Native American Indian Commission

Patricia Lopez

October 1, 2010

LA County Appointed Commissioner – Supervisor Janice Hahn
Patricia Lopez (Pueblo Nation/Tiwa), is a County Supervisor appointee first appointed by Supervisor Knabe for 8 years, then by Supervisor Hahn for the last 6 years. She is the Chairperson of the LANAIC Powwow Committee. She is an OB/GYN Nurse Practicioner (CRNP, MSRN) since 1979, working in Los Angeles County/USC Medical Center, then Roybal Comprehensive Health Center and LAC/USC Outpatient Facility until retirement in 1998. She presently serves the American Indian community as a Clinician at United American Indian Involvement Community Clinic since 2006.

“My work as a Commissioner has been to address inequities in health care confronting American Indians and in addressing the greater Medical profession regarding these. I am an associate member of Association of American Indian Physicians (AAIP), where I participate as a presenter and mentor to students seeking careers in the health professions. My other focus is on Indian Homelessness where I collaborate on our Commission Homelessness committee. You can’t be healthy while homeless, as I learn from my homeless patients at UAII.”

She frequently travels back home to New Mexico for Feast Days, cooking at ceremonies, social dances, family gatherings and powwows. Patricia is also a singer with the Long Beach Community Drum, and Mount Adam’s Lake. She was Spoonkeeper at CSULB powwow for 5 years until she retired. Additionally, Patricia is lecturer at California State University Long Beach Native American Studies Department.

She’s on the powwow trail in California, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico as a Northern Cloth Dancer.

Last modified: June 8, 2021

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