NHM Commons Native American Advisory Council

SAMANTHA MORALES JOHNSON
Gabrieleno-Tongva Band
of Mission Indians
Samantha Morales Johnson grew up actively involved in the Gabrieleno-Tongva Band of Mission Indians before receiving her Bachelors in Science at California State University at Long Beach Puvungna and then her certificate in Science Illustration at Cal State Monterey. As a digital illustrator, animator, and traditional painter, she wants to bring to light the beautiful nature that Creator has put on this earth as well as the often unheard culture of her tribe. Most recently, she has used her skills to create her own short film animation of the legend The Rainbow Bridge (a.k.a. the dolphin creation story). Still, she also enjoys teaching science illustration, indigenous-centered environmental science, and cultural arts to classes of all ages. She is the Tongva Land Return Coordinator for the Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy.

TIMA LOTAH LINK 
Shmuwich Chumash
Tima Lotah Link is a Shmuwich Chumash cultural educator and traditional Chumash textile artist. She lectures and teaches for tribal organizations, educational institutions, non-profits, and governmental agencies on topics of California biodiversity, evidence-based Indigenous science, and cultural ecotypes based on Traditional Ecological Knowledge. She is also an advertising creative director who specializes in designing for California cultural and nature publications, exhibits, public spaces, and magazines.
Tima is a member of the California Indian Basketweavers’ Association and is featured in the book California Indian Baskets: San Diego to Santa Barbara and Beyond to the San Joaquin Valley, Mountains and Deserts (Vol 2). She received the 2012 Best in Show at the Autry American Arts Marketplace for her basketry, the First People’s Fund 2017 Community Spirit Award for her years as a cultural educator, and an Emmy for her work on the KCET series Tending the Wild.

L. FRANK MANRIQUEZ
Tongva/Ajachmem/Rarámuri
L. Frank Manriquez is a Two-Spirit Tongva/Ajachmem/Rarámuri descent, tribal scholar, cartoonist, language advocate, and active decolonizationist. As a culture keeper, she co-founded the Advocates for Indigenous California Language Survival to combat erasure and previously served on the California Indian Basket Weavers Association and the Cultural Conservancy board. Her art has been featured worldwide in museums and art galleries– and in 2021 as part of Cara Romero’s Tongvaland campaign.

DESIREÉ RENEÉ MARTINEZ 
Tongva, Ti’at Society 
Ms. Martinez is a Registered Professional Archaeologist with 24 years of experience in archaeological fieldwork, research, and curation. She has expertise in the planning, implementation, and completion of all phases of archaeological work and has participated in archaeological investigations as a principal investigator, crew member, and tribal monitor. She meets national standards in archaeology set by the Secretary of Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation. Her experience also includes compliance with CEQA, NEPA, NHPA Sec. 106, NAGPRA, SB 18, AB 52, and other cultural resource laws. In addition, Ms. Martinez has extensive experience consulting with Native American leaders and community members in a variety of contexts including the collection of ethnographic and historic data from an indigenous perspective and the implementation of community-based research. Finally, Ms. Martinez is at the forefront of creating and implementing collaborative archaeological agendas at the State and National levels.

MARK VILLASENOR
Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians
An active and determined leader of his community both culturally and politically, Mark Villasenor has been an engaged member of the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, a sovereign tribe of Los Angeles County, for his adult life. He is the descendent of lineages/villages of Ta’apu, Tapo Canyon, Siutcanga, the village at Encino, and Chaguayanga, a village in Santa Clarita Valley. As a current Tribal Senator for his tribe, Mark collaborates with Federal, State and local municipalities, as well as other sovereign nations, in efforts to better his tribe. To better accomplish financial, political, or cultural objectives for his tribal community, he graduated with a B.S. Business Administration with a focus in Global Supply Chain Management from California State University, Northridge. Since 2010, he has worked for the United States Census, Tribal non-profits, and Tribal Governments in various capacities.