Kara Bobroff (Navajo/Lakota), SYS Board President; Kara is the Founding Principal of Albuquerque’s Native American Community Academy (NACA). In 2006, she was identified as one of the “Best Emerging Social Entrepreneurs†in the United States and was awarded a national Echoing Green Fellowship to establish NACA as one of the first urban American Indian academies to support language, culture, health, and college preparation for youth.
Molly Tovar (Comanche): Director of American Indian Studies at Washington University in St. Louis.
Pandora Mike (Dine’); Principal, Mesa Elementary School, Shiprock, New Mexico. Pandora’s background in Education is extensive; she has also served as Principal at Naschitti Elementary School, was an Elementary School Teacher and Instructor in Culture and Elementary core subjects. Pandora has a B.S. in Elementary Education and M.A. in Educational Leadership. She has served on Indian Education and Task Force committees throughout her career. She enjoys working with Native youth, families and communities. She also volunteers in her community to further youth initiatives.
Mekko M. Miller (Tesuque Pueblo), Esq./Executive Director of New Mexico Indian Gaming Association; Mekko has also served the Pueblo of Tesuque Development Corporation as its President and Chief Executive Officer. His executive leadership of the corporation yielded him invaluable experience and the skills to aide him with the creation of successful business models throughout Indian Country. He has also served as the Pueblo of Tesuque’s General Counsel. Mekko received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from New Mexico State University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Wyoming College of Law. Mekko enjoys volunteering as a mentor for Junior Achievement of NM in addition to continuing to offer his legal services pro bono for select clients. Mekko and his wife remain committed to community service and generously donate their time to local charitable organizations that provide Native American and non-native youth educational and overall capacity and leadership building opportunities.
Sharral Yepa (Jemez); Sharral is one of the founders of Southwest Youth Services, and has worked as a part-time staff member since the summer of 2004. A senior in nursing at the University of New Mexico, Sharral is an SYS program coordinator, directs the 2008 Youth Conservation Corps project at the Native American Community Academy (NACA), and coaches the NACA high school girls soccer team.
