Executive Team
Iyesha Miller
Executive Director
Iyesha Miller is a seasoned executive leader with more than twenty years of experience managing complex public health and governmental systems, with a strong focus on serving Tribal communities. As the Tribal Executive Director for the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians, she provides executive oversight for eight departments and leads strategic planning and interdepartmental coordination. Her leadership ensures that programs and services are not only operationally sound, but culturally grounded and aligned with the Tribe’s long-term goals for self-determination, sustainability, and community wellness.
Her career also includes prior service as Tribal Chair and Tribal Leader for the Hopland Tribe, where she provided governance leadership and advocated for Tribal sovereignty, community health, and organizational development. In addition, she held leadership roles in local public health departments and community healthcare clinics, where she led the development and implementation of public health programs, emergency response operations, and grant management. She directed cross-agency collaboration during major health emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic and wildfire incidents, ensuring responsive and coordinated care. Her work also included building workforce development systems, standardizing training protocols, and driving strategic initiatives that improved infrastructure and expanded access to care for Tribal and underserved populations.
Staff affectionately refer to Iyesha as the “Chaos Tamer,” a playful nod to her knack for tackling tough challenges with grace, grit, and unshakable calm. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a deep commitment to Tribal sovereignty, health equity, and organizational excellence. Her approach integrates fiscal discipline, culturally responsive leadership, and inclusive planning, ensuring services are accessible, effective, and rooted in the values of the communities she serves.
Rachel Whetstone
Chief Financial Officer
Rachel Whetstone serves as the Chief Financial Officer for the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians, bringing extensive expertise in tribal government finance, economic development, and organizational leadership. With a career spanning more than 20 years, Rachel possesses strong financial acumen and comprehensive knowledge of tribal finance regulations, grant and project management, and accounting best practices.
Throughout her career, Rachel has consistently demonstrated the ability to lead high-performing finance and operations teams, foster cross-departmental collaboration, and drive results in complex financial settings. Her leadership has been instrumental in the development and execution of comprehensive financial strategies that promote transparency, strengthen accountability, and ensure the long-term fiscal health of tribal programs, initiatives, and business enterprises, including the Tribe’s Casino, Hotel, Convenience Store, and Government operations.
The Tribal Administration Team affectionately knows Rachel as “The Excel Queen!” Rachel is known for her ability to navigate multifaceted funding structures, including federal and tribal sources, and for aligning financial practices with the Tribe’s strategic vision and cultural values. She is dedicated to building strong relationships with tribal leaders, staff, and community members and is committed to advancing the Tribe’s economic stability and prosperity.
A lifelong resident of Mendocino County, Rachel brings both local insight and professional excellence to her role. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of San Francisco and continues to pursue ongoing professional development to adapt to the evolving financial landscape.
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Paul Fernandez
Deputy Director of Administration
Paul Fernandez is the Deputy Director of Administration for the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians. He has worked for the Tribe since 2015. As Deputy Director of Administration, he assists in the coordination of the day-to-day operations of the Tribal Government and provides program management support and guidance to the department directors as needed. Along with the Executive Director and the Chief Financial Officer, Paul serves as one of the main points of contact for the Tribal Council. He also serves as one of the main liaisons to outside state and Federal government agencies.
Paul has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from UC Berkeley, and graduated from John F. Kennedy School of Law with a Juris Doctorate in June 2010. He passed the California State Bar later that same year. This legal training has enabled Paul to play a key role in the development, implementation, and enforcement of all Tribal policies and procedures. He assists in drafting and monitoring contracts and agreements with outside service providers and vendors. Paul is also appointed by a Tribal Council resolution to act as an Administrative Officer, with the authority to issue citations and take enforcement actions under the Coyote Valley Law and Order Code.
Initially hired as the Director of the Housing Department, Paul has built a strong rapport with the Tribal community and other Tribal employees over the past decade. This institutional knowledge allows him to offer nuanced perspectives and develop creative solutions to the unique issues that arise in Tribal Government operations. He takes nerdish delight in proof-reading all Tribal Government informational documents and publications for grammar and spelling errors before dissemination to the public. Paul also strongly believes that 90’s West Coast hip hop is the greatest music ever produced, and that the Los Angeles Lakers are the greatest sports franchise of all time.
Rosento Cordova
Tribal Police Administrator, Coyote Valley Tribal Police Department
Rosento Cordova serves as the Tribal Police Administrator for the Coyote Valley Tribal Police Department. He steps into this role with deep pride, a commitment to community safety, and a forward-looking vision for strengthening public safety operations.
Rosento brings extensive experience in law enforcement, youth justice, and tribal administration. His career includes serving as a Supervising Counselor at Shasta County Juvenile Hall, Tribal Police Officer for the Cahto Tribe in Laytonville, Police Officer for the Round Valley Indian Tribes (RVIT), and Human Resource Manager for RVIT. This diverse background equips him with a strong foundation in public safety, organizational leadership, and policy development.
In his role as Tribal Police Administrator, Rosento is focused on enhancing the efficiency, structure, and long-term success of the department. His current priorities include collaborating with Human Resources to recruit and onboard key staff, establishing a schedule for regular compliance and regulatory reporting, reviewing existing grants and monitoring related deadlines, evaluating the department’s budget to identify opportunities for improvement, updating and modernizing administrative policies, and finalizing the Tribal Police Officer Policies and Procedures.
Rosento’s appointment marks a significant milestone for the Coyote Valley Tribal Police Department, reinforcing its commitment to professional growth, accountability, and service to the community.
Matthew Shunkamolah
Casino General Manager
Born and raised in Michigan, Troy Klein brings over 30 years of retail management experience to his role as C-Store Manager. A proud 9-year U.S. Army veteran, Troy has lived and worked around the world, including in Europe and South America, enriching his leadership style with a global perspective. In addition to his extensive retail background, Troy is a published author, a testament to his creativity and commitment to lifelong learning. He is a devoted family man with a grown daughter, a grown son, and a 16-year-old son. Troy now resides in Willits, where he owns a home with his wife and their two remarkably intelligent dogs. Troy is passionate about serving the community with integrity, efficiency, and a friendly smile.
Troy Klein
C-Store Manager
Christy Tucker is the General Manager of Wyndham Garden Redwood Valley, where she oversees the full operations of the 99-room hotel and is dedicated to guest satisfaction. With over two decades of leadership experience in hospitality, marketing, and operations, she brings a results-driven approach to property management and strategic planning. Prior to her current role, she served as Administration Manager of Coyote Valley Casino, where she handled operations while overseeing hotel development. Christy’s career includes senior marketing roles in the education and gaming industries, where she led successful campaigns, expanded market share, and improved profitability. She has directed large-scale events and managed multi-million-dollar budgets while cultivating strong community and corporate partnerships in both Los Angeles and Houston.
Christy Tucker
Hotel General Manager
Tasha Magna
IT Director
Tasha Magna is the IT Director for Coyote Valley Casino and the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians, overseeing comprehensive IT operations across Tribal Government departments and enterprise ventures. With over two decades of hands-on experience in information systems and network administration, Tasha provides strategic leadership and technical expertise to support mission-critical systems that serve the Tribal community and business enterprises.
In her current role, Tasha is responsible for network infrastructure and support for the entire casino, Tribal Administration, Education Department, Tribal Council, Tribal Police Department, and Mini Casino. She manages a sophisticated IT environment and she also oversees the Office 365 environment, VOIP systems (TPX Cloud), and fiber infrastructure. Her responsibilities extend to vendor management, contract maintenance, purchasing, and budget creation and oversight.
Tasha played a pivotal role in the opening of the new Coyote Valley Casino in 2019 and the Wyndham hotel in 2023 and currently supervises a team of two.
Prior to joining Coyote Valley, Tasha held IT technician roles at Consolidated Tribal Health Project, Robinson Rancheria Resort & Casino, and County of Lake, where she developed a strong foundation in network support, user administration, and systems maintenance. Her experience includes working with specialized gaming and hospitality software, updating IT policy and compliance documents, and supporting both Unix and Windows-based systems.
Tasha is recognized for her forward-thinking approach, ability to manage complex infrastructure projects, and dedication to advancing technology that supports Tribal sovereignty and economic growth.