Meet The Yomba Shoshone Tribe
Administration

Sarah Caligiuri is an enrolled member of the Yomba Shoshone Tribe and serves as Acting Tribal Administrator appointed by Tribal Council vote on March 13, 2026 under Resolution No. YST-16-26. She holds a Master of Jurisprudence in Federal Indian Law and is a doctoral candidate of Educational Studies. 

In this role she oversees daily operations across the departments of the Tribal Administration, coordinates the restoration of federal compliance and reporting, develops grant fundings, and manages correspondence with federal agencies and partner organizations on behalf of the Tribal Council. Her work has centered on rebuilding the administrative and governance infrastructure of the Tribe, including the records and resolutions archive, federal registrations, and department structure. 

She is also the founder and manager of the HEALR Project, a tribal nonprofit supporting education, cultural continuity, and land restoration for the Yomba Community. 

Correspondence may be directed to

admin@yombatribe.com 

Andrew Perera serves as Acting Director of Justice and Judicial Services for the Yomba Shoshone Tribe and as legal advisor to the Tribal Council, appointed by Tribal Council vote on March 13, 2026 under Resolution No. YST-16-26.

He holds a Master of Jurisprudence in Indian Law from the University of Tulsa College of Law and a Doctor of Law and Policy from Northeastern University, where his research addressed legal issues inhibiting tribal sovereignty. He has taught Justice Studies at San Jose State University and spent seven years as a tribal government administrator and liaison

 

His work for the Tribe centers on the restoration of the tribal court system and law enforcement capacity, review of legal and investigative matters, and coordination with federal agencies and outside counsel.

Correspondence may be directed to law@yombatribe.com.

Tom Torma serves as Acting Cultural Director for the Yomba Shoshone Tribe, appointed by Tribal Council vote on March 13, 2026, under Resolution No. YST-16-26. He coordinates the Tribe’s compliance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and leads Tribal consultations under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.

He previously served as Repatriation Program Manager at the University of Kansas and as NAGPRA Liaison at the University of California, Berkeley, where he oversaw the publication of fifteen Federal Register notices and the return of more than nine hundred ancestors. He also served as Cultural Director and Tribal Historic Preservation Officer for the Wiyot Tribe in Loleta, California.

Tom holds a Bachelor of Science in English and philosophy from the State University of New York at Brockport and a Master of Science and Doctorate from the Department of Celtic Studies at the University of Edinburgh.

His work for the Yomba Shoshone Tribe is focused on establishing the Tribe’s first dedicated Tribal Historic Preservation Office (THPO) and NAGPRA department, creating the institutional capacity to protect Yomba cultural resources, ancestral remains, sacred places, and cultural heritage for generations to come.
 

Correspondence may be directed to cultural@yombatribe.com.

Gabriel Govendo serves as Acting Director of Health and Wellness for the Yomba Shoshone Tribe, appointed by Tribal Council vote on March 13, 2026 under Resolution No. YST-16-26.

He is a licensed acupuncturist and practitioner of Classical East Asian medicine whose practice draws on acupuncture, herbal medicine, bodywork, nutrition, and lifestyle consultation. He is a graduate of Southwest Acupuncture College in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and a former apprentice to Takayuki Koei Kuwahara, a master of Japanese Meridian Therapy. He has practiced at an integrative clinic in the greater Boston area and in Southern Oregon, treating fertility, pregnancy, pediatric, internal medicine, and musculoskeletal conditions.

His work for the Tribe centers on restoring the Community Health Representative program and expanding access to medical services for the Yomba Shoshone community, including coordination with the Fallon Tribal Health Center for regularly scheduled mobile clinic visits.

Correspondence may be directed to wellness@yombatribe.com.