Niki Sandoval is the Co-Director for the Western Educational Equity Assistance Center (WEEAC). She also serves as the Senior Manager in the Strategic Resource Allocation and Systems Planning team at WestEd, which offers support through capacity-building, facilitation of professional learning networks, policy implementation strategies, and analysis of financial data, including data on the effective use of resources. Sandoval has worked with a tribal government client to secure more than $20M in private, state, and federal funds for their infrastructure. Sandoval, along with Jennifer Folsom and the Council for Indigenous Relations, Careers, Leadership, and Equity (CIRCLE), received a WestEd Strategic Investment grant to conduct professional learning for WestEd staff about working respectfully with Indigenous communities.
Prior to joining WestEd, Sandoval was the Education Director for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. During her ten-year term, 96-100% of students graduated high school. She served two terms as a member of the California State Board of Education from 2013 to 2020. Sandoval is a Continuing Lecturer in the Department of Education at UC Santa Barbara, where she has taught for more than 20 years. She held the position of Assistant Director of Community Services for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. Sandoval’s recent publications include Strategic Investments of One-Time Funds for Tribal Governments.
Sandoval holds a PhD in education from the University of California at Santa Barbara, a Master’s in museum studies from George Washington University, and a Bachelor’s degree in public relations from Pepperdine University.