All Team Members

Kristin Balboa grew up in Florida where she attended Florida State University, receiving her Bachelors of Science Degree in Family and Child Sciences with a minor in Elementary Education, and certification in Interdepartmental Developmental Disabilities. Kristin has always loved the visual and performing arts as she grew up dancing since the age of seven. Her love for the arts and…

Wayne Nelson is our newest board member. Wayne was also appointed to the California Native American Heritage Commission. Nelson is an enrolled member of the Pala Band of Mission Indians and has been Culture Resource Manager at Native Ground Monitoring, Research and Consulting since 1999.

Robert H. Smith serves as Chairman of the Pala Band of Mission Indians, a position he has held since 1990. Chairman Smith successfully negotiated the first Tribal-State compact in California with Governor Pete Wilson in 1996, and subsequently supervised the opening of Pala Casino, creating thousands of jobs for tribal members and area residents. Chairman Smith’s work for the Pala…

Jennifer Rodriguez is from the Tule River Yokuts Tribe in Central California. She is a graduate student in the Master of Social Work program at San Diego State University. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Science in 2021. She serves as the Chair for the Indigenous Social Workers Alliance for the 2022-2023 academic year as well as…

Tamara Strohauer is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, SERVE Indigenous Social Workers for Change Project Coordinator for Southern California, Tribal Support Specialist and Lecturer in the SDSU School of Social Work, and is thrilled to join our team at Acorns to Oak Trees. Tamara has extensive experience in IEP/504 advocacy in schools for children with unique learning abilities, community outreach,…

Mindy Brueggemen has worked professionally with children for over 10 years, four years specifically in the field of Early Intervention & Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). She has her Associates of Science degree in Early Childhood Development. She has assisted tribal families and children specifically working with the Pala Band of Mission Indians.

Acorns to Oak Trees’ founder, Season Goodpasture, is a marriage and family therapist and is Maidu and Paiute and a member of the Susanville Indian Rancheria in Northern California. Season’s husband, James Goodpasture, is Cupeno and he and their four children (Harley, Huntley, Holley, and Hudson) are members of the Pala Band of Mission Indians in Southern California. Season’s passion…

Linda Ruis is a member of the Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel and has worked for her tribe for the last 20 years as the Director of Social Services. ICWA has been her life’s passion and she has worked to improve services to tribal communities and has proven to be one of the fiercest advocates for tribal children and families.…

Rose-Margaret Orrantia, Yaqui, and Tribal STAR Team Elder, completed her Bachelor and Master degrees at San Diego State University. She served in the Peace Corps in Peru from 1962-64. She worked at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, N.M. for 18 years. Returning to San Diego, she served as the Executive Director of Indian Child and Family…

Sara Dutschke is currently serving as the Vice Chairperson of the CCTCA. Serving her second term as Chairwoman of the Ione Band of Miwok Indians, Sara’s career in Indian country has given her a keen awareness of the challenges facing Indian Country. Sara served as a staff member of the BIA’s Pacific Regional Office for nearly a decade, where she…