Victoria L. Thorton has been named the new Director of the White House Initiative on Tribal Colleges and Universities (WHITCU). Ms. Thorton had been serving as the Director of Indian Affairs in the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

Ms. Thorton has an extensive history of employment with the Department of Education and with Indian Affairs. She joined the Department of Education as an Education Program Specialist in the Office of Indian Education.

Ms. Thorton received her Bachelor of Science Degree from the California State University as Fullerton in 1976. Part Diegueno of the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians, Valley Center, California, Ms. Thorton was named American Indian Woman of the Year in 1986.

Veronica Gonzales was formerly the Executive Director of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium. She is leaving AIHEC but will continue to serve the Tribal College movement as the Senior Advisor to WHITCU in the Office of the Undersecretary, Department of Education.