Capitol Weekly’s Top 100: Mark Macarro

79. Mark Macarro

Mark Macarro became Chairman of the Pechanga Band of Indians in 1992. The tribe opened its first gaming facility just three years later in 1995. Coincidence? Uh, that would be no. There is in fact no way to overstate how influential Macarro’s leadership has been for the Pechanga people, in growing tribal gaming in California and in beating back efforts to horn in on the action by rival gaming interests. Today, the Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula is the second largest Indian casino in the state, and Macarro is a titan in California politics. Since 2023, Macarro has also served as President of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), which represents the broad interests of tribal governments across the country and is the largest Native American group of its kind in the United States. Like Lynn Valbuena, his counterpart with the San Miguel Band of Mission Indians, Macarro keeps a low profile, preferring to work behind the scenes rather than in the spotlight. But if you know, you know.

Updated Aug. 26, 2025