Meet Our Board and Staff
OFFICERS:
MARJORIE PHILLIPS ELLIOTT, CHAIR
Marjorie Phillips Elliott has served on the board since 1999 and as chair since 2010. She also serves on the Members Board of the Phillips Collection in Washington DC. Among other non-profit experiences while also pursuing her career in film and photography, Marjorie served as the chair of the Tarrytown Environmental Council from 1993 to 2003.
ALICE PHILLIPS SWISTEL, VICE-CHAIR
Alice Phillips Swistel has served on the board since 2007. She is a current board member of the Phillips Collection in Washington D.C. and has served since 2002. She received a B.F.A. from Tufts University and the School of Museum Fine Arts in Boston.
JAMES L. PHILLIPS, FORMER CHAIR
Jim Phillips has served on the Chamiza Board since 1990, and served as Chair of the Board from 2000 to 2010. He is an investment advisor and is president of JP Capital Management.
JOANN K. PHILLIPS, FOUNDER
Joann K. Phillips, please see Meet our Founders
DIANE REYNA, PRESIDENT
Diane Reyna is from the Tiwa village of Taos Pueblo and has strong ties to her mother’s Tewa village of Oke Owingeh in Northern New Mexico. She has been on staff and faculty of the Institute of American Indian Arts and currently is a consultant to the Leadership Institute at the Santa Fe Indian School.
BEVERLY R. SINGER, VICE PRESIDENT
Beverly Singer is a Santa Clara Pueblo tribal member. She recently retired as an Associate Professor of Anthropology and Native American Studies at the University of New Mexico. She has worked among Indigenous communities in Brazil, Canada, Kenya, Mexico and throughout the United States.
HAYES LEWIS, TREASURER
Hayes Lewis is a Zuni Pueblo tribal member. He is the founding Director of the Center for Lifelong Education at the Institute of American Indian Arts and recently established the A:shiwi College and Career Readiness Center at Zuni Pueblo. Hayes has a strong history of educational and community development.
BRIAN D. VALLO, SECRETARY
Brian Vallo is an Acoma Pueblo tribal member, former Lt. Governor, Director of Historic Preservation and Founding Director of the Haaku’ Museum at Acoma. Currently, he is a Director at the School of Advanced Research in Santa Fe, and continues to be involved in the fields of architecture, planning and the arts.
DIRECTORS:
CARNELL CHOSA
Carnell Chosa is tribal member of Jemez Pueblo. He is the Co-Founder of the Leadership Institute and Summer Policy Academy at the Santa Fe Indian School, and is the current Director of the Summer Policy Academy, a summer enrichment program for high school students.
TED JOJOLA
Ted Jojola is a tribal member of Isleta Pueblo. He holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Hawaii, a BFA in Architecture from the University of New Mexico, and is currently Distinguished Professor of Architecture and Planning at the University of New Mexico and the Co-Founder of the Indigenous Design and Planning Institute at UNM.
VERNON LUJAN
Vernon Geronimo Lujan is a tribal member of the Taos Pueblo and currently works for the Taos Pueblo in management of infrastructure and as a member of the Board of Education. He worked for many years for the Pueblo of Pojoaque as Director of the Poeh Cultural Center and Museum. Vernon is a former adjunct faculty member of the University of New Mexico in Native American Studies and Fine Arts.
TRISHA MOQUINO
Trisha Moquino is from Cochiti, Ohkay Owingeh and Santo Domingo Pueblos. She graduated with a B.A. in American Studies from Stanford University; she holds an M.A. in Elementary/Bilingual Education from the University of New Mexico; and she is trained in the Montessori Method for primary level (ages 3-6) and lower elementary level (ages 6-9). Currently she serves as the Director and lead teacher at the Keres Children’s Learning Center at Cochiti Pueblo, a learning environment that incorporates the natural usage of the Keres language and Pueblo culture into an educational model that nurtures the whole child.
DEBORAH FLYNN POST
Deborah Flynn Post has served on the Chamiza Board since 2012. She was Art Director for the School of Advanced Research Press in Santa Fe, interim Art Director for the University of New Mexico Press and Book Designer for the Museum of New Mexico Press. She holds a MFA from Visual Studies Workshop, Rochester, NY and a BFA from Alfred University.
MAXINE TOYA
Maxine Toya is from Jemez Pueblo, a retired teacher of 35 years and a master potter. She is from a long line of potters and continues to create and teach the next generation potters.
STAFF:
AMANDA J. MONTOYA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Ms. Montoya is from the Pueblos of Taos, Ohkay Owingeh and Isleta. She previously held positions as Community Development Planner for Taos Pueblo, American Indian Tourism Specialist for the New Mexico Tourism Department and Program Manager for the Indigenous Design and Planning Institute at the University of New Mexico. She recently graduated from Arizona State University with her PhD in Justice Studies as part of the Pueblo PhD Cohort Program. She also holds an A.A.S in Geographical Information Technology from Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute, a B.S. in Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management from New Mexico State University, and an MCRP in Community and Regional Planning from the University of New Mexico’s School of Architecture and Planning.
