The November LWVCNM Educational Meeting will focus our attention on Native American Governance with insights from leaders in the legal community serving 

our indigenous people. 

In 1990, President George H.W. Bush declared November as Native American Heritage Month and LWVCNM would like to improve our knowledge of Native 

American rights and interactions with the legal system by offering this educational briefing provided by Native American leaders serving NM. 

·     Josett Monette JD, serves as the Cabinet Secretary of the New Mexico Indian Affairs Department and previously as Director of the NM Legal Aid Native 

American Program. 

·     Myka Curtis serves as President of the Native American Law Student Association at UNM and will discuss Tribal government interactions with local, state, 

and the federal government in New Mexico.

Josett D. Monette, Cabinet Secretary, NM Indian Affairs Department

 

Josett Monette is a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians. She currently serves as the Cabinet Secretary for the New Mexico Indian 

Affairs Department (IAD). As Cabinet Secretary, Josett oversees IAD’s programs, including tribal environmental, tribal consultation, and MMIP initiatives. Her 

General Counsel work consists of providing advice and counsel on a variety of state and tribal matters and advising the Department on a variety of internal policies. 

Prior to joining IAD, Josett was the New Mexico Legal Aid Native American Program Director. The Native American Program serves indigent clients living on or near 

the Pueblos and provides legal services, mostly in tribal courts, in many areas of law including jurisdictional issues, violations of due process, custody, divorce, child 

support, defending against debt collections, probate matters, tribal criminal defense, ICWA, tribal housing matters, tribal employment matters, and representing 

parents in Child in Need of Care matters.

Josett is an Adjunct Professor for the University of New Mexico School of Law National Native American Law Student Association (“NALSA”) Moot Court Team. 

She recently served as a Commissioner for the Pueblo of Tesuque Gaming Commission. Previously, she worked as a Staff Attorney at NMLA Native American 

Program, an Associate General Counsel for the Pueblo of Isleta, and as an Associate Attorney with Barnhouse, Keegan, Solimon, & West, LLP, an Indian 

Law Firm in Albuquerque which provides representation to tribes and tribal businesses throughout the country.

Josett served on the Board of Directors for the New Mexico State Bar Indian Law Section for seven years and sits as an Attorney Bar Exam Coach. She has assisted 

with planning several CLE Conferences, most recently including helping to plan the Federal Bar Indian Law Conference. She holds a JD, with a certificate in Indian 

Law from UNM School of Law, a M.Ed. in Educational Leadership, B.S.Ed. in Secondary Education – Social Sciences, and B.A. in (American) Indian Studies from 

the University of North Dakota. Prior to her legal career, Josett was an educator and worked in education mostly on her home reservation in the Turtle 

Mountain Community. She has three amazing children that she raised as a single mother, and she loves to do Zumba.

 

Myka Autumn Curtis, Diné (Navajo Nation) is the President of the UNM Native American Law Student Association, member of the Tribal Law Journal Editorial Board 

and Staff, and a JD Candidate in 2025.

Zoom Invitation

LWVCNM is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Native American Governance
Time: Nov 14, 2024 12:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89120096432?pwd=fizz4FvYnsVrDwA5lzFaXOvuCzw1fI.1

Meeting ID: 891 2009 6432
Passcode: 716115

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