Meet Our Team
The American Indian Cultural Center (AICC) is guided by a diverse team representing many tribal nations and cultural backgrounds, united in honoring tradition and uplifting Native voices. Together, they create programs that foster connection, education, and community across the Bay Area.
April McGill
April McGill
Executive Director
As Executive Director of the AICC, April is an enrolled member of the Round Valley Indian Tribes, with direct ancestral ties to the Yuki and Mishawal Wappo nations. A longtime resident of San Francisco for over two decades, she brings a deep commitment to the urban American Indian community. She spearheaded efforts to establish visibility for AICC and The American Indian Cultural District. Her work extends into policy advocacy, where she amplifies Californian Indian voices around health disparities and cultural rights. She also serves on the board of the American Indian Cultural District, further deepening her role in shaping Indigenous presence in San Francisco.
Michael Klinker
Michael Klinker
Program Coordinator
As Program Coordinator, he brings forward his Navajo heritage to heart of AICC’s operations and community engagement. Though further public biographical details are limited, his role signals a key presence in fostering culturally informed programming and outreach within the center’s operational framework.
Araceli Garcia-Ponthier
Araceli Garcia-Ponthier
Program Manager
She brings rich bicultural insights to the role of Program Manager, grounded in her identity as Pueblo of Acoma / Xicana. A graduate of San Francisco State’s American Indian Studies program, her academic grounding informs her leadership in culturally resonant programming. Her unique heritage and education enrich the interpretation and implementation of AICC’s programs, ensuring they resonate with multiple facets of Indigenous and Chicanx experiences.
Elsie DuBray
Elsie DuBray
Community Research Associate
Raised on the Cheyenne River Reservation, Elsie descends from Oóhenuŋpa Lakxóta, Nueta, and Hidatsa nations, and is an enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. Her work focuses on holistic health and wellbeing within Indigenous communities, combining cultural knowledge with modern approaches to community care. Her research has explored the role of buffalo restoration in strengthening Lakota public health and Indigenous futurisms. Featured in the documentary Gather (2020), she highlights Native food sovereignty and the cultural importance of buffalo in community health and resilience.
Libey Hailey
Libey Hailey
Indigenous Communities Fellow
Hailing from the Hupa, Hoopa Valley Tribe, Libey champions youth leadership through her roles as an Indigenous Communities Fellow and intern at AICC. Deeply connected to her cultural roots, Libey is actively involved in beadwork, traditional practices, and ceremonies, with a strong passion for representation and Indigenous education.