 6 years with the Rincon Band of Luiseno Indians overseeing the tribe’s cultural heritage, education, and recreation programs, and he was also the Education Administrator and Cultural Heritage Director for the Morongo Band of Mission Indians.