Chairperson Sherry Treppa
Sherry Treppa is Chairperson of the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake, a federally recognized Indian nation in Upper Lake, California. Treppa has served the Tribe as an elected official since 2004, serving as the Chairperson since 2008. While tasked to preserve the Tribe’s Pomo culture, Treppa leads the effort to continually strive for economic self-reliance, through e-commerce, gaming and other economic opportunities within the Tribe’s jurisdiction.
Treppa worked in private industry for 18 years prior to her role with the Tribe. She was born in Lake County and graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of San Francisco. Treppa’s ongoing efforts have contributed to the process of restoring the Tribe’s land base and furthering the Tribe’s goal of economic self-reliance. She has spearheaded efforts funding negotiations and recently its refinance for the Tribe’s current gaming ventures, played a vital role in overseeing the construction of the Tribe’s Casino and represented the Tribe in raising capital, structuring and the development of the Tribe’s e-commerce businesses.
Chairperson Treppa is often called upon to testify in her capacity as an experienced tribal leader at legislative hearings for a variety of issues impacting Indian Country demonstrating her commitment to Native American interests and their mission of achieving economic growth and financial stability. She was awarded 2021 Tribal Chairperson of the Year by NAFOA (Native American Finance Officers Association), a nationally respected Tribal organization focused on growing Tribal economies and strengthening tribal finance. In 2019 Treppa and her Tribe co-produced “Saving the Sacred” a short documentary recently nominated for an Emmy on the development of an MOA-Memorandum of Agreement- with other local Sovereign Tribal Governments and the County of Lake for the protection of sacred sites and artifacts. An effort (MOA) that earned the California State Governor’s Historic Preservation Award in 2016.