Lynn Valbuena, known to many as “Nay,” heads the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation as its Tribal Chairwoman. She won the top seat in 1994, and her tribal service spans more than 50 years. Today she oversees gaming and hotel holdings that stretch from Southern California to Las Vegas.
Who Is Lynn Valbuena?
Until April 2025, her Tribe was called the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. That spring, it readopted the name its people used long before colonization.
The reservation lies in the foothills just outside Highland, an Inland Empire city. That’s where the Tribe runs its flagship property, one of the best-known casinos in California.
Since 1995, she has also chaired TASIN, a regional alliance of sovereign tribes she helped found. Whatever the role, her priorities stay the same: Serrano culture, self-government, and services for San Manuel citizens.
Lynn Valbuena Career in Tribal Government
Valbuena took her first tribal appointment at age 20, and the job came with no pay. The reservation had only a few small government homes back then, and most families lived in trailers. In that 1974 post, she became the first person to run housing for the Tribe.
Once the Tribe opened its bingo hall, she took a seat on its gaming commission. Later, she worked her way through Tribal Council offices, including Secretary/Treasurer and Vice Chairwoman.
Her time as chairwoman hasn’t been one unbroken run. Ken Ramirez held the chair before she won it back in April 2022. Her current term started in May 2024 and lasts four years.
Before Tribal Office: 17 Years as a Police Employee
Valbuena went to work for San Bernardino’s police force in 1977, taking notes and handling court duties. After police assistant training, she took over as the department’s spokesperson, a post called Public Information Officer. Her 17 years on the force ended in 1994, when San Manuel elected her chairwoman.
| Year | Milestone |
| 1974 | Takes charge of tribal housing, the first to hold that job |
| 1977 | Joins the local city police as a stenographer |
| 1994 | Retires from police work and is elected Chairwoman |
| 1995 | Becomes founding Chairwoman of TASIN |
| 2018 | Enters the AGA’s Gaming Hall of Fame |
| 2022 | Wins back the chair for a fifth time |
| 2024 | Begins a sixth term, the first to last four years |
| 2026 | Guides the Nation as its gaming business turns 40 |
From Bingo Hall to Yaamava’ and the Palms
San Manuel’s gaming story began with a bingo hall in 1986. Many tribes followed that route, a key chapter in the history of US gambling.
Under Lynn Valbuena, the Highland property relaunched as Yaamava’ Resort & Casino on December 13, 2021. The Tribe then opened the doors of its Las Vegas resort, the Palms, in late April 2022. That step moved San Manuel beyond reservation gaming and into the commercial market.
The Palms now stands out among top Las Vegas casinos as a resort owned by a tribal nation. The Tribe’s investment arm has also bought two landmark California hotels.
| Property | Location | Type | Milestone |
| Yaamava’ Resort & Casino | Highland, CA | Tribal government gaming | Rebrand opened December 2021 |
| The Palms | Las Vegas, NV | Commercial gaming | Reopened April 2022 |
| Monarch Beach resort (a Waldorf Astoria) | Dana Point, CA | Luxury hotel investment | Acquired 2025 |
| The Mission Inn | Riverside, CA | Historic hotel investment | Acquired May 2026 |
Lynn Valbuena’s Industry Roles and Awards
Valbuena has taken leading roles in Native groups at the state and national level:
- CNIGA, the statewide tribal gaming group: former vice chair
- NIGA, the national tribal gaming group: former secretary
- The Smithsonian’s American Indian museum in Washington, DC: former trustee
- The Autry Museum in Los Angeles: trustee
Her honors include:
- A 2018 spot in the Gaming Hall of Fame, run by the AGA, the casino industry’s trade group
- An honorary doctorate from Northern Arizona University
- A leadership award from the chairman of the IGA, a national tribal gaming body
- A 2010 Woman of Distinction title from California Assemblyman Bill Emmerson
- Back-to-back Global Gaming Awards for the Tribe, honoring its responsible business record in 2021 and again in 2022
Committed to California: Valbuena’s 2026 Campaign
In September 2026, the Nation rolled out Committed to California. The ad push explains what tribal gaming gives the state. Lynn Valbuena linked it to Proposition 5, the 1998 ballot win that backed tribal gaming.
Figures from the IGA put this year’s statewide tribal gaming output near $26.5 billion. San Manuel’s own share stands out:
| Measure | All California Tribal Gaming (2026 Projection) | San Manuel Alone (Taylor Policy Group, 2025) |
| Economic output | $26.5 billion | $3.2 billion a year |
| Jobs supported | 151,210 | 20,782 |
| Tax and government revenue | $5.1 billion | $208 million |
Valbuena’s push for sovereignty isn’t new. In 2022, San Manuel helped lead the fight against Proposition 27, a plan for statewide online sports betting. Only 17% of voters said yes that November.
That defeat still shapes US gambling laws. California is one of the biggest states where sports wagering remains off the table.
The Bottom Line On Lynn Valbuena
Lynn Valbuena has spent more than 50 years turning a small reservation government into a gaming leader. Six terms as chairwoman, a Hall of Fame spot, and three decades at TASIN back that up.
Her work also helps explain why California still has no state-licensed online casinos.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Lynn Valbuena known for?
Lynn Valbuena is best known for guiding San Manuel’s growth in gaming. On her watch, a 1986 bingo hall grew into a business that now owns the Palms. She first became chairwoman in 1994 and now serves her sixth term.
How many terms has Lynn Valbuena served as chairwoman?
Her sixth stint as chair started in May 2024. The terms haven’t all come in a row, since Ken Ramirez led the Tribe before her 2022 return. A new Tribal Constitution stretched this term to four years instead of two.
What casinos does the San Manuel tribe own?
The Nation runs two casinos: Yaamava’ near Highland, California, and the Palms in Las Vegas. Its investment arm also holds two hotels, a Waldorf Astoria in Dana Point and the Mission Inn in Riverside.
Why did San Manuel change its name to Yuhaaviatam?
In April 2025, the Tribe went back to Yuhaaviatam, its name from before European settlers arrived. Federal officials had assigned the San Manuel name in 1891.
What did Lynn Valbuena do before becoming chairwoman?
She spent 17 years working for the city police, from 1977 to 1994. By the end, she served as the force’s spokesperson.
