Meet Our Team

Angelique Albert, MBA
Angelique is a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes has dedicated her professional career in service to tribal communities. As the Chief Executive Officer of American Indian Graduate Center (AIGC) & AIGC Scholars, she leads the Nation’s largest scholarship provider to Native students which has provided over $350 million in scholarships to students from over 500 Tribes in all 50 states. Under her leadership Ms. Albert has significantly increased of the revenue and net assets or the organization ultimately leading to greater impacts to Native scholars and Tribal communities. She has over 25 years’ experience as a Tribal leader in nonprofit, philanthropy, business, and government industries. Prior to her work at American Indian Graduate Center, Ms. Albert has served as the Executive Director of Salish Kootenai College Foundation and Associate Director of the National American Indian Business Leaders Organization. Her roles in philanthropy, include being the Lead Native American Program Officer for the Beaumont Foundation of America, and External Grant Reviewer for the Case Foundation. She has owned her own businesses and assisted in running various Tribal enterprises. Ms. Albert’s early career began by serving her own Tribe as a Legal Intern, Court Appointed Special Advocate and Chief Juvenile Probation Officer.
Ms. Albert currently serves as a member of the Obama Foundation’s MBK Alliance Advisory Council. Additionally, she serves as an executive officer on the board of the Southwest Association of American Indian Arts (SWAIA) and is an Advisory Member of Gonzaga Universities MBA-AIE Program. Angelique has a B.A. in Human Services and an MBA with a special emphasis in American Indian Entrepreneurship from Gonzaga University.
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Jill Geltmaker
For the past 25 years, Jill has served to advance equity and justice through her work with both community-based service organizations and philanthropic entities. Jill is an experienced nonprofit leader with expertise in nonprofit financial management, program design and evaluation, and staff leadership development.
Prior to joining American Indian Graduate Center as the Chief Operating Officer, Jill served in a number of executive leadership positions across a wide range of nonprofit organizations including a comprehensive services agency in Chicago, a multi-state refugee resettlement agency in New England, a national philanthropy support organization, a CDFI, and a state-wide advocacy organization in New Mexico.
Jill holds a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Illinois with significant coursework in organizational psychology and clinical counseling from Adler University.
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Erin Griego
Erin joined American Indian Graduate Center Scholars’ staff in April of 2011 working with students in the GMS program. Constantly inspired by the students she worked with, she enjoys celebrating the successes of American Indian Graduate Center and AIGCS students. Erin is now the Director of Administrative Services and is responsible for various projects, processes and coordinating the Executive Director’s calendar and travel. Erin brings a background in customer service to American Indian Graduate Center she draws on this experience to lead the Administrative team in providing support to American Indian Graduate Center’s staff.
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Christa Moya, MCRP
As the Director of Financial Aid and Student Services, Christa manages and directs all aspects of student services and financial aid operations. She also supervises Outreach, Academic Empowerment, Leadership and Alumni Relation programs for the American Indian Graduate Center Scholars (AIGCS) and the Gates Millennium Scholars Program (GMSP). Her passions include developing innovative approaches to delivering programs and services to GMS Scholars, as well as assisting scholars with exploring positive educational experiences through program support, outreach, and advocacy.
Christa holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Criminology from the University of New Mexico and a Master of Arts Degree in Community and Regional Planning, also from the University of New Mexico. Christa is an active participant in the organization’s community outreach activities and represents American Indian Graduate Center Scholars on the Gates Millennium Scholars Advisory Council and Gates Foundation Domestic Scholarship Provider Partnership.
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Michael Bates, M.Ed.
As Scholarship Operations Manager, Michael works with undergraduate, graduate and professional students throughout the country and is responsible for the oversight of American Indian Graduate Center Scholarships. He assists with the scholarship application process, advises of scholarship requirements and responsibilities and facilitates the resolution of academic and financial aid issues. Furthermore, Michael provides overall support for scholarships, programs and outreach efforts.
Michael joined American Indian Graduate Center in May of 2015. He is originally from Locust Grove, OK, and was named a Gates Millennium Scholar in 2008. Michael holds a Bachelor’s in Science Education and a Master’s in School Administration, both from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, OK.
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Marveline Vallo Gabbard
As the Program Associate, Marveline is responsible for the oversight of American Indian Graduate Center scholarships and fellowships for undergraduate and graduate level students throughout the country. She will assist with the application processes, respond to academic inquiries including financial aid issues, and assist with outreach efforts.
Marveline is from the Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico. She earned her Bachelor of University Studies degree from the University of New Mexico. Marveline has been with American Indian Graduate Center since June 1998 and enjoys working with American Indian students in pursuing their educational goals. Prior to joining American Indian Graduate Center, Marveline worked with Pueblo of Acoma Higher Education Program as is where she began her higher education career.
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Roanna Shebala, MBA
Roanna Shebala (Diné) joined the American Indian Graduate Center fall of 2021 as a Scholarship Operations Manager. Roanna served in educational institutes her entire career ranging from recruitment, advising, and alumni relations. Shebala’s goal is to advocate and support Indigenous students in their educational endeavors. She has a B.S. in Theater from Northern Arizona University and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing with a concentration in Poetry from the Institute of American Indian Arts.
Originally from Fort Defiance, AZ. Roanna enjoys a good cup of coffee, poetry slams, and time with family.
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Alshana Jake
Alshana Jake joined American Indian Graduate Center in November 2020 as the receptionist. Alshana is part of the Navajo Nation and grew up in Albuquerque, NM. Alshana is the first point of contact for American Indian Graduate Center and is a helper to all other departments. She enjoys making and creating art through many different mediums, and spending time with her family and doggies.
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JT Schreier
JT Schreier joined American Indian Graduate Center in 2021 as a Scholarship Coordinator. JT most recently served as the sole mail controller for the Lovelace Health System for the last 3 years. He has associates degrees in Communication, Geography, Liberal Arts and Integrated Studies from Central New Mexico Community College and is currently finishing a Business Management degree from Western Governors University. In his free time JT enjoys travel, cooking, board games with friends and spending time with his spouse and three dogs.
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Arlin Yazzie
Arlin joined American Indian Graduate Center in May 2021 as the Mentoring Program Manager. Prior to joining American Indian Graduate Center, Arlin managed College Access and Success Program’s in San Antonio, Texas, and Phoenix, Arizona. It is through her positions in non-profit Community Based Organizations that her passion for creating accessible college opportunities for students began. Arlin enjoys breaking down the college going process into small achievable steps for students.
Arlin is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. She earned a B.A. from Fort Lewis College. She enjoys photography, hiking and camping with her family.
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Nakina Mills
As the Ambassador Program Manager for American Indian Graduate Center, Nakina continues her advocacy and has experience in working with promising indigenous community leaders. Nakina continues to be passionate, inspiring and hopeful in managing a sacred space for prospective leaders to strengthen and empower their voices along with their stories by providing leadership and professional development for the next seven generations.
Nakina and her spouse of 21 years, Tamatane I’atala share four adult stepchildren, an 11 year-old son, and a 4 year-old daughter. Nakina Mills is an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe from Pine Ridge, S.D. Her Lakota name is Tate’ Cik’ala Win, which means Little Wind Woman. Since the completion of her bachelor’s degree from Creighton University in 2002, she committed to working in her community on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in a variety of professions such as State/Tribal Child Welfare Programs, Secondary/Post-secondary Education Student Advancement Director, and served as an Elected Tribal Official for the Oglala Sioux Tribe. In her professional career, she has always been an advocate that inspires future leaders no matter the adversities or challenges they have faced, ensuring that the next generations are equipped with tools to face hardships from the past while looking to make an impactful change for the future. She is currently enrolled at Oglala Lakota College seeking to obtain her Master’s degree in Lakota Leadership & Management by June 2022.
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Daryan Singer, MPS
Daryan Singer joined American Indian Graduate Center in 2021 as the Mentoring Program and Research Specialist. Daryan’s experience includes over 3 years of student mentoring, public advocacy, and research. She continues to be highly motivated and invested in tribal communities’ current and uprising generations.
Originally from Shonto, Arizona, Daryan remains rooted by her traditional Navajo upbringing. She attended the University of Arizona, earning a B.S. in Psychology, American Indian Studies and obtained a MPS in Indigenous Governance with an emphasis in Indigenous education policy. In her free time, she enjoys sewing traditional wear, running, and spending time with her family.
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Sara LaBarge, M.S.Ed.
Sara is passionate about equal access to higher education and has spent much of her professional career serving Native students achieve their educational and career goals. As Director of Strategic Partnerships, Sara is responsible for the oversight of American Indian Graduate Center’s fundraising strategy to support the organizations’ long-term sustainability goals. To achieve this sustainability, American Indian Graduate Center partners with the federal government, corporations, foundations, Tribes and individuals to deliver transformational scholarship programs, culturally relevant student support services and programming.
Prior to joining American Indian Graduate Center, Sara worked at the College of Menominee Nation for several years as an academic advisor. During her time at CMN, she served on the colleges Institutional Effectiveness Council. Currently, she serves as Vice Chair of the Colleges’ Board of Trustees.
Sara is an enrolled member of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin. She was awarded the Gates Millennium Scholarship administered by American Indian Graduate Center in 2004. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Saint Norbert College (De Pere, WI.) in 2008. She earned her Master of Science in Education degree in Higher Education Administration from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse in 2011. In 2016, Sara awarded National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development’s 40 under 40 for her work in education in Indian country. She currently serves on the National Scholarship Providers Association New Member Welcome Committee and serves as a mentor.
In her spare time, Sara enjoys being with her family, fishing, reading and traveling. Having served over a decade in higher education, Sara brings a wealth of experience and knowledge of the field.
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Brandon Barela
Brandon Barela joined American Indian Graduate Center in 2021 as a Major Gift Officer. Brandon’s non-profit experience includes working for a large organization as a Major Gift Officer, mentoring youth, and serving on the board of a local young professional organization. He has a B.A. in Political Science from the University of New Mexico. During his free time, Brandon enjoys; photography, outdoor adventure, and trying new restaurants and coffee shops.
Brandon is part of the Strategic Partnership Team as a Major Gifts Officer. He is responsible for developing and implementing strategies for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of top donors (new and existing.) The funds received will provide support for the organization and help fulfill our mission.
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Antonia Belindo
As the Alumni Engagement Manager at the American Indian Graduate Center, Antonia is determined to identify, cultivate, and reinforce individual partnerships to expand the scope of financial support opportunities for Native students.
Antonia is a citizen of the Kiowa Tribe with ancestry from the Pawnee, Navajo, and Choctaw Nations. She is actively involved in her tribal traditions, the Kiowa language revitalization program, and the traditional ceremonies in which she was raised. Antonia is loyal to the value of community and enthusiastically serves on the Indigenous Community Engagement Board for CS-INCLUDES (Computer Science Indigenous Community of Learners United to Develop, Excel, Succeed) at The University of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma City Indian Clinic Behavioral Health Advisory Council.
Prior to joining the Development Team under Strategic Partnerships, Antonia served as Coordinator of American Indian Programs and Services at The University of Oklahoma. In this role, Antonia was an advisor to the American Indian Student Association and the AT&T Native Scholars Program. She implemented programmatic strategies that enhanced the visibility of tribal nations on campus, increased cultural competency in students, staff, and faculty, and led Indigenous student efforts in promoting their identity. Antonia also worked as a representative for the Cherokee Nation, where she helped implement and enforce the Indian Child Welfare Act in various state courts across the U.S. She attended the University of Oklahoma and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2015 and continues to create artwork while pursuing her mission in the advancement of Indigenous students.
The increasing need for sound cultural competency and effective communication on rapidly changing circumstances of Indigenous people has motivated Antonia to continue building individual strategies to improve her approach to professional and personal experiences. Through her work in multiple capacities and life experiences, she promotes a vision to elevate Indigenous people now and leave an impact for future generations.
Antonia enjoys spending her spare time with her partner Jay, creating art, speaking her language, traveling, and sharing space with her family and friends.
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Adriann Francis
As the Development Associate, Adriann provides clerical, administrative, and database support within the Development Team at American Indian Graduate Center.
Adriann is from the Pueblo of Laguna and joined American Indian Graduate Center in January 2018. Adriann is currently working towards her Bachelor of Science degree in Earth & Planetary Science with a concentration in Physics at the University of New Mexico. Adriann is very passionate about helping her Native American community on and off the reservation and is happy to be a part of American Indian Graduate Center, helping Native American students reach for higher education.
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Monica Schwartz
Monica joined American Indian Graduate Center in early 2022 as a Marketing and Communications Specialist and is responsible for graphic design, visual communication/presentation and maintaining brand standards. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from New Mexico State University with a concentration in Graphic Design. Prior to working at American Indian Graduate Center, she worked as a designer for a local nonprofit, as well as two separate Albuquerque print publications. She brings a variety of design knowledge ranging from publication design to branding to large-scale signage. In her downtime, Monica enjoys visiting local coffee shops with friends, studying American Sign Language and attending fitness classes.
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Elisa Phillips
Elisa Gonzales-Phillips joined American Indian Graduate Center in 2020 as Controller. Elisa has served as a non-profit accountant in New Mexico for the last 12 years. She has a B.A. from Colorado College and is currently pursuing her MBA from the University of Southern New Hampshire. She enjoys running, crafts, and spending time with her three dogs.
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Taylor Clements- Hammond
Taylor Clements-Hammond was born in Ontario, Canada, and moved to The States in 2003. He joined the American Indian Graduate Center as an accounting specialist in 2021. Taylor’s responsibilities include accounts receivable, general ledger reporting, and assistance with audit procedures and state compliance. He attended the Ohio State University: Fisher College of Business to earn his Masters in Business Administration specializing in Accounting. An avid gamer, he enjoys both video and tabletop games in his free time.
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Zane Ration
Zane joined American Indian Graduate Center in early 2022 as an Accounting Assistant. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from The University of New Mexico. Zane is from the Pueblo of Laguna. As a second-generation graduate and only the second individual in his extended family to attend higher education, he sought a career path to apply his analytical skills in problem-solving and critical thinking to help Indigenous communities.
In Zane’s free time, he enjoys weightlifting, outdoor activities like fishing, hiking, hunting, and spending time with his family and dog.
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Nicholas Antonio
Nick joined American Indian Graduate Center in November 2020 as the IT Support Specialist. He provides computer hardware, software and user support to all employees and departments.
Nick is from the Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico. He earned his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of New Mexico’s Anderson School of Management with a concentration in Management Information Systems. Prior to working for American Indian Graduate Center, he has held roles as an IT Support Technician and Systems Admin. He looks forward to providing support and further developing IT systems within American Indian Graduate Center.
When not working in the office, Nick enjoys tinkering with the latest tech, traveling the globe and snowboarding when the weather permits.
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Felicia Garcia

Jena Lovato
Jena Lovato joined AIGC in 2021 as an Administrative Services Assistant. She has a BA from the University of New Mexico in Communicative Disorders and will be pursuing her MA in Communications from Eastern New Mexico University in January. Jena enjoys working out, reading, taking her dog on walks by the river and spending time with her friends and family.
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Wil Gover
Wil is a citizen of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, and he joined the AIGC in 2022 as the Receptionist for the Administrative Services team. He will be graduating with his B.A. in Native American Studies, with a minor in Management, from the University of New Mexico this spring semester of 2022. He will also be pursuing his M.A. in NAS this coming fall. In his free time, Wil is a hiruska singer and dancer, and enjoys setting up at local powwows with his drum group. He also finds the time for the occasional hike and nature jaunt, or coffee shop and a book, when not hunting down the Albuquerque taco trucks.
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