Carlene A. Chamberlain

Executive Council member


As a devoted member of the Tribe and widely respected leader, Carlene Chamberlain has served on the Jamul Indian Village Tribal Council for over 20 years. She has served as Vice-Chairperson and then most recently, Councilmember.

Ms. Chamberlain also enjoyed a career as a firefighter at the Sycuan Indian Reservation, and notably, was the first female graduate of the Heartland Fire Academy. She served as a firefighter for 4 years and during this time she also worked for the City of El Cajon as a 911 operator.

After ending her service as a firefighter, she continued to work for the City of San Diego. She advanced to the position of Fire Dispatch Administrator and after 27 years of service, she retired in 2006. Since her retirement she has devoted her time and energy working for the Tribe.

Carlene is currently a representative for the Tribe with the Southern Indian Health Council (SIHC), as well as the Advisory Board for the San Diego Archeology Center. Until recently, she served as a Tribal representative on the Public Safety Committee of the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG). She eventually resigned so she could spend more time raising her granddaughter.

Carlene is the mother of four and grandmother of nine. She and her husband Bob are also raising their seven-year old granddaughter on their farm in Ramona, California where the family raises cattle, pigs, and lambs. During her free time, Carlene enjoys spending time with her granddaughter, dogs and horses, cooking special Sunday dinners with her husband, camping with the family, and watching TV.