Fernandeño Tataviam: Keepers of the Land

Pamela Villaseñor is enrolled in the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians where she has worked tirelessly to help with the Tribe’s nation-building efforts. As Executive Advisor to the Office of the Tribal President, Villasenor manages tribal government initiatives including the development of the newly established Health and Social Wellness Department. As a passionate champion for Native families, Villaseñor serves as the Tribe’s Authorized Representative of the for juvenile dependency cases. Additionally, she was part of the team that helped reformed LA County training to include ICWA curriculum nearly a decade ago. Since that time, Villaseñor has been an ICWA Trainer of county case workers.

Over the years, Villaseñor has held prestigious fellowships with Americans for Indian Opportunity’s Ambassadors Program and Native Americans in Philanthropy’s Circle of Leadership Academy. Using the knowledge gained from these experiences, she helped build the capacity of the Tribe’s Special Projects division and non-profit, Pukuu

Cultural Community Services.

Villaseñor created, led, and participated in numerous projects for the betterment of the people. Her particular interest is the empowerment and wellness of her tribal community, especially initiatives focused on systemic and transformational change. Thus, some of the projects Villaseñor has worked on include violence prevention, cultural arts, economic development, grants management, facilitation and training, and advocacy for the rights of the Tribe. She resides near her villages in the Tribe’s homelands of northern Los Angeles county, where she raises her daughter to gather and process traditional plants and foods.