Joint Native American Advisory Council

College of the Redwoods Seal Cal Poly Humboldt Presidential Seal

College of the Redwoods and Cal Poly Humboldt Joint Native American Advisory Council

Background

The purpose of the Native American Advisory Council (NAAC) as re-established by former HSU President Rossbacher was to foster a tribal government-to-university relationship providing the Cal Poly Humboldt president and leadership with a vital connection to the Native American communities.

Cal Poly Humboldt President Tom Jackson, Jr., along with CR President Keith Flamer, are building on this work, prioritizing the development of leader-to-leader relationships through one-on-one meetings and visits to Tribal headquarters, attendance as invited guests at Tribal events, hosting an early Tribal leadership summit at HSU (2019), attending specific Northcoast Tribal Leaders Association meetings, and hosting an annual spring campus meeting. This leader-to-leader relationship is an expression of President Jackson and President Flamer’s respect for the sovereignty of tribal nations and their desire to listen to and speak directly with elected leaders.

Based on insights from Tribal leaders and others about the higher education trajectories of and persistent structural challenges impacting local Native students, the joint NAAC serves as an external advisory group of Tribal leaders for the Presidents of the College of the Redwoods and Cal Poly Humboldt with the general purpose, structure, and membership listed below.

Purpose

As a partnership between the College of the Redwoods, Cal Poly Humboldt, and thirteen local Tribal nations, the Joint Native American Advisory Council (JNAAC) supports mutually-beneficial partnerships focused on more fully and effectively serving the diverse higher educational needs of Native students in the areas of:

  1. Leader-to-Leader relationships
  2. Pre-college, academic preparation outreach and dual enrollment
  3. Two and Four-year Native student success and access
  4. Career preparation and support
  5. Academic programming needs of Tribal Nations

As a collaborative higher education effort, the JNAAC serves as a way for the educational leaders to have leader-to-leader discussions that are externally facing and regional in orientation.

Tribal Nation Partners

  • Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria
  • Big Lagoon Rancheria
  • Blue Lake Rancheria
  • Elk Valley Rancheria
  • Hoopa Valley Tribe
  • Karuk Tribe
  • Quartz Valley Indian Community
  • Redding Rancheria
  • Resighini Rancheria
  • Tolowa Dee-Ni’ Nation
  • Trinidad Rancheria
  • Wiyot Tribe
  • Yurok Tribe

Structure

The Council has two leader-to-leader meetings. The presidents annually attend a fall Northern California Tribal Chairmens Association meeting held at the Trinidad Rancheria that is focused on education. In addition, a JNAAC meeting will be held in connection with the California Big Time in the spring. California Big Time is held annually at Cal Poly Humboldt and the JNAAC Spring Meeting is offered at College of the Redwoods. 

Membership

Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria 

Chairperson Josefina Cortez

Big Lagoon Rancheria 

Chairperson Virgil Moorehead

Blue Lake Rancheria 

Chairperson Claudia Brundin

Elk Valley Rancheria 

Chairperson Dale Miller

Hoopa Valley Tribe 

Chairperson Joe Davis

Karuk Tribe 

Chairperson Buster Attebery

Quartz Valley Indian Community 

Chairperson Harold Bennett

Redding Rancheria 

Chairperson Jack Potter

Resighini Rancheria 

Chairperson Fawn C Murphy

Tolowa Dee-Ni’ Nation 

Chairperson Jeri Lynn Thompson

Trinidad Rancheria 

Chairperson Garth Sundberg

Wiyot Tribe 

Chairperson Ted Hernandez

Yurok Tribe 

Chairperson Joe James

College of the Redwoods

President Keith Flamer

College of the Redwoods

Sr. Vice President of Strategic Iniatives Kerry Mayer - Ex Officio

College of the Redwoods

Vice President of Instruction Lisa Gaetje Ex Officio

College of the Redwoods

Vice President of Student Services Crystal Morse - Ex Officio

Cal Poly Humboldt

President Tom Jackson, Jr.

Cal Poly Humboldt

Vice President and Provost Jenn Capps - Ex Officio

Cal Poly Humboldt

Chief of Staff Mark Johnson - Ex Officio

 Cal Poly Humboldt

Special Assistant to the President for Tribal & Community Engagement Adrienne Colegrove-Raymond - Ex Officio