Glenn Basconcillo is the founder and president of GNB Consulting Inc., a human services solutions company based in California. With 39 years of public and tribal human services experience, he brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in human services delivery systems. Before starting GNB Consulting, Inc., he held the positions of chief operations officer, TANF director and TANF deputy director during a twelve-year career with the Owens Valley Career Development Center, a consortium based Tribal organization in California. Basconcillo also currently provides his professional support and services to the National Congress of American Indians TANF Task Force.
Jackie De La Cruz, M.Ed., is a consultant and trainer specializing in Workforce Education and Training. Her specialty is creating training that lifts barriers between people and opens new possibilities for connection, collaboration and understanding. Her goal is to help staff and administration recognize the importance of their work and commitment to being in service to their community members. She has been training for UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education Human Service Programs s since 1997 and has been the recipient of the Outstanding Service Award for Teaching from UC Davis.
Quirina Luna Geary is Tamien and Mutsun Ohlone and is a former participant of California Tribal TANF Partnership. Quirina is a cultural practitioner and has over 25 years’ experience in language revitalization. She has co-authored several academic publications including a 600-page Mutsun Dictionary and has collaborated on language projects with Stanford University, UC Berkeley, and the University of Arizona. She has given talks across the country advocating for Native language preservation and has initiated a call to reform the Institution of Linguistics to better serve and to include Tribal communities in the decision-making process. Quirina will earn a BA in Linguistics this fall from the University of California, Davis.
Robert Geary is an enrolled tribal citizen of the Elem Indian Colony of Pomo Indians in Lake County, California and a former CTTP participant. He is currently a Xaitsnoo language teacher, traditional ceremonial roundhouse leader and the Founder and President of the Clear Lake Pomo Cultural Preservation Foundation, a non-profit organization for protection and preservation of tribal cultural resources. Robert has been a guest speaker at several Academic Institutions across California, including Stanford, UC Berkeley and UC Davis on language revitalization and cultural awareness. Robert is an Advisor and co-presenter for the Jules Tavernier Exhibition for the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art and the San Francisco DeYoung Museum. Currently Robert is employed with the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation’s Cultural Resources Department as the Manager of Language and History.
Chase Hobson is part of the Yurok, Hoopa, Modoc and Klamath communities and is an enrolled member of Elk Valley Rancheria in Northern California, where he is consciously engaged with his community. During his academic career at Utah Valley University, Hobson helped forge his Tribe’s internship program and interned with American Indigenous Business Leaders and the National Indian Gaming Association in Washington DC. Hobson conceptualized and helped found the nonprofit Indigenous Health and Wellness Connections at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to lead the organization towards its purpose of serving Indigenous communities and promoting health and wellness.
Karalee Joseph is known within the individual and family services industry as an experienced, empathetic leader among her peers. She has been described by many as “a pivotal influence" in their lives. As a proud and active member of the Lone Pine Paiute-Shoshone Tribe in California’s Eastern Sierra region, Joseph was raised on the traditional values and deeply spiritual roots of her ancestors, as taught to her from her childhood by her parents and tribal community. True to the example of her great-great-grandfather and namesake, Chief Joseph, she is also known by many as a great humanitarian and peacemaker.
Heather Leaver, M.A., MFTI, has been working in the mental health field for over 15 years. She has worked with various populations, and has been conducting assessments for over 10 years. She earned her B.A. in Psychology at the University of California at Irvine and her M.A. in Clinical Psychology (with an emphasis in marriage and family therapy) at Pepperdine University. Leaver has worked in the community with mental health awareness, prevention and education. She has also provided mental health services in the home, school and community. Currently, she is the assessment coordinator for the Shingle Springs Tribal TANF Program.
Lisa Martin has over 12 years of experience working in Tribal TANF. Currently, she serves as a regional manager for California Tribal TANF Partnership, overseeing seven counties of service throughout Northern California. Prior to this, she was a caseworker and site manager for the same program. Her various positions have provided her with an in-depth understanding of delivering direct services, case management practices, leadership and administrative responsibilities. Martin is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians and is currently completing her master's degree in social work, with a focus on working within Indigenous and rural communities.
Mary Orr has over 20 years of experience in case management and behavioral health, including leadership, system of care and strengths-based approaches to practice. She was an associate director at Crawford County Department of Human Services for many years before she became a practice improvement specialist for the University of Pittsburgh’s child welfare training program. Orr has also held direct service and supervisory positions in adult forensic psychiatric treatment, children’s residential treatment, adult dual diagnosis mental health and drug and alcohol treatment. Mary currently serves on the UC Davis Human Services team and leads trainings specializing in organizational development and continuous quality improvement.
Carl Rabun, Ph.D., Chumash, has over 15 years of experience training and consulting various public and private sector employees. He specializes in workforce development, leadership skills, workshop facilitation, client and employee motivation, building life skills, clerical and office support training, customer service, time and organization management, team dynamics, strength-based coaching, developing WTW plans and goal setting. He also served as an employment services case manager, unit supervisor and Employment Zone workshop facilitator at the Kern County Department of Human Services.
Angelica Salcido has over 15 years of experience as a facilitator, trainer and instructor. She began her career in human services with a non-profit organization, educating and mentoring disadvantaged youth. Salcido continued her career at Merced County as a staff development trainer for all program assistance, employment services and reception. Salcido is currently serving as a curricula development specialist for UC Davis Human Services, for which she designs customized courses for human services agencies across the state. Her focus is to facilitate teams through continuous quality improvement planning using organizational effectiveness principles and best practices.
Tiffany Salcido has been training employees, staff and foster youth for almost two decades. In a climate where training is seen more as a chore than an opportunity, Salcido brings fun and involvement to training so that trainees enjoy the experience and learning happens at a deeper level. She teaches skills, but works to help trainees see the impact and importance of their learning.
Rubie Simonsen is a Sacramento native, farmer and yoga teacher is passionate about shaping the future of her home town into an urban agriculture and arts hub. In 2016, she graduated from the Center for Land-based Learning Beginning Farmer Training program and launched an herb farm in West Sacramento where she produced locally grown lavender and various edible specialty herbs. She is committed to providing farming and microbusiness technical assistance to Native communities throughout California. She is the author of Unsettled: A Tribute to Life on the Open Road, chronologically organized poetry written while she lived in a Volkswagen Vanagon affectionately named Frida.
Geneva Shaw, M.S.W., has spent the last 10 years working as an administrator, direct practitioner, and technical assistance provider of social work in Tribal communities of Humboldt and Del Norte Counties, in addition to being a lifelong resident. She is a federally recognized member of the Hoopa Valley Tribe and is of Karuk, Yurok, and Apache decent. Geneva serves as Director of Training and Curriculum Development at the California Tribal Families Coalition.
Ray Weaver, PCC, is a coach and trainer with extensive experience in leadership, employee development and family support in military and non-governmental organizations. An Air Force veteran, his areas of expertise include organizational development, team building, conflict management and strategic planning. In his current work he helps individuals and agencies sustain healthy organizations, assess growth opportunities and develop actionable plans. The PCC designation indicates that Weaver is certified by the International Coaching Federation as a professional certified coach.