Meet Our Law & Public Policy Interns, Externs, and Capstone Project Leaders
Since summer 2020, Indian Country Grassroots Support has had the support of interns, externs, and project leaders from the Diné College Land Grant Office; the University of New Mexico School of Law; Elizabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University; the Land Use Law Center at Pace University; Yale University; American University Washington School of Law; University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law; and the Capstone Project of the M. Sc SEDV program, University of Calgary, School of Public Policy. They provide invaluable research support on Diné Nihi Kéyah Project sustainable development law seminar subjects, Diné Bá Álchíní Yił Ádaaní NAVAJO FAMILY VOICES resource development, and other public policy and extern law school projects. It is an honor to host you all.
Our interns, externs, and youth project leaders research and map federal and tribal law information and services that are cross-jurisdictional and difficult to find. Here are some of their mini bios.
Elena Bonetti is an Italian lawyer and LLM student at Pace University specializing in Environmental Law. She is a 2024 Spring legal intern with with Diné Nihi Kéyah Project. Her research focuses on a comparative analysis of cooperatives, combining her legal experience with a passion for sustainable development and inclusive economic models. In her leisure time, Elena enjoys rock climbing, hiking, and experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.
Samantha Blend is a third-year student at Pace University Elisabeth Haub School of Law interested in environmental law, specifically environmental justice and water law. As a 2024 Spring legal extern with Diné Nihi Kéyah Project, Samantha has focused on researching Integrated Resource Management Plans. Outside of school, Samantha enjoys running, hiking with her dog, and baking
Kelley Rutledge is a current graduate student at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada, pursuing her M.Sc. in Sustainable Energy Development. She combines her years of experience in upstream oil and gas operations with her passion for a sustainable energy transition. She possesses a strong interest in the incorporation of cultural and traditional elements into Indigenous led land use planning, specifically in relation to the utilization of different methods of knowing to encourage responsible development with land stewardship. Outside her academic pursuits, she enjoys sailing, creating artwork, and spending time with her family. For almost the full 2023 academic year, Kelley works closely with the Diné Nihi Kéyah Project, taking a holistic look at historical land use plans, particularly at elements needed to create meaningful representation for communities.
Mariah Bowman is currently a 2L at Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. She is a native Hoosier (or in other words, from Indiana). She received a B.S. in Economics at Ball State University in 2021. She interned at the Indiana Department of Transportation in 2019 and focused on preparing NEPA documentation. She was also a law clerk in the RCRA/CERCLA division of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Washington D.C. for the summer of 2022. She is dedicated to public service and hopes her law career is encompassed by grassroots initiatives. Mariah assists the Diné Nihi Kéyah Project through Pace University Land Use Law Center law seminars, spring semester 2023.
Daniel Krupa is a second-year law student at Pace University’s Elisabeth Haub School of Law, studying environmental law with a focus on land use and environmental justice. He is an intern at the New York State Office of the Attorney General in the Environmental Protection Bureau. Last semester, he interned at the EPA Region 2 Office of General Counsel in the Superfund Branch, where he completed research projects on various tribal matters. That exposure sparked his interest in the relationship between Native American land and United States federal laws to understand how they affect environmental actions on reservations. Daniel assists the Diné Nihi Kéyah Project through Pace University Land Use Law Center law seminars, spring semester 2023.
Taylor Martin is a 2022 summer legal intern with Diné Bá Álchíní Yił Ádaaní NAVAJO FAMILY VOICES, helping us review law and outline a cultural safety in the clinic curriculum for traditional wellness. Taylor a J.D. candidate at American University Washington College of Law, is a Long Island, New York native and received her bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Albany in journalism where she completed an internship with the New York State Assembly, worked as a Sports Information Assistant at the Athletic Department for the baseball team, and was awarded student media credentials to cover the tennis event TieBreakTens at Madison Square Garden. She focuses on compliance, employment, and civil rights legal issues that affect the sports world. When she’s not at school, Taylor enjoys reading comic books, playing video games, and exploring new restaurants and coffee shops!
Molly Johnson is a Yale School of Environment ‘23 Masters’ of Environmental Management Candidate. She currently is a Teaching Fellow for the Tribal Resources & Sovereignty Clinic course. Prior to graduate school, she helped to plan the National Adaptation Forum, which supports the field of climate change adaptation in North America. She also served as a Tribal Resilience AmeriCorps VISTA at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College where she helped advance food sovereignty efforts and sustainability initiatives. Molly is passionate about promoting solutions that address climate change, environmental and climate justice issues and encourage healthy communities. In her free time, Molly also enjoys gardening, hiking and writing. Molly assists the Diné Nihi Kéyah Project through Pace University Land Use Law Center law seminars, spring semester 2023.
Lauren Palmer is a 2024 Spring legal extern with Diné Nihi Kéyah Project, She is a Pace University’s Elisabeth Haub School of Law ’25 JD Candidate, working with the ICGS on writing a framework toolkit for local governance based on Dine ways of life. She studied Environmental Science and Geography while at San Francisco State University and has had a particular focus on land use law and environmental justice while in law school. During her time in law school, she has volunteered with the Land Use Law Center at her school, developed the Environmental Justice Division of the Pace Environmental Law Society, and is a Junior Associate for the Pace Environmental Law Review. She hopes to continue working with indigenous organizations, particularly on how indigenous knowledge can be greatly instrumental in environmental stewardship.
Ben Bovi is a 2023 legal extern for the Diné Nihi Kéyah Project, dedicating substantial hours and ingenuity in mapping inter-jurisdictional federal and tribal governmental services in land use and natural resource development and conservation. He is a law student at the Pace University Elisabeth Haub School of Law. His areas of interest are environmental, general administrative, and public interest law. Prior to graduate school, Ben worked in the outdoor industry where he taught outdoor skills and shared his enthusiasm for the environment and conservation with others. Originally from Florida, Ben is a kayaker, rock climber, student, and artist.
Laurie Heldman received a B.S. degree in Environmental Science from the University of Cincinnati in 2021. While pursuing her undergraduate degree she assisted with several research projects, including monitoring fugitive methane leaks from oil and gas wells and digitalizing the Fulford Herbarium’s bryophyte collection. She is currently pursuing a J.D. degree at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law with a focus on environmental stewardship through local land use laws. She enjoys exploring nature, spending time with friends and family, getting to know new people and animals, and photography. Laurie’s area of research is land use conservation plans for the Diné Nihi Kéyah Project through Pace University Land Use Law Center law seminars, spring semester 2023.
Connor Lahey is a second year law student at American University Washington College of Law in Tenleytown, DC, and a summer 2023 legal intern for Diné Nihi Kéyah Project. His areas of interest are criminal law, human rights, disability, administrative law, and space law. Before law school, he worked as a campaign staffer on several local electoral races in his home of Northern Virginia, reaching out to voters on behalf of candidates and helping to foster a dialogue. He received his BA in political science and communications at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, and is an Eagle Scout. He likes to read, hike, cook, and camp. Connor researched the history and influence of different religious groups on the New Mexico Territory as a 2023 summer intern.
Murphy Yanbing Chen is a professional oil painter and a J.D. student at American University Washington College of Law. Her family traces their lineage back to Mongolia. After migration, they are part of the Jingpo people, indigenous to the Kachin Hills in northern Myanmar. After taking Federal Indian Law, she envisions to start her legal and continue her painting careers in the Southwest working on issues related to Environmental justice and indigenous people. She writes extensively on topics of cultural appropriation and historical preservation. In March 2023, Murphy was elected Native American Law Student Association (NALSA) President by her law school chapter. Murphy worked alongside our family advocate in Diné Bá Álchíní Yił Ádaaní NAVAJO FAMILY VOICES as a legal intern in Summer 2023.
Meggie Gaddy is a 2021 legal extern for the Diné Nihi Kéyah Project, helping us jumpstart DKNP so that we were able to “go live” by summer’s end. She is Haub Scholar at the Elizabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, and earned a B.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Science – Human Dimensions from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Throughout her academic career, Meggie has pursued work relating to public interest issues, specifically environmental stability and justice.
Tanner Hancock is a 2021 summer legal intern for the Diné Nihi Kéyah Project, focusing on interviewing Diné land users and writing down their stories. He is a J.D. candidate at American University Washington College of Law, located in the nation’s capital. Born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, Tanner spent his years before law school working both as a newspaper journalist based in Appalachia, as well as working as a locations manager with a television production company specializing in nationally televised true crime series. In his spare time, Tanner enjoys playing go, learning new languages, and reading Haruki Murakami novels.