40TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION 1973-2013 April 12, 2013 Santa Fe, NM National NABA 40Thanniversary Celebration

Home , Joseph Martin (general), Larry Echo Hawk

40TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION 1973-2013 April 12, 2013 Santa Fe, NM National NABA 40thAnniversary Celebration

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Hobbs, Straus, Dean & Walker, LLP

The SaunookeLaw Firm Representing Indian Nations, not just Indian Lawyers NNABA shares many of the same goals of diversity and increased understanding of our communities’ unique cultural and legal issues with minority bar associations. However, most of our lawyers are both U.S. citizens and citizens of their respective tribal nations. Our members, therefore, also share the communal responsibility, either directly or indirectly, of protecting the governmental sovereignty of the more than 560 independent Native American tribal governments in the United States. The Formation of NNABA

It began in 1973 as the American Indian Lawyers Association. After a few name changes (American Indian Bar Association to Native American Bar Association), in 1980 we reorganized and developed a chapter system for state Indian bar associations, and we became the National Native American Bar Association (NNABA). The Formation of NNABA

As the name Native American implies, NNABA represents the interests of all populations indigenous to the lands which are now collectively the United States: American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. NNABA’s Past Presidents 1973 to 2013 1973-74 Thomas Fredericks (Mandan, Hidatsa & Arikara Nation) 1974-75 Thomas Fredericks 1975-76 Thomas Fredericks 1976-77 W. Richard West, Jr. (Cheyenne/Arapaho) 1977-78 Leroy W. Wilder (Karuk Tribe of California Indians) 1978-79 Larry Echo Hawk (Pawnee) 1979-80 Unknown 1980-81 Larry Echo Hawk (Pawnee) 1981-82 Larry EchoHawk (Pawnee) NNABA’s Past Presidents 1973 to 2013

1982-83 Alan Parker (Chippewa Cree Tribal Nation) 1983-84 Lawrence R. Baca (Pawnee) 1984-85 Lawrence R. Baca 1985-86 Kathleen Simpson 1986-87 Steve Titla (San Carlos Apache) 1987-88 Rita Keshina (Menominee) 1988-89 Gerald Hill (Oneida Wisconsin) 1989-90 Carey Vicenti(Jicarilla Apache) 1990-91 Judy Leaming(Catawba/Cherokee) NNABA’s Past Presidents 1973 to 2013 1991-92 Arvo Q. Mikkanen (Kiowa/Comanche) 1992-93 Connie Hart Yellowman (Cheyenne/Arapaho) 1993-94 Tricia A. Tingle (Choctaw) 1994-95 Jonny BearcubStiffarm(Assiniboine) 1995-96 Arvo Q. Mikkanen (Kiowa/Comanche 1996-97 KirkeKickingbird(Kiowa) 1997-98 Richard A. Monette(Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa) 1998-99 KalynFree (Choctaw) 1999-00 Lawrence R. Baca (Pawnee) 2000-01 KirkeKickingbird(Kiowa) NNABA’s Past Presidents 1973 to 2013

2001-02 Samuel M. Hill (Lumbee) 2002-03 Suzanne OjibwayTownsend(Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa) 2003-04 Thomas Weathers (QawalanginTribe of Unalaska (Aleut)) 2004-05 Douglas R. Nash (Nez Perce) 2005-07 Joseph Martin (Menominee) 2007-09 Heather Dawn Thompson (Cheyenne River Sioux) 2009-11 LaelEcho-Hawk (Pawnee) 2011-13 Patty Ferguson-Bohnee (Pointe-au- Chien) Thomas Fredericks President 1973-1976

£ As a staff attorney and, later, Director of the Native American Rights Fund in Boulder, Colorado, Tom was instrumental in bringing Indian Law to the forefront of the American £ Tomas Fredericks was the president of NNABA for the first three years, from 1973 to 1976. legal system. He is from North Dakota and is an enrolled £ He worked to improve the legal and member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara political relationships that tribes have with Nation of the Fort Berthold Reservation. both state and federal governments. In 1980, Tom was nominated by President £ Tom graduated from Killdeer High School, North Dakota, in 1962. He continued his Carter and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to education at Minot State College in North serve as Assistant Secretary of Indian Dakota, acquiring a Bachelor’s of Science Affairs for the Department of Interior. Degree in 1965 in Education, Mathematics, £ Tom has developed an extensive and well- and Physical Education. respected practice in federal Indian Law and represents Indian tribes, individual £ After graduation, he worked as a Teacher of Mathematics and Physical Education at Indians, and private corporations. In 1981, BowbellsHigh School in Bowbells, North he was the founding partner of a law firm in Dakota, then as an Administrator for the Colorado now currently constituted as Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Fredericks Peebles & Morgan. This law firm has become the Nation’s largest Indian Law £ Tom later enrolled in the University of firm. Tom has played a central role in the Colorado, School of Law in Boulder, Colorado, development of Indian Law over the past and graduated in 1972 where he began a four decades. long and distinguished path influencing the field of Indian Law. Leroy W. Wilder President 1977-78

£ In 1982, Leroy was a founding partner of £ LeRoyWilder is a member of the Karuk Tribe Hobbs, Straus, Dean and Wilder. He returned to of California Indians. In 1973, he was one of his solo practice in 1993. In 2004, he joined the two lawyers who were the first California Portland firm of Haglund, Kelley, Jones and Indians admitted to the California Bar. Leroy Wilder. He remains associated with the firm but, entered law school in 1970 at Golden Gate essentially, is retired. University after serving in the United States Army. He was honorably discharged as a £ Early in his career, Leroy was active in the captain in 1970 after a tour in Vietnam as an American Bar Association and, in 1981, was infantry company commander. responsible for the Association taking its first position as a matter of record on Indian rights, a £ Leroy spent his entire legal career representing resolution in support of Indian treaty rights. In Indian tribes. He started at California Indian 2003 Mr. Wilder was honored to receive the Legal Services in 1973, worked at the American Bar Association’s Spirit of Excellence American Indian Lawyer Training Program and, Award. in 1977, was admitted to the Washington, D.C. bar while an associate at Fried, Frank, Harris, £ Leroy now splits his time among his homes in Shriver and Kampelmanin D.C. Palm Desert, California, Orleans, California (his ancestral homeland) and Portland, Oregon. He £ In 1980, Leroy started his own practice in is married to DoniWilder (Rosebud Sioux) who Portland, Oregon. In Portland, he served as recently retired as the Area Director of the general counsel to the Metlakatla Indian Indian Health Service in Portland after a long Community in Alaska, the Confederated Tribes career of service to Indians. of Siletz Indians of Oregon and the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho. He represented those tribes until he retired in 2010. Larry Echo Hawk President 1978-79, 1980-81, 1981-82

£ Larry was born in Cody, Wyoming. He was £ Echo Hawk joined the BYU law faculty in 1995. raised in Farmington, New Mexico. Larry is a Professor Echo Hawk taught courses on Criminal member of the Pawnee Indian Tribe and served Law, Criminal Procedure, Criminal Trial Practice, honorably in the U.S. Marine Corps. He earned Evidence, and Federal Indian Law. While a football scholarship to Brigham Young working on the BYU law school faculty he also University and graduated in 1970. He served as Special Legal Counsel to Idaho’s thereafter earned a JurisDoctor Degree from largest Indian tribe, the Shoshone-Bannock the University of Utah in 1973. Tribes.

£ Larry Echo Hawk began his legal career as a £ In 1999, President Clinton appointed Larry to legal services attorney working for serve on the “Coordinating Council on Juvenile impoverished Indian people in California, then Justice and Delinquency Prevention.” The opened a private law office in Salt Lake City. President of the United States reappointed Professor Echo Hawk to this council in July of £ In 1977, he was hired as tribal attorney for the 2000. Shoshone-Bannock Tribes at the Fort Hall Indian Reservation in Idaho, a position he held for £ Larry served as the Assistant Secretary for more than eight years. Indian Affairs in the United States Department of the Interior. £ In 1982, Echo Hawk was elected to the Idaho House of Representatives where he served two £ Larry Echo Hawk serves as a General Authority terms. Echo Hawk was named Bannock County of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Prosecutor in 1986. In 1991, Echo Hawk Saints. He and his wife, Terry, have six children served as the Attorney General for the State of and twenty-four grandchildren. Idaho. He was the Democratic nominee for Governor in 1994. Lawrence R. Baca President 1983-84, 1984-85, 1999-2000

£ Milestones during Baca’s First Presidency: § Attended the Annual Meeting of the £ Lawrence R. Baca, Pawnee, is a three-time American Bar Association representing president of NNABA, from 1984-85, 1986- NNABA for the first time NNABA was 87 and 1999-2000. A 1976 graduate of invited; Harvard Law School, Lawrence was one of § Was appointed the NNABA representative the first American Indians to graduate from to the ABA Task Force on Racial Diversity in Harvard and he was the first American the Profession. Indian ever hired through the Department of Justice's Honor Law Program. £ Milestones during Baca’s Second Presidency:

£ Lawrence was formerly a Deputy Director of § The establishment of our annual meeting the Office of Tribal Justice, United States date with the FBA Indian law Conference; Department of Justice. § Established the Board Position of Immediate £ During his 32 years with the Department he Past President; also served as a Senior Trial Attorney in the § Became the NNABA Representative on the Civil Rights Division for 28 years. ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession. £ When he retired in 2008, Lawrence was presented the Attorney General’s Medallion £ Milestones during Baca’s Third Presidency: - the highest award the Attorney General § Persuaded the Clinton White House into can present to a retiring employee. The including American Indians in the President’s Award was only presented seven times in the Initiative on Race; decade. § Persuaded the Clinton White House into including Indians in the Lawyers for One America initiative. Steve Titla President 1986-87

£ Steve has practiced law for over 25 years and has expertise in wide array of disciplines, including specialized expertise in all facets of Federal Indian Law, including Indian Gaming. £ Steve Titla is a founding partner of Titla £ Steve has filed amicus briefs on Tribal & Parsi, PLLC. Steve is an enrolled issues before the U.S. Supreme Court and member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe practiced in the U.S. Court of Appeals for and he manages his firm’s Globe, Arizona the Ninth Circuit, the U.S. Court of office. Federal Claims, the state courts of £ Steve has a Bachelor of Science Degree Arizona, California, New Jersey, from Arizona State University (1980 – Wisconsin and New Mexico, and Tribal Dean’s List), a JurisDoctorate from courts of the Navajo Nation, San Carlos Arizona State University Law School Apache Tribe and White Mountain (1983), and a Masters in Business Apache. Administration (MBA) from the University £ Steve has served as a pro-tem judge in of Phoenix (2007). the Tohono O’odham Tribal Court, Tohono £ A veteran of the United States Marine O’odhamCourt of Appeals and White Corps (Honorable Discharge 1976) and Mountain Apache Tribal Court. Arizona National Guard (Honorable Discharge, 1980), Steve resides on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation. Judy Leaming President 1990-91

£ Judy Leaming, Catawba/Cherokee, has served as a tribal attorney and educator in Indian Country for over 30 years.

£ From employment as in-house legal counsel for the Navajo Nation (Window Rock, AZ), the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe (Towaoc, CO) and the Colville Tribal Gaming Commission (Omak, WA) to teaching tribal legal studies at Northwest Indian College (Lummi Reservation), Judy has been a life-long advocate for Native Nations. ArvoQ. Mikkanen President 1991-92, 1995-96

£ He is a 1983 Phi Beta Kappa and honors graduate of Dartmouth College. After £ ArvoQ. Mikkanen, a Kiowa/Comanche graduating from Yale Law School, Arvoworked attorney, has a jurisdoctor degree from Yale as a law clerk for federal judges at the United Law School which he received in 1986. Arvois States Claims Court in Washington, DC and at currently an Assistant United States Attorney for the United States District Court of the Eastern the Western District of Oklahoma and was District of Texas. appointed to this position in 1994. £ In 2012, he received the U.S. Attorney £ Arvowas the Department of Justice’s first General’s Award for Exceptional Service in designated “Tribal Liaison” in a U.S. Attorney’s Indian Country from U.S. Attorney General Eric Office and is the primary contact for the 21 Holder. He is a frequent instructor for law tribal governments in his district. enforcement and attorneys, having given over 150 workshops, symposia, and instructional £ From 1988 to 1994, he worked as an attorney seminars. in civil business practice with Andrews Davis Legg BixlerMilsten& Price, an Oklahoma City £ He is an enrolled member of the Kiowa Tribe law firm and served as an adjunct professor of of Oklahoma and a member of the Kiowa law and Associate Director of the Native Gourd Clan men’s warrior society. He is American Legal Assistance Clinic at the married to Tracey Satepauhoodle-Mikkanen, Oklahoma City University School of Law from has two children, Brandon and Julia and lives in 1988 to 2000. Norman, Oklahoma. He is the son of Cornelia QuoetoneKartyand the late Jackson £ From 1988 to 1994, he also served as a trial Mikkanen. His maternal grandparents were and appellate judge with the Court of Indian William “Bill” Quoetone, a drafter of the Offenses and Court of Indian Appeals for the original Kiowa Constitution, and Lottie Anadarko Area Tribes. From 1991 to 1994, he QuassickerQuoetone. served as the Chief Justice of the Cheyenne- Arapaho Supreme Court. Tricia A. Tingle President1993-94

£ In 2000, Tricia joined the Department of the Interior Solicitor’s Office in the General Indian Legal Activities Branch and provided legal advice to the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

£ After three years at the Department of the Interior, Tricia began her career as a federal prosecutor in the United States Attorney’s Office District of Minnesota where she was the tribal liaison for the District and prosecuted Indian Country violent crime cases, as well as £ Tricia A. Tingle is an enrolled member of the other types of cases. Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and graduated £ Tricia left Minnesota in 2010 and returned to for Oklahoma City n School of Law in 1990. the Department of the Interior Solicitor’s Office £ After graduating from OCU Law School, Tricia to manage the General Indian Legal Activities opened up her own law firm in San Marcos, Branch. Tricia is now the Associate Director for Texas and created the Texas Indian Bar the Tribal Justice Services Division. She has held Association, along with 4 other colleagues. The this position since July 2011. Texas Indian Bar Association has now merged £ During her term as President of NNABA, into the Texas Bar Association Directorates as NNABA was fortunate toparticipatein the first the American Indian Law Section. Minority Bar Conference in Washington DC. This £ In 1994, Tricia began her federal career in the conference was the result of the American Bar Civil Rights Division, Voting Section at the Association's Council on Minorities in the Legal Department of Justice. Profession Commission. She has since served on that Commission on two separateoccasions. Jonny BearcubStiffarm President 1994-95

£ £ Jonny BearCubStiffarm, an She was a Senior Court enrolled member of the Fort Peck Management Consultant for the Assiniboine & Sioux Nation, National Center for State Courts currently is the business and the Chief Judge for the development Director for Cheyenne River Sioux Tribes. The NativeEnergy, Inc. Highlights of case she is most proud of is the her career include: As an Crazy Horse Malt Liquor case appointee in Mayor Wellington where the critical importance of Webb's administration she was the role of tribal traditional law the Deputy Director of the was recognized. She received Mayor's Office of Contract her undergraduate from Brigham Compliance for both the city and Young University and a juris Denver International Airport and doctorate from the University of his Native American Indian liaison Minnesota School of Law. to the local, regional, and national Indian Nations. KirkeKickingbird President 1996-97, 2000-01

£ He was appointed by Oklahoma Chief Justice Opala to serve on the Oklahoma Supreme Court Committee to Recommend £ KirkeKickingbird, a member of the Kiowa Standards for Granting Full Faith and Credit Tribe and Kiowa Gourd Clan, has devoted his to the Judicial Proceedings of Indian Tribes, professional career to helping Indian people Nations and Bands (1992-1994). get interpretations of the law that will benefit their personal interests as well as the interests £ Kirkejoined Hobbs Straus Dean & Walker in of tribal governments. 2000 and today is working on gaming issues for Oklahoma tribes and tribal £ From 1988-2000, Kirkedirected the Native government reform. In this capacity he American Legal Resource Center at Oklahoma assists in revising constitutions, drafting City University School of Law, where he ordinances, and lobbying state legislators served on the faculty. He served as Chief and the governor’s office over policy Justice of the Supreme Court of the Cheyenne developments and interpretation. Kirkealso and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma and as Chairman of the Oklahoma Indian Affairs works on tax issues in response to federal Commission from 1992-1995. and tribal tax commission inquiries. £ Kirkedevotes his spare time to helping £ He also led the legal and court management review of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Tribal Indian youth by serving on the board of Court System from 1992-1993. In March directors at both the Oaks Indian Mission, 1995, he was appointed Special Counsel on and Nation Building for Native Youth. Indian Affairs to the Governor of Oklahoma, Frank Keating, a post held for five years. KalynFree President 1998-99

£ After leaving the Department of Justice, Kalyn returned to Oklahoma and became the first woman elected District Attorney of Pittsburg and £ KalynFree is an attorney, a social activist, and Haskell Counties. During her tenure as DA, Kalyn a citzenof the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. made victims' rights, domestic violence, and child She was the president of NNABA from 1998 to abuse priorities in her administration. 1999. She has been active in public service in Washington, D.C., Oklahoma and nationally for £ Kalynfocuses her practice on legal issues 25 years. important to tribal governments, with a special emphasis on prosecuting corporations who pollute £ Kalyngraduated with two degrees (BA in Indian Country. She is passionate about helping Communication and BA in History) from progressive candidates run for office. In 2005 Southeastern Oklahoma State University in she founded the Indigenous Democratic Network 1984, and then matriculated to the University and served as President for 6 years. of Oklahoma College of Law earning her Juris Doctorate degree in 1987. £ Kalynserved as a Super Delegate on the Democratic National Committee from 2005 – £ While in law school, Kalynwas accepted into 2009, and has been active on a variety of non the United States Department of Justice Honor profit boards state and national boards. Law Program. During her ten years with DOJ, Kalynserved as a Trial Attorney in the £ Kalyn’spartner in life and politics is her Environmental Enforcement Section before husband, Steve Bruner, who served on the being promoted to Senior Counsel in the Indian Muscogee National Council for nearly two Resources Section, where she supervised decades, retiring in 2011. Her two children, environmental litigation throughout Indian Wegasand Ofi, have four paws, and are five Country. year old German Shepherds Samuel M. Hill President 2001-02

£ Sam is admitted to practice in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and the U.S. District Courts for the £ Sam Hill practices in the areas of TCPA Southern, Northern and Middle Districts (“Junk Fax”) litigation, taxation, personal of Alabama. injury, food products, general corporate £ Sam has participated in trials in both and appellate litigation, and represents state and federal courts and appellate clients in complex litigation in state and practice before the United States federal courts. He has also served as a Supreme Court, including the BMW v. mediator in private actions. Gore matter.

£ Sam received his undergraduate degree £ He serves as Tribal Judge for the MOWA from the University of North Carolina at Band of Choctaw Indians in Mobile, Chapel Hill where he was a Johnston Alabama, serve as an adjunct of Scholar. While in law school at the American Indian Law at Samford University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, he University's Cumberland School of Law served as an Associate Editor and a Note and is a Past President of the National Editor of the Michigan Law Review. He Native American Bar Association. He has received the Bodman-Longley Award in served as a Member of the House of recognition of his scholastic record. He Delegates of the American Bar served a judicial clerkship with Judge Association. Samuel J. Ervin, III, of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Suzanne OjibwayTownsend President 2002-03

£ Judge OjibwayTownsend is a past President of the National Native American Bar Association, a former Commissioner, American Bar Association Commission on Racial and EthnicDiversity in the Profession, a former £ Suzanne OjibwayTownsend, Fond du Lac Band member of the ABA’s House of of Lake Superior Chippewa, servesas the Chief Delegatesrepresenting the National Native Judge of the Grand RondeTribal Court and the American Bar Association. Fond du Lac TribalCourt. For eight years, she £ She has beenactive in the Oregon State Bar also heard appeals fromtribal courts through for more than 30 years, and has served as the Northwest Intertribal Courts System and Chair of theGovernmentLaw Section and on served on theSupreme Court of the Hoopa the Executive Committee of the Indian Valley Tribe inCalifornia. LawSection. She currently spends most of her £ Prior to her work as a tribal judge, she served free time as a metalsmithand maker of drums. as Oregon’s Deputy Secretary of State, as an £ During her NNABA presidency, NNABA found a AssistantAttorney General and Attorney-in- sponsor for the listserv and used the Charge of the GovernmentServices Section of membership list to get the listserv up and theOregon Department of Justice and as running. NNABA also reserved its current web Regional Trial Counsel for the FDIC. Shehas address, and began to develop the relationship lived and studied in Germany and Mexico, and with NNABA’s biggest supporter, Walmart. teachescollaborativenegotiation and mediation nationally and internationally. Thomas Weathers President 2003-04

£ Thomas graduated from McGeorgeSchool of Law in 1993 in the top 2% of his class and served on the Law Review. After graduation, he clerked for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington. After his clerkship, Thomas joined the San Francisco law firm of Long & Levitwhere he specialized in £ Thomas Weathers is Aleut and an enrolled complex civil litigation in both state and member of the QawalanginTribe of Unalaska federal courts. He then joined the law firm of in Alaska. His practice is devoted primarily to Crosby, Heafey, Roach & May (now Reed Indian law and business law. He advises tribal Smith) to continue his practice in complex civil and non-tribal clients on a range of matters litigation, with an emphasis on business, eminent including corporate governance, economic domain and property tax matters. In 2003, he development, finance and restructuring, helped form the law firm of Alexander, Berkey, taxation, land use and development, Williams & Weathers LLP and focused his employment and personnel, gaming, tribal practice in Indian law. governance, Indian health care, Indian child welfare, Indian probate, and crisis £ Thomas has repeatedly been named by Super management. Lawyers magazine as one of the top attorneys in Northern California. He is a past-president £ Thomas has negotiated multi-million dollar loan, of the National Native American Bar management, financing, consulting, purchasing, Association. He has served as both an and leasing agreements, counseled clients in appellate judge and trial judge in tribal courts complicated tax, insurance, and business and a judge pro tem in state court. He has formation matters, and litigated in tribal, state, participated on several conference panels in and federal courts. He has also helped clients relation to Indian law and published on many restructure substantial debt and renegotiate topics, including tribal tax, tribal loans in default. He continues to work with exhaustion,tribal immunity, and tribal economic clients on government procurement contracts development. and green energy development projects. Douglas R. Nash President 2004-05

£ He served as Chief Counsel for the Nez Perce Tribe from 1989 - 1999. From 1999-2005, Douglas was head of the Indian Law Practice Group at Holland and Hart, LLP. He served as £ Douglas R. Nash is the Director of the Center Associate Professor of Law and James E. for Indian Law and Policy at Seattle University Rogers Fellow in American Indian Law atthe School of Law. He is a member of the Nez University of Idaho, College of Law. Perce Tribe and a graduate of the University of New Mexico, School of Law where he is now a £ In August, 2005, Douglas became Director of member of the Indian Alumni Council. the Institute for Indian Estate Planning and Probate at Seattle University School of Law £ He has practiced Indian law since 1971 in where he is also an Adjunct Professor of Law. numerous capacities including the U.S. The Institute has evolved into the new Center for Department of the Interior, Office of the Indian Law and Policy which will continue the Solicitor’s Honors Program; staff attorney with work of the Institute as well as other programs the Native American Rights Fund; and 14 years and projects including a tribal dispute in a private, solo practice in Pendleton, Oregon, resolution project. where he represented the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation as General £ Douglas serves as an appellate court judge for Counsel and also represented the Tribe’s the Tulalip and Sauk-Suiattle Tribes and is housing project and prosecuted criminal cases Chief Judge of the Warm Springs Tribal Court before the tribal court. of Appeals. He also has served as a pro-tem judge for several tribes at both the trial and appellate level. LaelEchohawk President 2009-11

£ As a volunteer, Laelhas Co-Chaired the £ Lael, an enrolled member of the Kitkehahki Washington State Bar Association’s Band of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, Committee for Diversity and Chaired the was born and raised in the interior of Indian Law Section. She has served six terms Alaska. She began her college career at the on the Governing Council of the Northwest University of Alaska Fairbanks, transferring Indian Bar Association Governing Council to the University of Washington where she and served three of those terms as graduated in 1999 with a Bachelors of Arts President. She also sits on the University of degree in History with a minor in American Washington’s Friends of Educational Indian Studies. Opportunity Program.

£ In 2000, Laelentered the University of £ Laelis dedicated to serving her community Washington School of Law. Following receipt and attempts to serve as a role model to of a JurisDoctor in 2003, Laelbegan young people of color, and she regularly working as in-house counsel at the Tulalip speaks to youth at events. She is co-founder Tribes, providing a variety of legal advice of Native Speaks, a progressive company and representation in both business owned by Native professionals that provides development, civil litigation and policy and consultation and instruction for companies, ordinance development. Laelalso taught a and motivational speaking for young adults. Tribal Governance class at the Everett In 2007, Laelwas recognized as a “Rising Community College as part of a Tribal Star: Young Women who Make a Enterprise Certificate program. Difference” by Women of Color Empowered and in 2009 was named one of “40 to Watch” by the University of Washington’s Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity. Patty Ferguson-Bohnee President 2011-13

£ She has assisted in complex voting rights litigation on behalf of tribes, and she has £ Patty serves as the Faculty Director of the drafted state legislative and Indian Legal Program, Director of the congressional testimony on behalf of Indian Legal Clinic and Clinical Professor tribes with respect to voting rights’ issues. of Law at the Sandra Day O’Connor £ Before joining the College in 2008, College of Law. Professor Ferguson- Professor Ferguson-Bohneeclerked for Bohneehas substantial experience in Judge Betty BinnsFletcher of the 9th U.S. Indian law, election law and policy Circuit Court of Appeals and was an matters, voting rights, and status associate in the Indian Law and Tribal clarification of tribes. She has testified Relations Practice Group at Sacks Tierney before the United States Senate P.A. in Phoenix. As a Fulbright Scholar to Commiteeon Indian Affairs and the France, she researched French colonial Louisiana State Legislature regarding relations with Louisiana Indians in the tribal recognition. 17th and 18th centuries. £ She has represented tribal clients in £ Professor Ferguson-Bohnee, a member of administrative, state, federal, and tribal the Point-au-ChienIndian tribe, serves as courts, as well as before state and local the Native Vote Election Protection governing bodies and proposed revisions Coordinator for the State of the Arizona. to the Real Estate Disclosure Reports to include tribal provisions. NNABA Leadership Meeting with Janet Reno, 1995

KirkeKickingbird(Kiowa), ArvoMikkanen(Kiowa, Comanche), Tricia Tingle (Choctaw), Jonny BearcubStiffarm(Assiniboine), Melody McCoy (Cherokee) CBAC Meeting with Attorney General Reno, May 1996 NNABA Leadership meeting with President Clinton

President of AIBA (NNABA), Arvo Mikkanen; President of Women’s Bar Association; President of National Bar Association; President Clinton; President of Hispanic National Bar Association, 1994. KirkeKickingbird, Presidential Proclamation of Law Day, invited by President Clinton, attended as President of the Native American Bar Association, Washington, D.C., April 30, 1996. Coalition of Bar Associations of Color meeting with Senator Leahy Peter Reyes, HNBA President-Elect; Daryl D. Parks, NBA President; Senator Patrick Leahy; NimeshM. Patel, NAPABA President; Patty Ferguson-Bohnee, NNABA President; and Wendy C. Shiba, NAPABA President-Elect National Minority Bar Association Presidents, 1992 President, National Bar Association president; President, Hispanic National Bar Association; President, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association; President, ArvoMikkanen, American Indian Bar Association (NNABA) NNABA Annual Meeting, 2009 AIBA (NNABA) at DC Racial & Ethnic Bias Conference Paul Shunatona (Pawnee), Tricia Tingle (Choctaw), KirkeKickingbird(Kiowa), DevalPatrick (then Asst. AG for Civil Rights for the Clinton Administration and current Massachusetts Governor), Bernice Donald (then Bankruptcy Judge now Circuit Judge on 6thCircuit), and ArvoMikkanen(Kiowa/Comanche). Native American practicing attorneys with the Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney’s Office BACK: ArvoMikkanen(Kiowa/Comanche); Mark Van Norman (Cheyenne River Sioux); (Kevin Washburn (Chickasaw); Curtis Berkey; Joe Martin (Menominee); Edwin Kneedler; Barry Brandon (Creek). MIDDLE: unknown; Jamie Hampton (Caddo); unknown; unknown; VerlinDeerinwater(Cherokee); unknown. FRONT: Lawrence Baca (Pawnee); KalynFree (Choctaw); Hillary Tompkins (Navajo); Tricia Tingle (Choctaw). National NABA 40thAnniversary Celebration