Native American Land Conservancy
The Native American Land Conservancy protects and restores sacred sites and areas, provides educational programming for Native American youth and the general public, and conducts scientific studies on cultural, biological, and historical resources on sacred lands.
The organization started in 1998 with leadership from an intertribal cultural group interested in protecting off-reservation sacred sites. Today, the NALC’s work is more important than ever as development continues at an ever increasing pace, threatening our sacred lands.
We were founded in the late 1990s by tribal leaders dedicated to conserving our land.
In the late 1990s, the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians hosted cultural nights on their reservation. Many tribes, including the Cahuilla Band of Mission Indians, the Hualapai Tribe, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, and the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians participated in these events, sharing culture, language, meals, and songs.
Members of this group formed the Native American Land Conservancy to protect and preserve sacred lands important to these participating tribes. The Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians and its tribal enterprise Spotlight 29 Casino continues to generously support us today in many ways.
Today, many founding members still remain active with the Conservancy, including Dean Mike, former Chairman of the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians and first president of the NALC. He currently serves as a Board Member for the NALC.
Our Leadership
Michael Madrigal, (Cahuilla)- President
Michael Madrigal is a founding member and has served on the NALC Board of Directors for a number of years and currently is the Board President, helping lead the organization overall. He is an enrolled member of the Cahuilla Band of Mission Indians.
Sean Milanovich, Ph. D. (Cahuilla) - Vice President
Sean Milanovich is actively involved in organizing our Learning Landscapes program. He also serves on the Board of Directors for an NALC partner organization, Paayish Neken and is an enrolled member of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.
Nicole A. Johnson - Secretary
Nicole Johnson has over 10 years of experience in public policy and inter-governmental relations in Indian Country. She has worked with tribes throughout California on an extensive array of issues including cultural resource management, tribal law enforcement, public health, gaming, and economic development.
Robert Paull (Lummi) -Treasurer
Robert Paull is an enrolled tribal member of the Lummi Nation and a Persian Gulf War combat veteran. He is the Treasurer of the Native American Land Conservancy and has been involved with the organization since 2015. Robert is also the President of the California Indian Nations College Foundation.
BOARD of DIRECTORS
Michael Madrigal (Cahuilla) - President
Sean Milanovich, Ph. D. (Cahuilla) - Vice President
Nicole Johnson - Secretary
Robert Paull (Lummi) - Treasurer
Dean Mike (Chemehuevi)
Theresa Mike (Lummi)
Matthew Leivas (Chemehuevi)
Fay McClung
Rebecca Kugel, Ph. D. (Ojibwe)
Charles Land
T. Robert Przeklasa, Ph. D. Executive Director
Robert "Dr. Bob" Przeklasa served on the Board of Directors of the NALC for six years before to becoming the executive director. Previously, he served as executive vice president of California Indian Nations College and has many years of experience with tribal and environmental issues.