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About Us

Our Fifth Decade of Advocacy and Counting!

about-cils

Before California Indian Legal Services’ (CILS)  inception legal representation for Native Americans and tribes was provided through California Rural Legal Services (CRLA). Over time the complexity and breadth of legal problems faced by California’s Native population compelled the formation of an Indian Services Division within CRLA to address these unique issues. In 1967 George Duke and a young Hoopa activist named David Risling incorporated CILS as a distinct program dedicated to Native American issues.

During the 1970s CILS expanded from just one office to field offices in Bishop, Escondido, Eureka, and Ukiah. CILS took on major issues impacting tribes and Native Americans such as: restoring reservation lands; quantifying tribes’ reserved water rights; obtaining equitable federal funding for California Tribes; litigating discrimination and civil rights, and fortifying tribal governments to name a few. At a time when the Bureau of Indian Affairs, as trustee for tribes, did not act, CILS served as a watchdog for California tribes. Legal support for tribes in drafting constitutions and ordinances was and is an ongoing component of protecting tribal sovereignty. CILS has produced some of the best Indian lawyers in California.

Through the 1980s CILS succeeded in protecting pristine and sacred forests for the Yurok, Karuk, Tolowa and Hoopa people. Through litigation and later negotiations, CILS  restored over 30 tribes who had been terminated in the 1950s. The fruits of CILS’ efforts are seen today in thriving tribal communities that were once disbanded by federal authorities.

As tribal governments matured in the 1990s, a new era of economic development began. When former CILS attorneys participated in the landmark case Cabazon Band of Mission Indians v. California and successfully overturned California’s authority to regulate bingo on Indian reservations; it opened the door for tribes to develop gaming facilities and brought much-needed revenue their reservation. CILS negotiated some of the original compacts for tribes and developed the regulatory codes and framework needed for Indian gaming. As a result of gaming, many tribes today have become financially independent and less dependent on government funding. For tribes who continue to strive for economic independence, CILS continues to assist with low cost, quality legal services.

During the last ten years CILS has targeted specific work groups to address: Indian children welfare issues that includes state compliance with the Indian Child Welfare and Act (ICWA) and Indian education issues; trust asset protection through drafting of will that comply with the American Indian Probate Reform Act (AIPRA) and protection of cultural resources; fiscal issues such as  state taxation of individual’s income; and strengthening tribal governance through tribal court and law enforcement development. The success of these can be seen throughout California Indian Country. As leaders in the area of ICWA, CILS was instrumental in the passage of comprehensive state legislation (commonly known as SB 678) that extends federal ICWA protection to California’s Indian children. CILS drafted the original California Judge’s Benchguide in 2010 and updated it in 2012. With the trust asset protection working group, CILS was instrumental in obtaining provisions in the AIPRA that allows California Native Americans, regardless if they are members of a federally recognized tribe, to pass their allotments to their heirs by Will. CILS also remains at the forefront of assisting tribes in developing courts and law enforcement agencies by providing trainings, drafting codes and orchestrating statewide conferences.

CILS remains attuned to the changing needs of Native communities in California. Our four offices—Bishop, Escondido, Eureka, and Sacramento—serve all 58 counties in California. The majority of its Board of Trustees is comprised of California Native Americans.

Our
Attorneys

Dorothy Alther – Legal Director, Escondido

Dorothy Alther was made the Executive Director of CILS in July 2013. Ms. Alther is the recipient of the national 2010 Pierce Hickerson Award which is granted to distinguished Indian legal services attorneys. She also received the “Outstanding Achievement in California Indian Law” award from the California Indian Lawyers Association in 2014. Dorothy has been an attorney with CILS since 1989 and has practiced Indian law since1985. Ms. Alther was in the Bishop CILS Office until she relocated to the Escondido Office in 2003. In addition to her executive and administrative duties, Ms. Alther maintains an active caseload serving as legal counsel for several Tribes and tribal entities. Her current work focuses on impact litigation on matters of federal Indian law as well as working directly with tribes on building tribal governmental infrastructure. Ms. Alther has assisted tribes with tribal court and law enforcement development, working with tribes on establishing or revising tribal governing documents and building tribal program law. Ms. Alther is also active in ensuring CILS is involved in state and federal issues impacting Tribes and tribal communities. This includes providing comments on behalf of the tribal client to pending state and federal rules or legislation, partnering with others and tribal coalitions to advance legislation or regulation to protect and enhance tribal governments and providing community information and awareness on critical issues impacting California tribes. Ms. Alther has been a trainer on Public Law 280, the Indian Child Welfare Act, Housing law,  Tribal Law Enforcement, Building Tribal Courts, Tribal Law and Order Act, the Violence Against Women Act, and Cultural Resource Protection. Dorothy is a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe and graduated from the University of South Dakota and earned her J.D. from Northeastern University. Ms. Alther served as Managing Attorney at DNA’s People’s Legal Services in Crownpoint, New Mexico before coming to CILS and has acted as Tribal Attorney for the Suquamish Tribe in Washington.

Debra Avenmarg – Staff Attorney, Eureka

Debra Avenmarg joins CILS as a Staff Attorney in the Eureka office. She received her J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law in 2010 and received a B.S. in Business and B.A. in Economics from Humboldt State University in 2005. Debra joins CILS with years of Child Welfare experience from many different roles and perspectives. In 2005, she volunteered as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for three foster youth, which inspired her to go to law school and practice Child Welfare Law. Debra has experience supervising visitation and transporting youth while working for a Foster Family Agency (FFA). She has also been a foster parent. She has advocated in the County role, and she has also represented parents, guardians, children, and Non-minor dependents in Child Welfare proceedings. Debra has worked in Lassen County, Marin County, and Humboldt County.  Debra is excited to now have the opportunity to represent tribes.

Denise H. Bareilles – Directing Attorney, Eureka

Denise Bareilles is the Directing Attorney at the Eureka office. Denise was born and raised in the U.S. Territory of Guam and moved to the states to attend law school at Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon. She graduated with a J.D. in 2004. Most of her legal career has been spent in Northern California where she currently resides with her husband and two young children. In her earlier years, she practiced in the areas of general civil litigation, insurance defense, probate, and estate planning. She worked for the Yurok Tribal Court from 2011 to 2017 and gained substantial experience in the areas of tribal court development, intergovernmental negotiations with county and state agencies, development and implementation of direct federal funding to tribal social services agencies under Title IV of the Social Security Act (which included development of the first tribal Title IV-D child support program in California), tribal code development, and the American Indian Probate and Reform Act. She is barred to practice law in the courts of the State of California, the U.S. Territory of Guam, and the Yurok Reservation.

Susan Platt Dalati – Staff Attorney, Escondido

Susan Platt Dalati began her legal career in 1988 as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in Honolulu, Hawaii. During some of her time there she worked in the Domestic Violence Unit, Special Prosecution Division. Ms. Dalati has civil and family law experience. She has worked as a Court Liaison Officer for a police department and she has teaching experience. From 2002–2015, she worked at a local social service agency that assists victims/survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. She provided direct legal services, managed a center in north county San Diego for more than three years, and supervised and mentored many advocates, attorneys, interns, support staff, and volunteers. Ms. Dalati has provided trainings on domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking to many agencies and organizations. She helped to develop the High-Risk Team meetings for the north county region of San Diego. These meetings are attended by many local agencies and community partners to rapidly help and assist victims/survivors who are deemed to be at high risk of lethality. She currently co-chairs the North County Domestic Violence Coalition.

Michael Godbe – Directing Attorney, Bishop

Michael Godbe returned to CILS’ Bishop office in 2019 after clerking at the office five years earlier during law school. He currently serves as the Bishop Office’s Directing Attorney, overseeing the Eastern Sierra Legal Assistance Program, the Inyo-Mono Senior Legal Program, and all the Office’s Homelessness Prevention / Eviction Defense work – in addition to the Office’s core federal Indian law work. Prior to joining CILS, he practiced law in Wisconsin, protecting employees from discrimination and wrongful termination, and representing consumers experiencing abusive debt collection and false advertising. He received his J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law and his B.A. in History from Vassar College. Attorney Godbe is a member of the National Lawyers Guild, the oldest progressive bar association and the first to integrate its ranks. In 2021, Mike joined the boards of the Eastern Sierra Continuum of Care (https://www.easternsierracoc.org/) and the Legal Aid Association of California (LAAC) (https://www.laaconline.org/). When not working, he enjoys hiking, gardening, spending time with his wife, dog, and two large cats, turning wooden bowls on his lathe, and making laser-cut wooden jewelry.

Michelle Krieger – Staff Attorney, Eureka

Michelle Krieger joins CILS as a staff attorney in the Eureka Office. She first moved to Humboldt County to attend Humboldt State and fell in love with the area. She graduated from Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland in 2000 and 2004 moved back to Humboldt County and took a job as a law clerk with the Hoopa Valley Tribal Court. Michelle worked with tribal courts for more than 18 years and was appointed an associate judge with the Hoopa Court in 2010, then a pro tem judge for the Karuk Tribe in 2011. Her experience as a tribal court judge, which includes hearing cases for the Yurok and Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation Tribal Courts, focused her on the needs of the people who use the courts. The heavy toll of domestic violence on tribal families became all too clear over the years of working in Tribal Courts. This led Michelle to shift her focus to victim services work beginning in 2020. Prior to working with tribal courts, Michelle gained experience in consumer law and criminal law. She loves the Humboldt area and enjoys spending time with her first grandchild.

Kia Murdoch – Staff Attorney, Sacramento

Kia Murdoch joined CILS as a Staff Attorney in 2021. Kia graduated from Willamette University College of Law in 2017 and earned her B.A. degree from the University of Wyoming in 2014. During law school, she clerked with the Oregon Department of Justice in the Child Dependency Section. She also worked for SOAR Immigration Legal Services, a legal aid organization in Portland, Oregon. Kia moved to California in 2017 and worked at a corporate immigration firm prior to passing the California Bar. Kia is an active volunteer in environmental advocacy, particularly regarding the preservation of California’s forests.

Farhad Omidwar – Staff Attorney, Sacramento

Farhad Omidwar is a Staff Attorney at CILS. He is experienced in Real Estate, Tax law, and Estate Planning matters and interpreting and negotiating contracts. He graduated with honors from the University of California, Berkeley, majoring in Political Science, and received his J.D. from UC Davis School of Law. While in law school, he was a member of the Negotiations team and excelled in the school’s competitions. Before law school, as the director of the National Employment Council, he negotiated and organized one of the largest career fairs in California, the “10,000 best jobs expo”, bringing 10,000 jobs and 5000 job seekers to the Angel Stadium. He has an interest in advocating policy on behalf of the CILS and its clients. Farhad holds a fifth-degree black belt in the Chinese art of Shaolin Kempo, enjoys playing chess, ping pong, and soccer with his two daughters. He currently lives with his family in Northern California.

Jay Petersen – Senior Staff Attorney, Sacramento

Jay Petersen is a career legal services Attorney who started practice on the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota where he worked as Reginald Heber Smith Community Law Fellow. Over his 20 year career with CILS, he has worked in the Bishop and Oakland offices. In Oakland, he worked as Directing Attorney. His caseloads have covered a wide range of issues that include non-profit representation, Native religious practices, legislative political restoration, un-termination litigation, access to trust land issues, habeas corpus, federal recognition, ICWA, and public benefits. He is active in the volunteer community and has worked on non-profit housing, domestic violence prevention, and recovery program boards. Jay recently earned a master’s degree in political science.

Sheila Quinlan – Staff Attorney, Escondido

Sheila Quinlan joined CILS in 2021. She clerked for CILS’s Oakland office in 2003 as a law student and sat on the CILS Board of Directors from 2013-2019. In 2003, she graduated with a JD from UC Berkeley School of Law. In 1996, she earned her BA from UC Berkeley in Anthropology and Women’s Studies. Sheila worked for five years as a public defender in Riverside County, handling various cases and representing clients at dozens of jury trials. She spent nine years as an appellate attorney, representing state-appointed criminal defendants in the state courts. She enjoys getting outside to hike, camp, and backpack with her family in her spare time.

Terrie Robinson – Directing Attorney, Sacramento

Terrie L. Robinson is the CEO of JTPM, LLC, a consulting and investment firm. Ms. Robinson, a fifth-generation Californian, is an attorney who has been licensed to practice in California for thirty years and has recently retired from service with the State of California. During her sixteen years with the State of California, she served as the Legal Ethics and Accountability Attorney for the California State Teachers’ Retirement System; General Counsel for the California Native American Heritage Commission; Senior Board Counsel to the Chair of the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board; and staff counsel to the Chancellor’s Office of the California Community College System and the California Earthquake Authority. Ms. Robinson holds a Bachelor’s in Political Science from Stanford University; a Master’s in Public Affairs from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University; and a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School, where she served on the Harvard Law Review. Ms. Robinson resides in Lincoln and enjoys reading, cooking, gardening, writing, and hanging out with her family and friends.

Mark Vezzola – Directing Attorney, Escondido

Mark Vezzola joined California Indian Legal Services as a Staff Attorney in 2009. Originally from Longmeadow, Massachusetts, Mark graduated from UMass-Amherst in 2000 and moved to California in 2001 to study Indian law at UCLA where he earned his J.D. and M.A. in American Indian Studies. While in law school, Mark clerked for the Hopi Appellate Court in Keams Canyon, Arizona, the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington D.C., and CILS during the summer of 2004. Upon passing the California bar exam, Mark worked as a litigator with Callahan, McCune & Willis, APLC, in downtown San Diego before returning to CILS. Aside from practicing law, Mark is an adjunct professor of history at San Diego Mesa College and American Indian Studies at Palomar College in San Marcos. He has published several articles and book chapters on the constitutional rights of incarcerated Native Americans to practice their religion as well as the issue of same-sex marriage in Native communities. Mark has served on the Board of Directors of the California Indian Law Association and the San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program.

Our Staff

Estrella Acosta – Legal/Administrative Assistant, Eureka

Estrella Acosta received her paralegal certificate from San Francisco State University and has a Bachelor’s degree in English with a publishing minor from Lewis and Clark State College. She has over eleven years of administrative experience working with small, mission-driven non-profits. She has been a legal assistant for the past two years working for boutique firms specializing in criminal, family, and estate planning.

Rachel Bilodeau – Legal Secretary, Escondido

Rachel Bilodeau graduated college in 2009 with her BA in Criminal Justice and minor in Political Science. In 2011 she received her Paralegal Certificate from USD. She started at CILS in 2010 as the ICAN Tax Assistant where she did taxes for three years. In 2012 after the tax program ended Rachel left CILS to get married and explore other options. After staying home with her kids for the past two years, Rachel came back part-time as the Legal Assistant for the Escondido office.

Cailey Bronny – Intake Advocate, Sacramento

Cailey Bronny graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from CSUS in 2017. She comes from a background of more than a decade working in public education, focusing on commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) and the intersection of the school to prison pipeline and child welfare. She is passionate about bringing youth voices into adult spaces in both academic and institutional settings. More recently, she has engaged in inside/outside advocacy work in prison/jail settings to stop jail expansion and expand community-led services/funding to those most impacted by the prison and policing system. She strongly believes that people are the experts on their own lived experiences and that impacted people should be leading and informing the work. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors, writing, and trips to the ocean.

Jacklyn Bryan – Advocate, Bishop

Jacklyn Bryan joined CILS in 2021 as an Advocate, J.D. for the Bishop office. She returned home to the Bishop area in 2019 after an educational endeavor took her across the country and back. Jacklyn received her J.D. from Vermont Law School in 2017 and subsequently accepted a two-year Equal Justice Works fellowship in Madison, Wisconsin. There she worked with Wisconsin tribes, organizations, and agencies in their efforts to protect Tribes’ water resources. As a member of the Big Pine Paiute Tribe, Jacklyn is excited to return home and use her skills and training to give back to her community. When not working, Jacklyn enjoys quality time with her husband and young children.

Robert Glen Bryson – Controller, Escondido

Glen joined the corporate staff of CILS as Controller in January 2009. He brings with him 30 years of non-profit experience, the last 10 of which have been in financial leadership roles in the San Diego area. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada and an MBA from Nova-Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Glen’s non-profit career has taken him to many corners of the world and immersed him in multiple cultures including five years in the Republic of Panama and five years in Scotland. He has served as Program Director, Executive Director, Director of Operations, Controller, and CFO. Glen brings a wealth of knowledge and contacts to CILS with specialized experience in financial controls, policies and procedures, strategic planning, development, and special events.

Tara Edmiston – Executive Assistant, Escondido

Tara Edmiston is the Executive Assistant to the Principal office and program-wide Billing Manager. She also serves as the Legal Secretary to the Executive Director. She started at CILS in 2001 as a Legal Secretary in the Escondido field office and for the last three years has worked for the Principal office. Tara has over thirty years of legal secretarial experience in a wide range of practice areas and also as a law office administrator.

Leann Ferry – Director of Administration, Sacramento

Leann Ferry joined CILS in October 2021 as Director of Administration. She works closely with the Executive Director and other program staff assisting with grant and financial compliance, management, and the overall administration of CILS.

Leann brings over 20 years of professional experience to CILS, including paralegal work on the Exxon Valdez oil spill, community work involving Native Alaskan organizations and villages, project management, leadership training and development, and Executive leadership coaching. The thread knitting all her years of work together is a personal and professional mission to help people strengthen their voices and influence decisions that affect their lives, communities, and organizations.

Leann is a 4th generation Sacramento Californian. She received her BA in Biological Sciences from UC Davis and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Alaska, Anchorage. She is an International Coach Federation credentialed Executive Leadership Coach.

Heather Hostler – Executive Director, Sacramento

Heather Hostler is a member of the Hoopa Valley Tribe located in far northern California and the Executive Director for the California Indian Legal Services (CILS). She has an extensive background working in the California Executive Branch as a gubernatorial appointee under two Administrations.  Governor Brown appointed Ms. Hostler in 2012 to serve as Chief Deputy Tribal Advisor, working with the first Tribal Advisor to implement Executive Order B-10-11. As a team, they supported state agencies and departments in creating Tribal Consultation Policies, developing Tribal Liaison positions, resolving issues at a government-to-government level, and advised department and agency leadership on policies and regulations that impacted tribal communities.

In 2019 Ms. Hostler was appointed by Governor Newsom as the first Director of Tribal Affairs for the California Department of Social Services. She was the visionary leader who established the Office of Tribal Affairs (OTA). She is a dynamic change-maker, and her leadership resulted in the integration of Tribal impact considerations in policies, regulations, and legislation. OTA serves as a model for state agencies to create more equitable government systems grounded in Tribal Consultation and government-to-government working relationships.

Prior to her work in Sacramento, she had the benefit of working for her Tribe and serving as a Program Officer for the Humboldt Area Foundation, where she was able to support grassroots movements, community organizing, and important regional collaborations. Ms. Hostler received her BA in Native American Studies: Law and Government from Humboldt State University and was recognized as a Distinguished Alumni in 2016.

Laura Janoff – Advocate, Bishop

Laura Janoff has lived in the Eastern Sierra for thirty-six years, moving to Bishop, California, in April of 2020. In May of 2021, she graduated from Cerro Coso Community College with an Associate of Science degree in Paralegal Studies. Since then, she has also become a California commissioned Notary Public and licensed in Inyo County as a Legal Document Assistant. She is eager to use her new skills and begin a second career in legal advocacy for underserved populations at the Bishop office of California Indian Legal Services. In her spare time, she works in her garden, enjoys cooking and quilt making.

Summer Morales – Advocate, Escondido

Summer Morales is a member of the La Jolla Band of Mission Indians and has worked for CILS since 2000. She began working as an administrative assistant in the Escondido field office supporting attorneys and other staff in all aspects of administrative duties including assisting with CILS’ fundraising events. Starting in May 2008, Summer worked as the Principal Office’s Executive Assistant and in spring 2013 returned to the Escondido field office as an intake advocate.

Yvette Morales – Legal Advocate, Escondido

Yvette Morales has more than nine years of experience in frontline client advocacy work. Her passion for working with survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking began when she volunteered at the Family Justice Center in 2009 and studied the human services profession in school. Ms. Morales started her career in the Legal and Advocacy Services Division of a social service agency in San Diego County in 2012 as the Administrative Assistant. She was promoted to Bilingual Legal Advocate in 2014. Along with having direct experience in abuse prevention, she is Domestic Violence, and Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention trained, Jaqueline Campbell’s Danger Assessment Certified, Runaway Girl’s CSEC “CPR” Community Protocol for response trained, and CORI trained. She participates in the San Diego County High-Risk Team meetings, the North County Domestic Violence Coalition, the San Diego Domestic Violence Council and is a member of the Riverside County Tribal Alliance Domestic Violence Sub-Committee Workgroup.

Nicole Scott – Development and Marketing Director, Escondido

Nicole Scott joined CILS in 2014. She is responsible for the planning, development, and implementation of CILS’ fundraising and development efforts, marketing communications and public relations activities. She brings with her over 30 years of marketing and development experience. Before joining CILS, Nicole was most recently Principle and Marketing/Communications Director of Legal Cannabis Institute, an educational training company focusing on legal changes within federal and California laws. Prior to LCI, Nicole was the Executive Director of Empower Girls, a nonprofit foundation working with girls on concepts of beauty and the power of messages. She also was Principle and Marketing/Communications Director at Imaginactive, an advertising agency that specialized in high tech, biotech and pharmaceutical products. Nicole earned her Communications Degree from the University of Nebraska. She also has a technical degree in graphic design and multimedia from Platt College.

Davina Whitethorne – Senior Administrative Assistant, Escondido

Davina Whitethorne is a Senior Administrative Assistant at the Escondido office. As a member of the Dine’ (Navajo) Tribe, she was born and raised on the reservation. Davina moved to San Diego fifteen years ago. She studied Criminal Justice at the University of Phoenix and received her Masters of Law in Indigenous People’s Law from the University of Oklahoma. She brings twelve years of administrative experience to CILS. Passionate about Indian rights, working at CILS was a natural fit. In her free time, Davina enjoys spending time with her daughter Meah. She just recently started volunteering for the Ronald McDonald House.

Emma Williams – Administrative Assistant, Bishop

Emma Williams (Bishop/Mono Lake Paiute/Pima) is an enrolled member of the Bishop Paiute Tribe and resides on her homelands, Payahunadu (the place where the water flows), in the beautiful Owens Valley. Emma joined the Bishop CILS Office in 2022 as the Administrative Assistant and comes to CILS with over 15 years of administrative experience. Emma has an AA in Business and is working toward her BA in Organizational Leadership (Project Management) from Arizona State University. Emma is dedicated to working with non-profits and with Native American communities for the enhanced well-being of Native people. Emma enjoys spending time with her three daughters and taking part in cultural and community events.

Our Board Of Trustees

MARK ROMERO – Board Chairperson, Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians

JOE AYALA – Board Vice-Chairperson, State Bar Appointee

MERCEDES AMAVISCA – Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians

ANDRÉ CRAMBLIT – Karuk Tribe of California

ROBERT GONZALEZ – State Bar Appointee

JESSICA GOODROW – Round Valley Indian Tribes

JOHN HUESTON – State Bar Appointee

MERRI LOPEZ-KEIFER – San Luis Rey Band of Mission Indians

VICTORIO SHAW – Hoopa Valley Tribe

The California Indian Legal Services Board of Trustees meets four times a year.

Click here for more information about upcoming meetings.

Click here for information about joining the Board of Trustees as a community representative.

Click here for information about joining the Board of Trustees as a California State Bar appointee.

We currently have positions open for our Board Of Trustees.

Join Our Board Of Trustees

THE ADVISORY BOARD OF CILS NEEDS YOU!

The Advisory Board support CILS’ Board of Trustees and Staff by enhancing awareness of CILS’ mission, striving to increase community involvement, and engaging in fundraising efforts to support our programs and services. If you’re looking for leadership or networking opportunities, membership on the Advisory Board is a great way to get started!

Advisory Board members encourage charitable giving to CILS by overseeing the Annual Campaign for Justice, the primary fundraising vehicle of the Advisory Board. We are looking for people who can provide insight into marketplace trends, make introductions, facilitate funding, and suggest alliances. Our Advisory Board benefit from networking, sharing, learning, and shaping something that has enormous potential. It’s a chance to give back, feel appreciated, and get recognized.

We currently have positions open for our Advisory Board.

Join Our Advisory Board

Financials

Support From Many Sources

CILS receives financial support from individuals, corporations, foundations, government agencies, and tribal organizations. CILS is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, so contributions are tax-deductible. Fee arrangements are negotiated with clients having the ability to pay.

CILS is an established non-profit organization with over five decades of experience in grants management and accounting in accordance with generally accepted accounting standards. Each year, CILS has an audit performed by a firm of certified public accountants to ensure accountability in fiscal matters. Harrington Group has performed the annual audits for the past several years and submits its reports to the CILS Board of Trustees.

Jan. 2021 – Dec. 2021 990 Form

Jan. 2020 – Dec. 2020 990 Form

Jan. 2019 – Dec. 2019 990 Form

Jan. 2018 – Dec. 2018 990 Form

Jan. 2017 – Dec. 2017 990 Form

Jan. 2016 – Dec. 2016 990 Form

Jan. 2015 – Dec. 2015 990 Form

July 2014 – Dec. 2014 990 Form

July 2013 – June 2014 990 Form

July 2012 – June 2013 990 Form

July 2011 – June 2012 990 Form

Annual Reports

Our Annual Report contains detailed information on all CILS activities and programs, a treasurer’s report, and acknowledgment of contributions. CILS distributes the Annual Report to foundations, major contributors, certain federal and state agencies, tribes, Native American organizations, and to others upon request.

2020 Annual Report

2019 Annual Report

2018 Annual Report

2017 Annual Report

2016 Annual Report

2015 Annual Report

2014 Annual Report

2012/13 Annual Report

2011/12 Annual Report

2010/11 Annual Report

Quarterly Newsletters

Our quarterly newsletters contain articles on CILS activities and programs. CILS distributes these newsletters electronically to our email list of foundations, major contributors, federal and state agencies, tribes, Native American organizations, and to others upon request. Add yourself to the list here.

September 2021 Newsletter

June 2021 Newsletter

March 2021 Newsletter

December 2020 Newsletter

September 2020 Newsletter

June 2020 Newsletter

March 2020 Newsletter

December 2019 Newsletter

September 2019 Newsletter

June 2019 Newsletter

March 2019 Newsletter

December 2018 Newsletter

September 2018 Newsletter

June 2018 Newsletter

March 2018 Newsletter

December 2017 Newsletter

September 2017 Newsletter

June 2017 Newsletter

March 2017 Newsletter

December 2016 Newsletter

September 2016 Newsletter

June 2016 Newsletter

February 2016 Newsletter

November 2015 Newsletter

August 2015 Newsletter

May 2015 Newsletter

February 2015 Newsletter

Employment: Vacancy Announcements

JOIN OUR TEAM:

  • Bishop Office – None at this time
  • Escondido Office – Part-time Domestic Violence Attorney
  • Eureka Office – Part-time Domestic Violence Advocate
  • Sacramento Office – Controller, Director of Grants and Compliance

Latest News

  • CILS Seeking RFP for Case Management SoftwareMay 11, 2022 - 8:42 pm
  • Bishop Office HighlightsMarch 29, 2022 - 8:20 pm
  • New CILS Project: Assisting Native Vets in Upgrading Military Discharge StatusMarch 14, 2022 - 6:52 pm
  • TRIBAL ALERT – Supreme Court to Determine the Constitutionality of the ICWAMarch 1, 2022 - 12:11 am

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    Our California Offices:

    ESCONDIDO - (800) 743-8941
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