Bennae is a strong Native woman, mother, business owner, mentor, teacher, and leader. Over the last 35 years, Bennae Calac has represented Pauma in various political, cultural, and administrative capacities. She has served as the repatriation chair since the age of twenty-one and her life’s work is to preserve the culture and traditions of her people. She is dedicated to the preservation and revitalization of Luiseño songs and dances and works with her own children and local youth programs to ensure that this traditional knowledge is instilled in the younger generation. Bennae was elected as Committee Member to the Pauma Band’s Tribal Council in December 2008 and served another two-year term as Secretary and Treasurer. Through her various Tribal roles, Bennae interacts with the youth, culture, public and political relations.

Bennae continually answers the community’s call to speak on topics ranging from native wellness, health advocacy, domestic violence, women’s issues, and cultural preservation. Bennae serves on numerous boards and committees, including as Repatriation Chair for the Pauma Band; President for the Strong Hearted Native Indian Women’s Coalition; Chairwoman for the Native American Fire Prevention Alliance; Board Member for the Pauma Band’s Youth Council; and Board Member for the Pauma Band’s Education & Cultural Board. 

Bennae’s professional expertise includes work in the areas of cultural resource protection, Indian child welfare, substance abuse and domestic violence counseling, and tribal law enforcement. Bennae is also an experienced and passionate entrepreneur. In 1999, Bennae established Native Ground Monitoring and Research, a nonprofit cultural preservation corporation dedicated to protecting and promoting cultural resources in the southern California region. Native Ground’s goal is to support and enhance cultural preservation through language, culture, history, and archeological preservation. Bennae is also the owner of Nation Protective Service, which later partnered with Native Protection International, Inc., a veteran- and Native-owned company in South Dakota. Both Nation Protective Service and Native Protection International are security agencies serving Indian Country and protecting Tribal leaders from coast to coast. In 2017, Bennae established First Peoples Marketing, a full-service marketing and advertising agency, which operates throughout Indian Country as well as the Private and Government Sector. Most recently, Bennae established two new ventures. She is the Co-Founder of the 7G Foundation, a (501)(c)(3) organization providing Native Americans, and other Indigenous people and communities, assistance in reaching their goals through Athletics, Education, Health-Mind-Body Practices, and Community. She has also established and serves as Board Chair for Onoo Po Strategies, a multifaceted consultancy and holding company with capabilities in Economic Development, Technology, Procurement and Distribution, Business Strategy and Marketing, and Environmental and Agricultural Management.

Bennae attributes her success to her parents and many Tribal leaders, some who have come and gone, with the majority continuing to guide her through life’s journey. Without hesitation, Bennae participates in cultural activities and preservation, but most importantly, she serves to teach and encourage others to protect, preserve and celebrate their culture. She is a role model to all Native people, especially young Native women. Many people have stated that Bennae is one of those rare friends and colleagues who is always willing to go the extra mile when something needs to get done or someone needs a hand. Bennae is always striving to come up with answers to complex challenges, even with little or no budget, and does not believe that “no” is an acceptable answer because she clearly sees the goals and knows that by working together, anything is possible. She is passionate in her commitment to make life better for her people, and this circle has extended wider and wider and has become very inclusive. Bennae has experienced much throughout the years and is not afraid to share her personal and professional experiences, even the difficult ones, in order to light someone else’s way along the path and to help as a guide through the tougher choices of life. Her heart, energy, and drive are an inspiration, and she is distinguished through generosity of spirit and action.