Capitol Weekly’s Top 100: Lynn Valbuena

78. Lynn Valbuena

Lynn “Nay” Valbuena might be the best example on this list of “quiet power.” For one, she leads one of the most powerful gaming tribes in California, the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation, also known as the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, which has become so profitable that it purchased the Palms Casino in Las Vegas in 2021. That was no insignificant feat – the Palms is the one and only Las Vegas casino to ever be fully owned and operated by a Native American tribe, a true testament to her enduring leadership. She never seeks media attention, but Valbuena has been an integral part of San Manuel tribal government for decades –she began her latest four-year term as Chairwoman last year – and her role in tribal matters extends far beyond casino issues. She serves as the Vice Chair of the Tribal Alliance of Sovereign Indian Nations, Secretary for the National Indian Gaming Association, as a delegate to the National Congress of American Indians and as a trustee for the National Museum of the American Indian, which is part of the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.

Updated Aug. 26, 2025