Revolutionizing the way people work to ensure the world is a healthier place.

Back to Staff Directory

Staff Biography

Sunny Dominguez

Sunni Domiguez
Tribal STAR Program Manager
sadominguez@sdsu.edu

Howka, my name is Sunni Dominguez. I am Iipay/Kumeyaay from the Ipay Nation of Santa Ysabel. I sat as an elected official for my tribe for 14 years. I also served as a Board Member for the California Tribal Families Coalition and currently am a board member for the Tribal Advisory Committee for the CDSS Office of Tribal Affairs. I have over 20 years of experience working within the Tribal community in the areas of Family Advocacy, Early Childhood Education, Tribal Youth Coordinator, and Cultural Site Monitor. I currently work for the Academy for Professional Excellence Tribal STAR program as the Program Manager. Most importantly, I have been honored and blessed to do the work of a Mother, Grandmother, Foster Parent, and Indian Custodian. My purpose is that of spiritual growth and dedication to healing and protecting our past, present, and future generations.

 

I have been working with the Tribal STAR program at the Academy for 7 years. The impact it has had on my life has been great! Not only have I developed as a professional, but I have also learned to understand better the importance of well-being as I navigate the challenges of training such a heavy topic that hits so close to home. As a trainer for ICWA: Working with Native American Families and Tribes, I have had many emotional moments of understanding the way and why some of my experiences as a Native woman raised with my tribe. It has caused me to have a reflection on the unresolved grief and loss not only for myself but also for my community. I see the need for daily attention to my well-being with an emphasis on spiritual healing to continue to grow and be the best I can be for my family and tribe. In addition to the impact on my healing journey, the work I do has been rewarding as I get to share my story and experiences to assist with the changing of the hearts, minds, and practices of the professionals that we serve, which leads to better outcomes for o ur Native American children and families.

Back To Top

Some files may require the download of plugins and other third party software to view

Download Adobe Acrobat DC PDF Viewer (opens in a new window) To view word documents use Microsoft Word viewer online (opens in a new window) To view Excel workbooks or sheets use Microsoft Excel viewer online (opens in a new window) To view Power Point slide use Power Point online (opens in a new window)
Back To Top