Viejas Government Officers
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Chairman |
Vice Chairman |
Secretary |
Treasurer |
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Councilmember |
Councilmember |
Councilmember |
The current council was elected in December 2008
Bobby L. Barrett is serving his fifth consecutive term on the Viejas Tribal Council. After three terms as vice chairman, Barrett takes great pride in resuming his role as chairman for a second term of one of the premier tribal enterprises in Southern California.
As the full-time chairman, Barrett focuses on increasing tribal business revenues and planning and implementing long and short-term economic diversification goals. He is working to strengthen Viejas culture, leadership and maintain critical alliances with the state, national American Indian community and non-Indian communities alike.
Prior to serving on the council, Barrett left a decade-long career in management at Viejas Casino, where he acquired management and leadership skills, as well as hands-on experience in employee relations and customer service, all of which add to his strengths as chairman. He is also a problem gambling counselor, certified by the California Council on Problem Gambling, which the Tribal Council has supported financially over several years.
He is a trained and able communicator in the areas of American Indian rights, gaming and culture. He believes the best way to secure the rights and status of the Viejas Band in the new millennium is by being proactive - anticipating challenges and opportunities and taking actions that integrate the will and desires of Viejas tribal members.
Aside from his role as chairman, Barrett also served as chairman of the newly formed California Tribal Business Alliance (CTBA), which was created to protect the Tribal government gaming industry, and to create strategic alliances with a wide group of businesses and industries. CTBA, comprised of a select group of California's largest and most politically active and philosophically progressive gaming tribes, provides lawmakers with information and counsel about all tribal issues and the gaming industry.
His accountability extends far beyond the scope of operations and administration of the council. One of Barrett's top priorities is ensuring the Council's accountability to Viejas tribal members. Actively involved in infrastructure and housing for the band, he builds upon the business and government foundation initiated by prior councils to add and strengthen government programs that improve the quality of life of tribal members. An advocate of the Viejas Housing Program, Barrett's commitment to tribal members ensures that each member of the tribe will have a home they can be proud to own on the reservation.
True to his conviction and compassion for others, Barrett founded The Bobby Barrett Foundation, which believes that all people are entitled to live with respect and dignity, and that the welfare of our communities as a whole can be improved by showing compassion and empathy for those who are less fortunate than ourselves. The Foundation, in conjunction with Sharps and Cor-o-van health care, coordinated the donation of over 40 hospital beds and various other medical equipment to two hospitals in need south of the border. In 2005, Barrett also led the charge to establish the Indian Nations UNICEF Tsunami Relief Fund to assist the survivors of this cataclysmic event with a special emphasis on the children.
Believing children are symbolic of innocence, Barrett feels it is his duty to protect that innocence through education. Barrett encourages tribal children to participate in many educational programs offered by the tribe designed to provide physical, emotionally safe, secure, and supportive learning environment.
In his spare time, he finds gratification in helping those less fortunate and receives pleasure in being in the company of family and friends. He also enjoys golfing and is an avid reader.
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Robert Welch, Jr. - Vice Chairman
Robert “Cita” Welch, Jr. joined the Viejas Tribal Council for his first term in 2009. As vice chairman, Welch serves as second in command and assumes the role of chairman when the chairman is absent. He is also responsible for the overall operations and administration of the council.
Coming from a long line of family leaders, Welch is well aware of the responsibilities placed upon Tribal Council and is proud to join the Viejas tribal government. Being the son of an enrolled Viejas and Barona tribal member, his history of leadership spans both tribes, and many generations. Welch’s great grandfather, grandmother (first chairwoman), aunt, uncles, father and most recently sister, Lisa Welch-Scalco, have held the role of tribal chair or vice chair for the Barona Tribe. Additionally, his grandfather, mother (first chairwoman) and aunt and have all served on the Viejas Tribal Council. Welch is also the nephew of Anthony Pico, who served as the Viejas tribal chairman for over 20 years. Currently, Welch is serving on the Viejas Tribal Council with two first cousins.
In his role as vice chairman, Welch serves as council liaison for several committees and assignment areas for Viejas such as the Recreation, Senior, Fire, Forest Service, and Public Works Committees. He is also the Viejas representative for several community organizations such as the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce and the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), an organization that consists of other members of government whose primary focus is to improve the region’s quality of life. In addition to serving on these committees and organizations, the office of vice chairman executes and oversees all policies and procedures that are presented to the Council, and is a main contributor to any business negotiations or decisions.
In order to fulfill his tribal government duties, Welch left an 18 year career with Viejas Casino. Being one of Viejas’ original employees, Welch has held various roles and responsibilities within the casino and has a full understanding of tribal business. Throughout his scope of work, Welch has held high positions in the Security, Off-Track Betting and Controller departments. Most recently, Welch worked as the vice president of Tribal Enterprise Business Development.
Being a strong, business-minded tribal member and avid speaker for the Viejas community has proven to be mutually beneficial. Politically, Welch has served as a lobbyist for the Tribe, building relationships and gaining support with state and federal elected officials during the campaign for Propositions 5 and 1-A in 2001, which successfully granted tribes across the state the exclusive right to tribal gaming. Additionally, as speaking is a strong-suit for Welch, he continues to give presentations on Kumeyaay history and culture throughout the community.
Placing great pride in his own family, Welch enjoys spending his time away from Council with his wife of 10 years, Mikelene, and 6 children. Keeping in the spirit of leadership, his children, ranging in age from 8 to 23, have begun to follow in Welch family footsteps. Among them, Caesar-Ray (23) is taking part in the Tribal Intern Management program, Vanessa (22) is completing a Fine Arts degree at Michigan State, Cameron (21) is managing the Viejas Recreation Center and becoming active in politics and Christopher (17) will be serving our country in the United States Marines after graduating high school. As for his youngest, Thomas (11) and Jacqueline (8), a world of opportunity awaits.
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Diana L. Aguilar - Secretary
Tribal Secretary Diana L. Aguilar is serving her fifth consecutive council term. As tribal secretary, she is third in the chain of tribal government authority. Aguilar is responsible for administering the government offices, keeping official tribal records, being an active liaison on various committees, and scheduling meetings and agendas.
During her tenure, Secretary Aguilar provided the vision and leadership to continually update the Viejas Government Management Office with state-of-the-art technology. In 2002, she implemented a computerized record filing system to properly maintain the security and confidentiality of tribal records. She has also been the guiding force in maintaining the smooth operation of the tribal office, consistent with a pleasant and professional working environment.
In the political arena, Secretary Aguilar has prided herself on maintaining a very active role in attending functions and advocating on behalf of Viejas in Sacramento, Washington, D.C. and other areas in the United States.
Aguilar places great importance on serving the entire tribal membership and ensuring fellow tribal members are well informed. She values family, trust and hard work and applies these values to all personal and professional endeavors, including her position as a Viejas government officer.
A graduate of El Capitan High School, Aguilar was employed in the bingo, chip count and soft count areas of Viejas Casino from 1992 to 1995, where she gained experience in details of casino operations. She believes her experience in the formative years of the business brings institutional history and an awareness of the political challenges that face tribal governments.
In 1993, Aguilar was diagnosed with Hepatitis C and was forced to take a medical leave of absence from work in 1995. She was hospitalized and underwent a successful liver transplant in April 1996, which was performed at Scripps Hospital in La Jolla, CA. Since her transplant, Aguilar has served as a volunteer for the Scripps Hepatitis C screening program.
Aguilar served as chairwoman for Parent Group, a parent-teacher organization at the Viejas Indian School. In October 2001, Aguilar was presented the San Diego Business Journal Courage Award for overcoming serious illness and applying "stalwart dedication and bold selflessness" to serve her people and others. In 2005, she was awarded Woman of the Year from the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce in the field of Government, a reward that recognizes recipients for their large strides of success. Aguilar was awarded membership in 2006 to Strathmore's Who's Who for demonstrating leadership qualities in addition to her position and lifetime accomplishments.
When not working, Aguilar devotes her time to her husband Scotty, son Kevin, daughter-in-law Becca, granddaughters MacKenna and Keeleyana, and her mother Midge. She also enjoys leisure activities including photography, shopping, and traveling.
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John A. Christman - Treasurer
John A. Christman was first elected to his position in 2000, and is now serving his fifth consecutive term as tribal treasurer. He previously served a two-year term as vice chairman from 1990 to 1992. As Viejas treasurer, Christman oversees tribal finances and coordinates tribal business and government budgets, income and expenses. He represents the band as it pursues economic development to ensure a sound financial future for generations to come.
Christman believes in taking a progressive approach to tribal finances through diversification, with a disciplined, conservative approach to expenses and overhead. He believes his role is to secure, account for and protect tribal assets, as well as involve the Viejas general membership in budget planning and assigning priorities in appropriating Viejas government expenditures.
The Viejas tribal council encourages participation of members and elected officers in program areas through service on committees. Christman chairs the Economic Development Committee, and participates in the Contributions, Cultural, Finance and the Kumeyaay Cultural Repatriation Committee (KCRC), among others.
A former manager of Administrative Special Projects at Viejas Casino, Christman left his position to serve in tribal government. At Viejas Casino (1994-2000), he served in many finance related positions of increasing responsibility, including purchasing manager. Instrumental in establishing the Purchasing Department, he laid the foundation and groundwork for departmental operations. As a result, he brings strong accounting and organizational skills to the Viejas treasury, the positive effects of which are substantial. Prior to entering casino management, Christman worked in dispatch and contractor sales for eight years at Dixieline Lumber Company.
Grounded in Kumeyaay culture, Christman learned traditional bird songs as a child and takes seriously this responsibility for performing sacred spiritual ceremonies at many cultural events, including burial services. To carry on the tradition, he was one of three instructors teaching a semester of Kumeyaay music and dance at D-Q University on the Sycuan Reservation. Christman also teaches the California Indian game of peón to tribal youth each summer.
In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his son Phillip and actively competing in local team roping events and rodeos. Christman currently lives on the Viejas reservation.
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Virginia Christman - Councilmember
Virginia M. Christman was re-elected to the Tribal Council in 2007 after serving four consecutive, two-year terms as a Councilmember from 1997-2004. She also served as vice chairman of the tribal government for two terms in the early 1980s. During her role as Councilmember, Christman serves on several tribal government committees such as recreation, senior advisory, housing, fire protection, land issues and tribal court.
Deeply rooted in Kumeyaay history and concerned with protecting Viejas Band resources, her vision is for the tribe is to be united in traditions and the observation of spiritual practices that nurture hope, healing and respect for each other, the elders and the ancestral land.
She also serves as tribal contact on archeology and brings a wealth of tradition and expertise to these positions. Conversant in Kumeyaay, she taught the language for six semesters at D-Q University on the Sycuan Reservation.
A keeper of tribal traditions and spiritual and prayer leader, Christman, her husband, Ron, and family practice purifications, fasts and sweats, and participate in the sacred Sun Dance Ceremony in South Dakota each summer. Active in protecting Kumeyaay burial sites at the San Diego Mission during the 1980s, she has been responsible for initiating many events, including the annual pow wow at Balboa Park, that educate the San Diego Community to her native culture. She is involved in creating opportunities for the Indian community to carry on Kumeyaay traditions of singing and dancing. She strives to lead by example and teach the Viejas youth to carry on their heritage.
In order to fulfill her government duties, Christman resigned from a 13-year career at the Sycuan Gaming Center, where she administered the Shipping and Receiving Department.
Christman attended El Capitan High School, graduated from St. John’s Indian School in Laveen, Arizona, and then studied nursing at Los Angeles County General Hospital. Christman later studied general education at Grossmont College while working with Mainstream, a park conservation program of the federal forestry. A mother of six and grandmother of 13, she lives with her husband on the Viejas reservation with their family nearby.
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Greybuck S. Espinoza - Councilmember
Greybuck S. Espinoza is serving his second consecutive term as Councilmember. In his role, he serves as a voice for the tribe, and strives to positively promote the business, protect and grow the entrusted land and preserve the valuable culture.
While serving as councilman, Espinoza’s primary focus is on career development and tribal youth. Placing a high priority on education, he believes that today's youth are the future to prosperity, and that proper education is paramount to the well-being and survival of Viejas. For this reason, one of Espinoza’s goals this term is to create a Youth Council that would be comprised of Viejas tribal youth who have an interest in becoming future leaders. The Youth Council would function just as the Tribal Council, and would serve as a platform for the younger generation to voice their views and priorities, and gives them the chance to make decisions that directly affect them.
Knowing the importance of education, Espinoza would like to see an increase in student enrollment, and has been instrumental in developing the Tribal Government Management Internship Program that places tribal members in various departments throughout Viejas Tribal Government & Enterprise, to help educate and motivate tribal members to understand the importance of their sovereignty and business. In addition, he has played a fundamental role in establishing and growing the Political Fellowship Program, which enables Tribal Members to learn about politics and how it affects their community, state and country. The primary goal of the program is to groom the future leaders of the Viejas Tribe through awareness and determination.
Playing an essential role in the foundation of Viejas is also important to Espinoza. In doing so, he actively serves as the council liaison for several committees, such as; Cultural, Economic Development, Finance, Education, Housing, Senior Advisory and Tribal Court, among others. Prior to being elected to council, Espinoza worked at Viejas Casino in the Entertainment and Production Department for four years as a motion graphic composite artist and lighting director.
When not at work, he enjoys spending time with his family doing outdoor activities and traveling in their RV. Espinoza currently lives with his wife and three children on the Viejas Reservation.
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Tim Bactad - Councilmember
First elected in 2004, Timothy Bactad is currently serving his second term on the Viejas Tribal Council. Although Councilman Bactad took one term off from serving on Council, he continued his service as a tribal lobbyist and with the Senior Program. He also served as a member of the Tribal Housing Commission, Enrollment Committee, and is a member of the Borrego Springs Bank, N.A. Board of Directors. Mr. Bactad has served as a member of the California Indian Heritage Museum in Sacramento, California, for six years and was recently re-elected as a committee Vice Chairman.
Councilman Bactad is open-minded, accepting and believes in people’s potential. His mission while on Council is to communicate with Viejas tribal members, encouraging more dialogue and nurturing their participation at the community level in the decision-making process.
Bactad views tribal revenues, and the Viejas government programs that have developed, as a means for the Viejas people to have high quality of life and achieve what is best for them. He is especially interested in the Tribe’s wellness program, and sees it as a way for individuals to grow spiritually and improve physically.
Councilman Bactad has been appointed to serve on the following Viejas Government Committees: Administration, AMIHA, Bid & Award, Education, Housing, KDU, Land Use, Public Works, Roads & Drainage, Recreation, SANDAG, Senior Board, Tribal Court and Wellness.
Bactad’s professional background includes a predisposition to helping people, beginning with a stint as the San Diego Social Security Office, then working with the recipients of the Indian Child Welfare Act, and as director of the SSI program for the Southern Indian Health Clinic in Alpine.
Making things easier and more comfortable for people in times of crisis led Bactad to go to cosmetology school while working in a funeral home, preparing the deceased for viewing. He was also an HIV peer counselor for the San Diego American Indian Health Center, providing AIDS patients with medical and emotional support. However, he has no use for government bureaucracy that gets in the way of providing timely and impactful service to people, especially those in need.
In his spare time, Bactad enjoys playing recreational sports. He is the coach of a Viejas-sponsored softball team that plays in the America’s Finest City Softball League in San Diego, and is also a member of the Viejas Co-ed bowling league.
Placing great emphasis on family, Bactad is a guardian and parent of three children: Ernie, Sonny and Melanie for whom he sets high standards of responsibility.