Thank you to our Team!


This work and space would not be possible without a dedicated team of California Heritage: Indigenous Research Project (CHIRP) staff, motivated volunteers, and interns. All of whom hold Indigenous equity and the restoration of Federal Recognition of the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan at the center of their work.

  • Shelly Covert

    Gallery Director

    Shelly is a descendant of the Nisenan people who have made their homes in and around Nevada County since time immemorial. She is the elected Spokesperson for the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe and sits on the Tribal Council. She is also the Executive Director of CHIRP, the Tribally guided 501c3 that supports the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe, through its mission to Preserve, Protect and Perpetuate Nisenan Culture. Shelly was born and raised in Grass Valley and remains there today.

    Photo by Kial James

  • Mira Clark

    Curator, Gallery Management, and Visibility Through Art (VTA) Coordinator

    Mira was born and raised in Nevada County, she is an artist and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Justice from the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) in San Francisco. Her passion for social justice led her to explore arts activism in 2017, and she began volunteering with CHIRP. Mira and Shelly Covert co-founded the VTA project, which has become an annual CHIRP event since its inception in 2017. For the past seven years, Mira has cultivated a strong relationship with the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe. Her contributions include developing exhibits at 'Uba Seo, leading art workshops for the Tribe, and fostering community and visibility for the Tribe through the arts.

  • Iona Swift

    Gallery Docent and CHIRP Staff

    Iona was a 2021 CHIRP student intern and now is the gallery docent and assistant at ‘Uba Seo. Iona is a local musical artist and passionate about social change and community activism. She helps with numerous CHIRP tasks and project research.

  • Saxon Thomas

    CHIRP Staff, Gallery Docent, and Gallery Assistant

    Saxon Thomas was elected to the Nevada City Rancheria Tribal Council when he was 18 to represent the Youth voice of the Tribe. Saxon’s warm demeanor and wide scope of interests continues to enhance his skills in Tribal leadership. His curiosity has culminated in his knowledge today around family history, genealogy, and the social interactions of many different people during the gold rush. Saxon’s mother, Sarah Thomas is of Nisenan descent and his father, Scott Thomas, is of Cornish descent. The Thomas family were founders of Nevada City as well as the Champion Mine, giving Saxon a unique perspective on the clash and interactions of cultures during the gold rush. Saxon is a full-time CHIRP employee and continues to gain depth in leadership for his Tribal people.

  • Ruth Chase

    Curatorial Consultant and Artistic Council

    A multimedia artist whose work speaks to the value of people to their community—working with themes of belonging, visibility, and what it means to be a human. Ruth is a graduate of the San Francisco Art Institute whose artistic practice is inquiry-based and engages community bridge-building. Ruth has been working with CHIRP through different projects and in different capacities since 2018.

  • Nikila Badua

    CHIRP Board Member and ‘Uba Seo Artistic Council

    Born on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, Nikila is a self-taught multidisciplinary artist, designer, and performer inspired by an earth-based wisdom of Roots and Culture. Mother and community organizer, her work as an advocate for youth, indigenous, and environmental rights has played an influential role within shaping her foundation as a "Cultural Community Artist". Born into Pacific Islander, First Nations, and European lineages, to the raw street smarts of the Bay Area’s inner cities, it has been the cultural richness, as well as the systemic issues of her background, that have led Nikila to explore the arts as a foundation for educational reform and decolonization.

  • Ember Amador

    Ember began her work with CHIRP as a volunteer in 2017. She assists with community outreach, event production and various administrative tasks. She enjoys living in an intentional community with close ties to others and the land. As Executive Assistant for CHIRP, she is an invaluable asset to everything CHIRP related.

Contact Us

225 Broad Street
Nevada City, CA 95959

info@chirpca.org


Hours are subject to changes due to Tribal needs. 

Please call in advance to confirm we are open. 

Docent: 530-263-6199

General Inquiries: 530-559-6115


Thank you for contacting ‘Uba Seo, it may take us a moment to get back to you.

Please note, that we are not accepting art submissions at this time. We encourage you to visit us during gallery open hours and Donate to support CHIRP’s work.