• Slider item
  • Slider item
  • Slider item
  • Slider item
  • Slider item
  • Slider item
  • Slider item

– About Me –

I am Luiseño/Payómkawichum, Tongva, holding an M.A. and Ph.D. in political science with a focus on public policy and American Indian studies from Northern Arizona University. Additionally, I possess a B.A. in political science with an emphasis on public law from California State University Long Beach. Currently, I serve as the Director of the California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center (CICSC) and hold the position of Department Chair of American Indian Studies at CSU San Marcos.

My professional experience extends beyond academia. In 2002, I had the privilege of being the first special advisor to the Honorable Cruz M. Bustamante, lieutenant governor of California, specifically for matters related to California Indian Sovereign Nations. Furthermore, I had the honor of being appointed by President Barack Obama to the 2016 National Advisory Council on Indian Education.

Alongside my academic and advisory roles, I am the proprietor of Native Media Strategies, LLC, a comprehensive media consulting firm. Additionally, I am the proud owner of Naqmayam Communications, an independent, full-service public relations, marketing, and advertising agency that is California Indian-owned and -operated.