Board restructure for CTBA
Leslie Lohse named as new chairwoman of lobby group.
Lobby group the California Tribal Business Alliance (CTBA) has announced the new structure of its board for 2012.
It has named Leslie Lohse, Treasurer of the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians of California, as its new chairwoman, replacing former incumbent Robert Smith who is now vice-chairman.
Smith, Chairman of the Pala Band of Luiseño Indians, stated last September that tribal sovereignty and other issues “still have yet to be resolved”.
The third member of the board is secretary-treasurer Margie Mejia, who represents the Lytton Rancheria of California, the third tribal group to make up the CTBA.
The remaining staff members with the lobby group are Chris Lindstrom, Executive Officer; David Quintana, Political Director; and Roger Salazar, Communications Director. All three remain in their roles for 2012.
Representing the interests of several tribal groups within the state of California, the CTBA opposed initial proposals to intrastate online poker in California in 2009, arguing the location of sites away from tribal land violated the state’s Compact legislation.
More recently the group expressed its support for Senate President Darrell Steinberg’s decision to delay the passage of legislation in the Golden State, with the group sending a letter urging legislators not to “ram-rod” through legislation and Smith arguing that any bill “[M]ust not provide preferential treatment to any one specific group.”