We are proud to announce UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May as the opening keynote speaker for the 2024 National Tribal TANF Institute.
Embracing Culture and Innovation for Vibrant Communities
In this keynote presentation, we will hear from Chancellor Gary S. May on the critical role that culture and diversity play in the success of innovative thinking. He will discuss how the university’s principles of community embodies our commitment to honoring and embracing every individual’s values, perspectives, and identities and how this creates inclusivity, creativity and innovation for a vibrant community. He will speak on the diverse programs, opportunities and resources offered to all our young learners, such as the Native American Studies department, the Native American Academic Student Success Center, and much more! We hope this inspires transformational change in practice that strengthens relationships between families, youth, children and communities across native lands and beyond.
Gary S. May leads the most comprehensive campus in the University of California system, with four colleges and six professional schools. UC Davis enrolls more than 40,000 students, brings in more than $1 billion annually in sponsored research and contributes more than $12.5 billion annually to California’s economy. In 2019, UC Davis reached the Top 10 in four national rankings of universities, including fifth among public universities in the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings.
His vision as UC Davis’ seventh chancellor is to lead the university to new heights in academic excellence, inclusion, public service and upward mobility for students from all backgrounds.
May believes success is best judged by how we enhance the lives of others. Throughout his career, he has championed diversity and mentorship in both higher education and the workplace. He developed nationally recognized programs to attract, mentor and retain underrepresented groups in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and math. In 2015, President Barack Obama honored May with the Presidential Award for Excellence in STEM Mentoring. In 2021, he received the Lifetime Mentor Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science and an honorary doctorate from the Georgia Institute of Technology. In 2023, he received the Lifetime Member of the Year award from the National Society of Black Engineers and the Education Award from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ Electron Devices Society for his “dedicated leadership and mentorship that has diversified academic leaders in education.” In 2023, May also partnered with his mentor to establish the "Professor Emeritus Augustine O. Esogbue and Chancellor Gary May Endowed Award in Engineering Diversity" at UC Davis. The endowment will support graduate students who share a passion for excellence and demonstrated commitment to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in the field of engineering and computer science.
Day 1 Evening Keynote: Javier "Javi" Perez
Let’s Change Our Narrative: Using Shared DEIBA Values and Strategies to Co-Create Meaningful Change Among Tribal Partners, Community Members and Human Services Organizations
As humans, we are all flawed and imperfect, while still bringing our natural talents and who we are to both our lives and our work. Javi Perez will bring cultural storytelling, humility and conscious vulnerability to start a narrative of co-creating braver spaces in the workplace. Javi’s engaging presentation will encourage us to more holistically bring the “human” back to human service organizations. He will also highlight and suggest emerging DEIBA best practices that anyone (regardless of title) can value and use to empower others in the workplace DEIBA journey.
Javier “Javi” Perez, LCSW, has more than 23 years of work experience in the field of Human Services. His multi-cultural background includes family ties to Native and Indian communities in Mexico and Nevada. Perez began his social work career in 2001 as a child welfare social worker with San Diego County. He held various roles over the next two decades with San Diego, including: direct practice, facilitator for Team Decision Making Meetings, leadership, special projects and supervision of staff. In 2015, he took the lead in developing the first internal skills-based coaching program for both new and experienced child welfare staff in San Diego. He led this coaching program for 6 years until joining UC Davis Human Services in 2021. Over the past few years, Perez has provided coaching, training, technical assistance, curriculum design and consultation for 28 counties and Human Services organizations in the state of California.
An advocate for using inclusive best practices in child welfare, mental health, trauma resiliency, and DEIBA spaces, Javi is especially passionate about using evidenced-based practices in his work. In 2024, he returned to more clinically focused work in his newer role with the Juvenile Forensics Team with Behavioral Health Services in San Diego County.
Meet the MC!
Carl Rabun, Ph.D., Chumash, has more than 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. This year will be Carl's 13th year participating at the Tribal TANF Institute.
More speakers and instructors will be announced soon!
Enroll in the 2024 National Tribal TANF Institute