Profile
Samantha Cypret is Mountain Maidu from the Taylorsville Rancheria. She was named the Director of the Wilton Rancheria Courts in December of 2020. She comes to Wilton Rancheria after five years at the Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC) where she served as the Investigations Manager and the Special Assistant to the General Counsel. In that role, she worked with Tribes across California as well as state and local agencies to protect California’s tribal cultural resources. During her time with the State of California, she also served as the Chief Deputy Tribal Advisor to the Governor to serve as a direct link between the tribes in California and the Governor, facilitate communication and consultations between Tribes and State Agencies, and review state legislation and regulations affecting Tribes and provide recommendations. In addition to her work at Wilton Rancheria, Samantha teaches Federal Indian Law at University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law alongside Chief Judge Williams.
Professional Memberships
Samantha has been member of the California Indian Law Association since 2014 and served as Vice-President and Treasurer on their Board of Directors. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Sacramento Native American Health Center (SNAHC) and the Lincoln Law School Alumni Association.
Education
Samantha received her Juris Doctorate in 2014 from Lincoln Law School in Sacramento. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Davis in Communication and Political Science.
Career Achievements
While at the NAHC, Samantha led training sessions for the Environmental Section of the State Bar California, the Sacramento County Bar Association, the California Preservation Foundation, the Association of Environmental Professionals, as well as for a variety of Tribal Governments, State Agencies, and other Lead Agencies. She also led the planning committee for California Native American Day and Tribal Leaders Forum where she planned and executed the largest annual event at the State Capitol.