SAR Welcomes New Board Members
The School for Advanced Research in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is pleased to welcome six new members to its board of directors:
John Arroyo, assistant professor in Engaging Diverse Communities and director of the Pacific Northwest Just Futures Institute for Racial and Climate Justice at the University of Oregon;
Brenda J. Child (Ojibwe), Northrop Professor and former Chair of the Departments of American Studies and American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota;
Estevan Rael-Gálvez, former senior vice president of historic sites at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, executive director of the National Hispanic Cultural Center, and state historian of New Mexico, current CEO of Santa Fe’s Creative Strategies 360°;
Steve Robinson, architect, planning consultant, and civic leader;
Don Siegel, philanthropist, collector, and founder of Chipeta Trading Company; and
David A. Young, retired higher education professional and well-known Santa Fe non-profit supporter.
SAR’s president, Michael F. Brown, describes these additions to the board as evidence of SAR’s ongoing commitment to recruiting directors who bring the widest possible range of life experiences and professional accomplishments to the organization’s leadership team. He states, “SAR is thrilled to welcome this diverse, talented group of professionals to our board of directors. I look forward to working with them as the School advances its mission of bringing innovative social research and artistic creativity to New Mexico and beyond.”
Learn more about each new board member in the bios below. A full list of SAR board members and their backgrounds can be found here.
John Arroyo
John Arroyo is an assistant professor in Engaging Diverse Communities and director of the Pacific Northwest Just Futures Institute for Racial and Climate Justice at the University of Oregon. In 2019 Arroyo held the Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship in Latino Studies at the School for Advanced Research. Arroyo’s research focuses on the political and cultural dimensions of immigrant-centered built environments in emerging urban areas. His work has been supported by the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Research Council/Ford Foundation, and National Trust for Historic Preservation. He received a doctorate in Urban Planning, Policy, and Design, as well as a master’s in city planning and a certificate in urban design from MIT. He is a governor-appointed member of the Oregon State Advisory Committee on History Preservation and currently serves on the boards of the Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities (A2RU) and the Public Humanities Network of the Consortium of Humanities Centers and Institutes (CHCI).
“I’m excited to build on SAR’s deep-rooted commitment to spotlighting creative approaches to the humanities and social sciences. The breadth and depth of SAR’s artists and scholars uniquely position them to grapple with the most pressing issues facing society including migration, climate, and equity. As an interdisciplinary scholar engaged with Latino/a/x Studies and the public humanities, I look forward to expanding our disciplinary and geographic reach to generate access and reciprocal knowledge sharing among new audiences in New Mexico, the Southwest, and beyond.”
—John Arroyo
Brenda Child
Brenda J. Child is Northrop Professor and former Chair of the Departments of American Studies and American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota. She is the author of several books in American Indian history, including Boarding School Seasons: American Indian Families, 1900-1940 (1998); Holding Our World Together: Ojibwe Women and the Survival of Community (2012); and My Grandfather’s Knocking Sticks: Ojibwe Family Life and Labor on the Reservation (2014), which received the Labriola Center American Indian National Book Award. She is the author of a best-selling bilingual book for children, Bowwow Powwow (2018). She was a member of the Board of Trustees of the National Museum of the American Indian–Smithsonian (2013–2018) and was president of the Native American & Indigenous Studies Association (2017–2018). She was consultant to a major exhibit, Away from Home: American Indian Boarding School Stories, at Arizona’s Heard Museum. Child was born on the Ojibwe Red Lake Reservation in northern Minnesota, where she is part of a committee developing a new constitution for the 15,000-member nation.
“I’m excited to build on SAR’s deep-rooted commitment to spotlighting creative approaches to the humanities and social sciences. The breadth and depth of SAR’s artists and scholars uniquely position them to grapple with the most pressing issues facing society including migration, climate, and equity. As an interdisciplinary scholar engaged with Latino/a/x Studies and the public humanities, I look forward to expanding our disciplinary and geographic reach to generate access and reciprocal knowledge sharing among new audiences in New Mexico, the Southwest, and beyond.”
—Brenda Child
Estevan Rael-Gálvez
Anthropologist, historian, and cultural consultant Estevan Rael-Gálvez has served as the former senior vice president of historic sites at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, executive director of the National Hispanic Cultural Center, and state historian of New Mexico. Rael-Gálvez was raised on a farm and ranch in New Mexico that had been stewarded by his family for multiple generations. He received his BA in English literature and ethnic studies from the University of California, Berkeley, and his MA and PhD in American cultures from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Rael-Gálvez is currently the CEO of Creative Strategies 360°, a consulting firm that supports transformative work within communities, governments, universities, and cultural-based organizations. Additionally, he leads several research and writing initiatives, including the Manitos Community Memory Project, funded by the Andrew Mellon Foundation.
Rael-Gálvez serves on the board of the Santa Fe Opera; served on the board of the Santa Fe Art Institute; chaired the New Mexico Cultural Properties Review Committee; and served as an ex-officio member on boards of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, including President Lincoln’s Cottage, the Glass House, and the National Center for White House History at Decatur House.
A resident scholar at SAR in 1999–2000, Rael-Gálvez also served on SAR’s board of directors from 2005 to 2011.
“I have had the tremendous privilege of being a part of SAR for over two decades and I am honored and excited to once again join the board of directors as they continue to steward this great institution, deepening our consciousness of humanity, illuminating and inspiring creativity, and building community.”
—Estevan Rael-Gálvez
Steven Robinson
Steven Robinson has been an architect, planning consultant, and civic leader in Santa Fe for over thirty years. He has designed community buildings on the Taos Pueblo, Pueblo of San Ildefonso, and Pueblo of Pojoaque. He designed the award-winning Gerald Peters Gallery in Santa Fe and the master plan for the 3,400-acre Bartolome Sanchez Land Grant in Rio Arriba County. Robinson has served for nineteen years as the founding president of the non-profit corporation revitalizing the city-owned 50-acre Santa Fe Railyard. He has written an insider’s story of the 1980s New York civic activism that prevented overwhelming development on Manhattan’s West Side. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in liberal arts and received a master of architecture degree from Yale University.
Don Seigel
Don Siegel is a graduate of the University of the Pacific with a BS in marketing and economics. His professional career in the energy distribution business and his role as a CEO have allowed him to combine his passion for business with his passion for history and cultural diversity. Siegel is active within a number of philanthropic organizations including the Santa Fe Community Foundation and the Pretty Shield Foundation serving the Crow community of Montana.
“I have been collecting and studying the historical art of the Southwest since I was a young man and have a great appreciation for the cultural diversity and richness of the genre. I am humbled and honored to be selected as a board member at SAR and look forward to learning, growing, and contributing to the future of this outstanding organization for years to come.”
—Don Seigel
David A. Young
David A. Young is a retired professor of plant biology in the School of Life Sciences and former senior vice president and director of ASU’s Havasu campus. Prior positions at ASU include service as the Senior VP for Academic Affairs and Vice President and as the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Previous administrative appointments include: Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Missouri, St. Louis, Provost at Colorado State University, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Oklahoma and director of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.
Young is the author of two books, four book chapters and more than 50 published papers, technical reports and abstracts. He received his BA and MA in biology from California State University, Fullerton, and his PhD in botany from Claremont Graduate University. Young has been a board member of several non-profit organizations including the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix. He currently serves on the board of the Museum of New Mexico Foundation and the Santa Fe Botanical Garden.
“I am excited about being part of the team that furthers the unique mission of SAR and the impact of its programs on the diverse communities it serves, especially educational programs related to Native American arts and culture.”
—David Young
For high-resolution images or interview requests, contact Meredith Schweitzer, schweitzer@sarsf.org or 505-954-7223.
About the School for Advanced Research (SAR): Founded in 1907, the School for Advanced Research (SAR) is one of North America’s preeminent independent institutes for the study of anthropology, related social sciences, and humanities. SAR is home to the Indian Arts Research Center, one of the nation’s most important Southwest Native American art research collections. Through prestigious scholar residency and artist fellowship programs, public programs, and SAR Press, SAR advances intellectual inquiry in order to better understand humankind in an increasingly global and interconnected world. Additional information on the work of our resident scholars and Native American artists is available on the SAR website, www.sarweb.org; on Facebook, facebook.com/schoolforadvancedresearch.org/; on Twitter, @schadvresearch; and on Instagram @schoolforadvancedresearch.