About Us
The Council
Governance and leadership continuously defined by trust, healing, and circular leadership.
JANA NASON
Esselen Rumsen
CARMEN SALDIVAR
Mescalero Apache, Hispanic
SILVIA “RIO” SALCEDO
Mexica and Pueblo
SHAUNIE BRIGGS
Salinan
Guidance + Vision
Vision Statement
For Indigenous Nations and Land Trusts across California to work in partnership to bridge traditional ecological knowledge with modern science by stewarding land and centering Indigenous perspectives of right relationship to increase wellness of our local communities.
Guidance
Itsu Circle collective is organized by Jana Nason, Carmen Saldivar, Rio Salcedo, and Shaunie Briggs.
The circle of support around this collective includes Big Sur Land Trust, Confederation of Ohlone Peoples, Esselen Tribe of Monterey County, and Maija West Consulting.
Acknowledgments
Federal Recognition
California is home to more people of Indigenous descent than any other state in the United States.
We acknowledge that Federal Recognition does not establish an Indigenous Nation, rather, it only defines a legal relationship between the Nation and the US government.
The status of Federal Recognition is a gateway that allows select Nations to pursue rematriation of land, sacred objects, remains, and to maintain respect for their cultural practices. While there are 109 Nations that have federal recognition status in California, there are an estimated additional 140 Nations that are currently not federally recognized. 78 of these have petitioned for recognition.
For more information about Federal Recognition, please visit
1 List of Federally-Recognized Tribes in CA
2 List of Federal and State Recognized Tribes
3 Tribal Governments – Los Angeles City/County Native American Indian Commission
HRI
Itsu Circle’s fiscal sponsor from 2022-2025
HRI (the Healing and Reconciliation Institute) proudly served at the intersection of Indigenous stewardship and non-Indigenous collaboration for over eight years as a nonprofit, and for many years before that as a collective of hard-working, humble-hearted, impassioned volunteers towards Native sovereignty and rematriation.
In July 2025, the then-Executive Director of HRI approached the Itsu Council with news, and with a question. The news: HRI’s Board of Directors had voted to close down the nonprofit, effective July 31, 2025. The question: would Itsu like to submit a proposal for governance over the EIN, to guide the vision into its next era of evolution and service?
The answer was a resounding YES. As of November 2025, the updated bylaws and a request for change of name and mission statement have been submitted to the Secretary of State for effect in 2026. Itsu Circle would like to thank HRI for being in good relationship since it’s founding, and for this opportunity to continue bringing culture, community, and Indigenous peacemaking to Central California.
