Press Release
For Immediate Release

Contact: James May
(916) 754-7540
james@cniga.com

CNIGA Chairman James Siva Makes Top 100 List

August 25, 2026

Sacramento, CA —California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA) Chairman James Siva was named to Capitol Weekly’s 2026 Top 100 list that was released earlier this month. The list highlights “the one hundred most powerful movers and shakers in California politics and public policy,” excluding elected officials.

Clocking in at number 66 on the list, the accompanying paragraph says of Chairman Siva:

“An outspoken advocate for tribal sovereignty, Siva has been at the forefront of the tribes’ ongoing fights to protect their turf from interlopers near and far…” and later goes on to say: “you can bet whoever challenges the tribes will hear from Siva...”

Also on the list are other figures in CNIGA world, such as National Congress of American Indians President and Pechanga Band of Indians Chairman Mark Macarro (No. 63), Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation Chairwoman Lynn Valbuena (No. 67), and Jacob Mejia, vice president of public and external affairs at the Pechanga Development Corporation (No. 81).

Also, though not on the main list this year, longtime tribal lobbyist Paula Treat was inducted to the Capitol Weekly’s Top 100 Hall of Fame.

For the full list, go to: https://capitolweekly.net/top-100-2026/, a link to the Top 100 Hall of Fame appears within the article.

About CNIGA

The California Nations Indian Gaming Association is a non-profit association comprised of 58 federally recognized tribal governments dedicated to the protection of tribal sovereignty and the inherent right of tribes to have gaming on Indian lands.

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