SACRAMENTO, CA – The 57 tribal member California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA) re-elected James Siva as chairman and Isaiah Vivanco as treasurer of the association’s executive committee at the organization’s annual meeting last week. Both ran unopposed and CNIGA membership voted each in by acclamation.
Chairman Siva also serves as the vice chairman for the Morongo Band of Mission Indians and Treasurer Vivanco serves as chairman of the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians.
“I am deeply grateful that the membership of CNIGA has placed their trust in me to continue to lead this dynamic and growing organization,” said Chairman Siva. “I’m pleased that our membership has grown over the past few years to now include the majority of California’s federally recognized tribes. My goal is to continue to grow our organization through inclusivity and continue to work toward unity of purpose to defend the sovereign rights of all federally recognized tribal governments.”
“I am very honored and humbled to continue my service to CNIGA and look forward to furthering the work of securing tribal sovereign rights and advancing our industry, which is derived from those very rights,” said Treasurer Vivanco.
The executive committee holds, in addition to four officers, representatives from tribes in each of the four federal court districts in California. Redding Rancheria Chairman Jack Potter was re-elected to the Eastern District at-large representative position, and Joshua Muse, vice chairman of the Sycuan Band of Kumeyaay Nation, was re-elected Southern District at-large representative.
Also, Chris Creasey of Suffolk Construction was re-elected to the associate member representative position on the executive committee.
Continuing their terms on the executive committee are CNIGA Vice Chairman Mike Lopez (Santa Ynez), as well as Dale Miller (Elk Valley), the Northern District at-large representative and Michael Vasquez (Pechanga), the Central District at-large representative.