Jane Dumas is a member of the Jamul Band of Kumeyaay Indians in East County. She is a well-known and widely respected elder, teacher, and leader in San Diego's American Indian community and in San Diego at-large. For decades, Jane has been speaking in classrooms and at public events, sharing knowledge of Kumeyaay culture and medicine, and stressing the value of traditional language and history in today's urban and American Indian societies. In 1981, Jane helped found the San Diego American Indian Health Center. Since 1986, those who know her best describe her as an "anchor, leader, peacemaker, and bridge between Indian and non-Indians in the areas of medicine and education". Also, she believes that "we can become healthier as both individuals and as a community by incorporating traditional knowledge and spirituality."