Olivia Chilcote

Olivia Chilcote is an Associate Professor of American Indian Studies at San Diego State University (SDSU). She holds roles as Undergraduate Adviser, NASA Faculty Adviser, and serves on multiple academic and tribal advisory councils. Her research focuses on California Indian Studies, federal Indian policy, and Indigenous feminisms, with a particular emphasis on the San Luis Rey Band of Mission Indians.

Education: Ph.D. and M.A. in Ethnic Studies from UC Berkeley; B.A. in Ethnic & Women’s Studies from Cal Poly Pomona. Recognized as a first-generation scholar and first in her tribe to earn a Ph.D., her work bridges academia and community activism.

Publications include the 2024 book Unrecognized in California, examining tribal recognition crises, and articles in California History, American Indian Culture and Research Journal, and others. Supported by grants from the Ford Foundation, UC Office of the President, Duke University, and others.

Recipient of SDSU’s Excellence in Service and Most Influential Faculty Mentor Awards. Co-founder of the Native American and Indigenous Faculty and Staff Association, and advisor to the Native American Student Alliance since 2018. Active in tribal politics and community initiatives, including the California Department of Education's Tribal Regalia Task Force.