Tribal Leader Roundtable

The Pueblo of Sandia remains deeply committed to the health, well-being, and future of our tribal members. In a major step forward, we recently opened a state-of-the-art Fire Station and Emergency Medical Services facility, providing 24/7 protection and care for our community.

First and foremost, our tribal leaders want to assure that our tribal members are able to be successful and support them in any way we can. One of our priorities to sustain our culture is to bring back our language.

Our Wanaaha Casino is a limited gaming property housed within the Eastern Sierra, and we are committed to keeping the highest allowed Class III gaming machine count and providing enticing incentives to our rural and local customers.

The Jamul Indian Village prioritizes sustainability in the use of our tribal lands, viewing everything from the standpoint of what will help sustain the tribe and its economic security for generations to come.

For a quarter of a century, Quinault Beach Resort & Casino has stood not just as a destination, but as a reflection of our values, our history, and our commitment to building a brighter future for generations to come. The story of Quinault Beach Resort & Casino is also one of perseverance, vision, and unity.

Through intense focus on five priority areas – exercising sovereignty, encouraging prosperity, promoting health, creating efficiency, and restoring culture – we are ensuring our tribe has the necessary resources and roadmap to provide for the next seven generations.

Economic development has been a priority for us, especially over the past three years. We’ve purchased several properties and are now actively moving forward with plans to bring them into tribal trust ownership.

As Chairman of the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians, I see resilience as our tribe’s ability to stand strong economically while staying rooted in our identity and traditions. We are taking bold strategic steps to ensure that strength lasts generations.

Since my coming into office in the summer of July 2024, we have reestablished our economic development arm, which is looking to increase support for Native-owned businesses, expanding their scope on innovative business ventures, and increasing their efforts in the non-profit sector...

Economic development and cultural resilience are two points that must move on parallel tracks. We cannot achieve economic development at the sacrifice of our culture. It's likely one of the reasons that our petition for federal recognition languished for over 40 years.