Born and raised in Humboldt County, and coming from both the Karuk and Yurok People, I am proud to call Northern California my home for generations. My partner and I are the proud parents to three children and grandparents to two young grandsons.

One of my early jobs was as a Community Coordinator with the program that is now known as the Native Cultures Fund, so I have been honored to be associated with the Foundation since 2000. I spent the next two decades working in support of community wellness through programs in higher education, arts and culture working with both United Indian Health Services, Inc. (UIHS) and the Indian Tribal Education and Personnel Program (ITEPP). During this time, I was also fortunate to serve on a number of Boards for local and statewide non-profits organizations, including Boards of both the Humboldt Area Foundation and the Advisory Council for the Native Cultures Fund.

In my new role, I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to support efforts to increase and strengthen relationships between the areas first peoples and the people that have chosen to call this region their home. There is something special about this place we all call home and finding the things we collectively believe in as we work towards our goal of a thriving, just, healthy and equitable region is work I feel humbled and gratified to be a part of both personally and professionally.