Christina Snider '05

Christina is a member of the Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians and her legal career includes service as a staff attorney at the National Congress of American Indians and as a law clerk in the Office of Tribal Justice at the U.S. Department of Justice. The commission on which she will serve identifies and catalogs places of special religious or social significance to Native Americans, as well as known graves and cemeteries of Native Americans on private lands in the state.

Christina pursued the field of Native American law and policy because the issues facing native peoples are personal to her as a member of a California tribe. Primarily, Christina chose to follow this path due to the desperate need in tribal communities and because she recognizes the potential to make a difference in so many lives through law and policy. “There are a lot of details I could go into about the difficult choices I have had to make to get to this point in my career, but the short answer is that because I am passionate about Native American law and policy, I have made my work a priority and have done everything in my power to ensure that I am being effective in the roles that I have served in. This has meant knowing my limitations and where I need to reach out to others for help, taking every chance to learn more about my field, and accepting both opportunities and challenges with determination and an open mind.”

In an effort to strengthen communication and collaboration between the California state government and Native American tribes, Cristina Snider ’05 has been appointed by Governor Brown as the governor’s tribal advisor and executive secretary to the Native American Heritage Commission.

Throughout her career, Christina has carried with her the beliefs and inspiration that she experienced while a student at FSHA. She says, “[my time as a student] taught me that women are exceptional and that another person’s greatness doesn’t take away from your own. I carry that mindset with me even when the career I have chosen—and our culture in general— unnecessarily forces women to compete. My classmates were and continue to be an inspiration for me and I hope that they continue to do amazing things.”

In the future, Christina plans to continue working towards the advancement of the greater tribal community by elevating the priorities of Native Americans and mentoring young native professionals. Through her efforts, Christina hopes to have a direct impact on how native peoples view their place within the fabric of society.