All Team Members

Riley is a Tribal Home Visitor and Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) with Acorns to Oak Trees. Raised in Temecula alongside her three siblings, who were diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders at a young age, Riley developed a deep passion for advocating for children and families through both personal and lived experience. During high school, she volunteered as an assistant teacher in…

Cecilia, a passionate advocate for her community, grew up in Long Beach, California. Fluent in English and Spanish, she dedicated herself to supporting patients as an advocate at a long-term acute care hospital, ensuring their voices were heard and their needs met. In 2023, she relocated to Temecula, where she embarked on a new journey working with children and families…

Kamryn grew up in York, Nebraska, where she was raised in a military family. She attended Concordia University in Nebraska where she played softball and received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Sports Psychology in 2020. Upon graduating a year early from undergraduate studies, she took what would have been her final year of undergrad to…

Trinity is an Associate Clinical Social Worker currently working toward obtaining her Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) license. She holds a Master of Social Work degree from California State University, Long Beach, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Humboldt State University. Trinity has extensive experience working with Tribal communities throughout California, including the Bear River Band of…

Rayme is a descendent of the Navajo Nation and is also Native Hawaiian. At a young age she was placed up for adoption through California State Adoptions and due to the safeguards of ICWA was placed with a Maidu/Paiute family in Susanville, CA. Those safeguards have been her driving force to give back and help advocate for families in need.…

After spending 20 fulfilling years as a full-time mom raising two daughters, Hilary returned to the workplace with a deep sense of purpose and compassion. In 2023, she joined Acorns to Oak Trees, sharing the organization’s dedication to supporting Native American children with developmental disabilities. As an Outreach Coordinator, she plays a key role in building relationships with families, community…

Cameron was born in California and grew up in a large family with eight siblings, one of whom experienced cognitive and speech delays. Inspired by his brother’s journey, Cameron developed a deep passion for supporting individuals with similar challenges—a passion that led him to pursue a career in occupational therapy. While earning his degree in occupational therapy, Cameron began his…

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…