Back in March 2015, Ms. Townsend was invited to join Native American professionals of the Inland Empire in a round table discussion of concerns with current educational system, inequitable access, and substandard support for Native Americans who only dream of higher education. These discussions soon channeled in on establishing a tribal college in the state of California. After a few short months, the visionary and founder of this committee (and soon-to-be college), Mrs. Theresa Mike, requested Ms. Townsend to lead what later became known as the CINC Strategic Planning Committee. It was Fall 2017, when the two presented a draft charter to the Tribal Council of the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Missions Indians which soon led to the official induction of California Indian Nations College; and the charter was signed on September 19, 2017. With this, the Tribal Council immediately proposed a multimillion-dollar award to launch the college. Without delay, the Tribal Council established the initial Board of Trustees and hired Ms. Townsend as the Interim President. Leading a team of four, the administrative team began to configure its foundation with immediate course offerings in partnership with the University of California, Riverside Extension Center, which immediately began Fall 2018. With a successful launch, and a solid enrollment, the CINC Board of Trustees hired Townsend as the inaugural President & CEO of California Indian Nations College. President Townsend is honored and humbled to lead a resilient team of leaders and growing leaders at California Indian Nations College; she is truly proud of the educational services and opportunities they provide. But even more, President Townsend is truly proud of the students who enroll at CINC and who find their voice to become educated, strengthened, and empowered leaders of their tribal and local communities.
Office of the President Administrative Staff
Development & Fundraising Staff
Master of Public Policy and Master of Dispute Resolution degrees from
Pepperdine University and graduated from the University Arizona with a
Bachelor of Arts and Science degree. She holds a graduate-level
certificate in Alaska Native Executive Leadership from Alaska Pacific
University. She believes that a culturally available education is
vital for a student’s success. She previously served on the Anchorage
School District Title VII Indian Education Native American Advisory
Committee and as a Board member for Washington Internship for Native
Students. She has worked with Tribes and Alaska Native Corporations
for the last 15 years. She is a wife and mom of 3 children.
Currently, she is both a student and a staff member for the California Indian Nations College as the Fundraiser & Grants Associate in the Development Department. With her experience in technology and the desire to learn, she has a passion to help in anyway possible. Her goal is to be an integral part of grants and fundraising for the college and for the students’ future.
On the personal side, she has been married to Paul Vasquez for 23 years and has 4 children and 1 grandchild. It is through the success of her children that has given her the push to go back to school and get a degree. With all her children being adult children, any spare time is given to crafts and volunteer work.
Please feel free to get to know our soon-to-be graduate and new hire! Contact me at 760-278-8316
Among the hallmarks of Dr. Stewart’s consultation work within the private, nonprofit, and public sectors are his tailored, practical solutions for organizations, staff, and volunteers. His services include a wide array of capacity building interventions such as training, executive coaching, executive search, board development, planning, evaluation, discussion facilitation, and fundraising.
A native of rural southeastern Ohio, Dr. Stewart is keenly aware of the need to engage young people, especially those from Appalachia, in the consideration of contemporary global issues and to encourage their participation in the delivery of local and global solutions inspired by these increased awarenesses. In 2010, Dr. Stewart established the Ronald A. Stewart Fund for International Study and Service at Case Western Reserve University’s Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences to award qualified students with scholarship assistance so that they may engage in study and service around the globe.