Tribal Council

Oyuuekwee,

As Elk Valley Rancheria’s Tribal Council, we are the Tribe’s highest governing body. The Council is comprised of nine elected Tribal members. Each Council member continually strives for the success, and prosperity of its members and those living within our community. The Council not only wishes to preserve our history and culture, but to express our individuality, our heritage and our sovereign rights.

Tribal Chairman Dale Miller

Dale A. Miller

Chairman

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Dale A. Miller is Tribal Chairman of Elk Valley Rancheria, California and is currently in his 14th year as Chairman. He is also a member of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Fee-to-Trust Consortium and served as the Fee To Trust Consortium Chairman for 10 years; served on the Executive Board for the California Nations Indian Gaming Association; is a member of the North Coast Tribal Chairman’s Association; and is Vice-Chairman for the Border Coast Regional Airport Association.  Mr. Miller also holds memberships with the following associations: Action Del Norte, Physician’s Retention Group, National Congress of American Indians, and National Indian Gaming Association. He serves as Chairman of the 1999 Compact Tribes Steering Committee. Prior to serving as Chairman, Mr. Miller also served as a Gaming Commissioner for Elk Valley Rancheria, California.

While serving as Chairman for Elk Valley Rancheria, Mr. Miller was largely involved and shares in the success of bringing the Tribe’s fee land into trust status for purposes of building a new casino/destination resort.  He is currently working with his Tribal Council and staff to begin building the new facility which will overlook the Pacific Ocean and is nestled in the Redwoods on beautiful Highway 101.  Mr. Miller worked diligently to foster positive liaisons with local, state and national governments in order to make the resort a reality. Additionally, he was recognized for his leadership abilities and nationally honored on February 10, 2009 as “Tribal Leader of the Year” by the Native American Finance Officers Association (NAFOA).

Mr. Miller served in the Navy and performed two tours in Vietnam. He is a Graduate of Tuck School of Business – MBEP and attended CSU Long Beach and Santa Rosa J.C.  Mr. Miller has two grown children, a son and a daughter, and has been married to his lovely wife Paula for over 40 years.

Email DMiller@Elk-Valley.com
Rick Warner Vice Chairman

Rick Warner

Vice-Chairman

Rick grew up in Eureka California and ever since he can remember he and his family traveled north to Crescent City to be with his relatives that lived on the Elk Valley Rancheria. By the time he graduated high school Rick had worked every summer on his step father’s commercial fishing boat.  Immediately following high school (1981) Rick went to work for Bechtel Construction Company as an iron worker and a printing clerk in both Southern California and South Texas.

Then in 1983 Rick was invited to go to Alaska commercial fishing, Rick would work the summers in Alaska and come back to California to work the Dungeness crab season. By the mid 90’s Rick had started running commercial boats fishing in Alaska until 1999.

In 2000 Rick moved back to Crescent City and ran for Tribal Council he was elected and appointed Vice Chairman, while serving as Vice Chairman he participated on the Cemetery Committee, Aviation Advisory Committee for the County of Del Norte, and served on the Caltrans Native American Advisory Committee for 4 years.

Rick also worked for various Tribal entities during his tenure some of which were Tsunami Bowling Alley and Del Norte Golf Course as food and beverage manager, Tsunami Sports Bar and Grill and the Bowling Alley as General Manager, Last Chance Liquor store clerk.

In 2008 after an unsuccessful run for reelection to the Council Rick applied for and was hired as Shipping and Receiving Supervisor for the Tribe. Rick was offered to run a commercial fishing boat in 2010 which he accepted and ran the boat for one year. After that he and his wife purchased and remodeled a concession trailer where they acquired a fixed location on the grounds of Pelican Bay State Prison serving lunch to staff and correctional officers.

Then in 2014 Rick was elected to the Tribal Council, and in 2017 Rick was reelected and appointed Vice-Chairman.

Email RWarner@Elk-Valley.com
Jennifer Akins Treasurer

Jennifer Akins

Treasurer

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Jennifer Akins was first appointed to the Elk Valley Rancheria, California Council in 2002 and served on the board until 2005. She was then elected to the Council in 2013 and elected in June of 2013 to fill the Treasurer position.  Treasurer Akins serves on the EVREDCO board. She is the chairperson for the Education committee and also serves on the Cemetery, Housing and Elders committees.

When asked about her passions within the Tribe Treasurer Akins has been quoted “My passion is dedicated to our elders and our youth taken care of to the highest of standards;  I want better communications between all tribal members, Tribal Council and members; I want to see elder housing come to fruition with a CNA available to help with healthcare for the elders.  Education needs fulfilled for all of our tribal members.  I want the cemetery to be completed, this one we as the Cemetery Committee have been diligently working on.”

Treasurer Akins has two daughters, Lily 11, Brook 8. Both girls have  been delighted to participate in the CA Indian Day celebrations at the Rancheria the last two years by dancing with the Tolowa Dancers.  They both love learning about their heritage.

Treasurer Akins and her husband Tyler have been married for 13 years. They are sharing their love of the outdoors with their daughters by taking them camping, fishing, hunting and hiking regularly. Treasurer Akins loves to cook for her family and friends and read as much as she can.

Email jakins@Elk-Valley.com
Christina Jones Secretary

Christina Jones

Secretary

Christina Jones has served on the Elk Valley Rancheria, California Tribal Council since 2009. In 2011, Christina was voted into the position of Secretary of the Tribal Council. As Secretary, she also served as Enrollment Officer and was the keeper of the Tribal Member enrollment records. Christina is also a member of the Tribe’s Education Committee, the Cemetery Committee, Housing Committee, and the Budget Committee.

Christina is a life-longer citizen of Crescent City, and after graduation from Del Norte High School she worked at various hotels and restaurants, Wal-Mart, and eventually became a licensed manicurist and remained in the field for over ten years. Once Christina was voted on to the Tribal Council, she retired from her manicurist business and has devoted herself to be available to the Council’s needs and has served as a Council Member for now for six years.

Christina is active in the community and for a time even served as a Pink Lady at Sutter Coast Hospital. She is a dedicated “team mom” and ran the snack bar for the Del Norte Little League. She and her husband Mitch have a son in high school and a daughter that graduated from high school two years ago and has worked in the Elk Valley HR department for five years now.

Email CJones@Elk-Valley.com
John D. Green, Council Member

John D. Green, Council Member

Lawanda Quinnel, Council Member

LaWanda Quinnell, Council Member

Linda Martin, Council Member

Linda Martin, Council Member

Stacy McClaflin, Council Member

Stacy McClaflin, Council Member

Kevin Headshot

Kevin Mealue, Council Member

ELk Valley Rancheria Committees

The Rancheria has many different areas for economic development, education, housing, and many others. In order to keep these areas organized there are committees to report to Council what each area is progressing in. Below is a list of the committees and it's members. Please feel free to contact any members for questions.

Budget

  • Dale A. Miller
  • Richard Warner
  • Christina Jones
  • Dan Huff
  • Rick Warner
  • Jennifer Akins
  • Kevin Mealue
  • Linda Martin
  • Angela Stanley
  • Stacy McClaflin
  • Crista Stewart

Cemetery

  • Jennifer Akins*
  • Dale A. Miller
  • Rick Warner
  • Kevin Mealue
  • Christina Jones
  • Joan Warner
  • Linda Martin
  • Doug Mattz
  • Crista Stewart

Cultural

  • John D. Green*
  • Dale A. Miller
  • Rick Warner
  • LaWanda Green
  • Kevin Mealue
  • Crista Stewart
  • Doug Mattz
  • Machelle Lopez

Safety & Disaster Preparedness

  • Dale A. Miller
  • Doug Mattz
  • Joan Warner
  • Jennifer Gisler
  • Kevin Mealue
  • Pansy Blazina
  • Rick Warner
  • Rudy Garcia
  • Stacy McClaflin

Education

  • Jennifer Akins*
  • Dale. A Miller
  • Christina Jones
  • Rick Warner
  • LaWanda Green
  • Kevin Mealue
  • Stacy McClaflin
  • Crista Stewart
  • Corrina Blakely

Elders

  • Dale A. Miller
  • Rick Warner
  • Joan Warner
  • Doug Mattz
  • Kevin Mealue
  • Linda Martin
  • Crista Stewart
  • Corrina Blakely

Enrollment

  • Dale A. Miller
  • Rick Warner
  • Jennifer Akins
  • Christina Jones
  • Donnie Mattz, Sr.
  • Kevin Mealue
  • Linda Martin
  • Joan Warner
  • LaWanda Green
  • Stacy McClaflin
  • Crista Stewart
  • Machelle Lopez

Housing

  • Dale A. Miller
  • Rick Warner
  • Doug Mattz
  • Linda Martin
  • Kevin Mealue
  • Christina Jones
  • Jennifer Akins
  • John D. Green
  • Lawanda Green
  • Corrina Blakely
  • Crista Stewart

* Committee Chair