As a member of Santa Clara Pueblo (Kha’P’o Owingeh), Mauricia J. Chavarria, MBA brings with her over 23 years of experience working in the federal, state, tribal, and local governments as well as the private sector. Chavarria encompasses a breadth of knowledge in accounting, finance, grants management, public utilities, tribal gaming, and tribal enterprise development. Further, she was appointed to the Board of Directors for the Santa Clara Pueblo Utility Authority, the Santa Clara Development Corporation (including the Santa Claran Hotel Casino, Black Mesa Golf Course, & Puye Cliff Dwellings), Kha’P’o Construction, and Kha’P’o Custodial Services; all of which are wholly owned, operated, and managed by Santa Clara Pueblo. Chavarria has held the honor of serving as the Santa Clara Development Corporation Board of Directors’ first and only chairwoman to date. She was also appointed by the Governors of the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council to serve on the Board of Trustees for the Bureau of Indian Education and was assigned as a Trustee to the Santa Fe Indian School in Santa Fe, NM.

In addition to this, Chavarria works full-time for the Incorporated County of Los Alamos in Los Alamos, NM as the Accounting Operations Manager and the Public Utilities Accountant (for electric, gas, water, and wastewater utility services). Her previous experience includes working for the State of New Mexico via the Department of Transportation, the Aging and Long-Term Services Department, and the Environment Department. Likewise, Chavarria worked at the Los Alamos National Laboratory for many years in support of the Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security.

Chavarria’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration degree with a concentration in finance from New Mexico State University. She completed programs at Harvard University and received two (2) Harvard Business School Executive Education Program Certificates for “Leading Tribal Nations” through the National Congress of American Indians and “Leading People and Investing to Build Sustainable Communities” through the Native American Finance Officers Association. Along with that, she completed the “Indigenous Leadership Academy” at Arizona State University through the American Indian Policy Institute at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law in the Fall of 2023. In 2024 Chavarria received her Tribal Management Professional Certification from the National Native American Human Resources Association. 

Most recently, Chavarria unearthed her passion for investing in Indigenous youth through her involvement in the American Indigenous Business Leaders (AIBL) program, where she serves as a student mentor as well as a professional business mentor for AIBL’s Business Plan Competition. Throughout the years, she leveraged the key contacts, knowledge, and skills acquired to help advance her beloved Pueblo and worked to promote self-sufficiency while increasing life path opportunities for future generations. Chavarria is fully immersed in her community and participates regularly in cultural and traditional activities. She resides in Kha’p’o Owingeh and is a proud fluent speaker of her native Tewa language.

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