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; University of Arizona and University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law, 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.
Santana Edd is a Public Health major and Native American and Indigenous Studies (NAIS) minor attending Fort Lewis College (FLC) and currently serves as an intern beginning in October 2025. Santana is Tł’ógí (Zia/Weavers clan), born for Kin Łichíi’nii (Red House clan) and was born and raised in Durango, CO. She has extensively worked 8+ years with Indigenous youth among the Southern Ute reservation in Ignacio, CO. She plans to further expand her horizon of reach and gain skills through the exposure of learned experience throughout her intership. She strives to step into a role that uplifts her community through the guidance of the Diné principle of K’é; Kinships of the living and non-living and the mutual responsibility to maintain these relations. Santana seeks to utilize her knowledge and skill set to make reputable contributions to both the Diné Nihi Kéyah Project and Diné Bá Álchíní Yił Ádaaní NAVAJO FAMILY VOICES .
Hannah Naljahih is Navajo (Many Goats and Bitterwater clans) and Kiowa. She is from Gallup, New Mexico. She recently moved to Tucson, Arizona for her Masters of Professional Studies in Indigenous Governance with a focus on Native Justice at the University of Arizona (UA). Hannah is interested in law because it is the starting point for creating change in Indian Country. Hannah is a member of UA Native and Indigenous Law Students Association raising awareness of Indigenous issues at the law school. She is working on implementing Native Nation building in Native communities. She is fulfilling her Spring 2025 Capstone Project through field work with the Diné Nihi Kéyah Project.
Terrell Hunsinger Jr. is a Limited Term Adjunct Professor of Practice and SJD candidate in Indigenous Peoples Law & Policy at the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law. Hunsinger hails from Yuma, Arizona. With over two and a half decades of experience in social work, particularly with adolescents in the justice system, he has dedicated his career to this field. Before joining the University of Arizona in 2024, Professor Hunsinger held various leadership positions. He served as the Unilateral Policy Manager and Vice of Intellectual Property at Mitek Corporation, where he spearheaded corporate policy, intellectual property and overall quality control. Prior to that, he worked as a criminal law researcher at the Law Office of Richards and Minore PC and as an extern at the Yuma County Public Defender’s Office (Juvenile Division). Additionally Hunsinger spent time as United States Border Patrol Agent and criminal law extern at the Law Office of John A. Cicala. Hunsinger’s educational background includes an Associate Degree in Philosophy from Arizona Western College (2004), a dual Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Criminal Justice from Northern Arizona University (summa cum laude), a Juris Doctor from the Phoenix School of Law (2011), and a Master of Laws (LLM) in Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy from the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law (2024). In his free time, Hunsinger actively engages in community service. He offers free wrestling lessons to at-risk youths and has given extensive wrestling seminars on five continents, sharing his passion for the sport and promoting community leadership. In the Spring 2025 Tribal Justice Clinic, Prof. Hunzinger focuses on increasing public access to Navajo Nation caselaw for the Diné Nihi Kéyah Project.
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.
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.
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 fulfilled a Capstone Project 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.
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.
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.
Martin Ma is a 2L at American University Washington College of Law. He is a 2025 summer legal extern with the Diné Nihi Kéyah Project, tasked with updating our index of tribal resolutions amending the Navajo Nation Code, and incorporating uncodified code sections into Titles 3, 6 and 10 for academic use. Martin is interested in international law, intellectual property, and indigenous law. Martin studied international affairs and mathematics as an undergraduate. He loves outdoor activities such as running, hiking, and horseback riding, and is a fan of Rubik’s cube.
Liz Johns is a 2L at American University Washington College of Law. Her interests include international law, human rights law, and federal indian law. She is a 2025 Summer legal extern with the Diné Nihi Kéyah Project. Liz has maternal roots to the Cherokee Nation, more specifically the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. She is also the vice-president of AUWCL’s Native American Law Student Association. Before law school Liz received her BS in Criminology and Psychology at George Mason University. In her free time Liz enjoys reading, playing video games, and baking. Nitasha Drake is a 2L at the University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of Law, and is in the Indigenous Peoples’ Law and Policy certificate program. Her interests are in Federal Indian Law, tribal law, Indigenous natural resource rights, and ICWA. Nitasha is Kumeyaay from the Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel, located in the rural northeastern mountains of San Diego County. Prior to law school, she received her B.A. in American Indian Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her rescue dog, Dopey, who enjoys long walks and lots and lots of treats! As part of the Spring 2025 Tribal Justice Clinic, Nitasha focuses on increasing public access to Navajo Nation caselaw for the Diné Nihi Kéyah Project.
Aidos Amargaliyev is currently pursuing an S.J.D. at the University of Arizona, focusing on Indigenous Peoples’ Law and Policy Program. His academic journey includes a Master of Laws from the University of Arizona and a Ph.D. in Law from Eurasian National University (Kazakhstan). He has a deep interest in advancing legal protections for Indigenous communities, particularly in the areas of land rights, self-governance, and cultural preservation. His academic research work aims to support Indigenous communities in asserting their rights and navigating legal systems to protect their heritage and autonomy. Throughout his legal career, he has developed expertise in various areas of law, which he now seeks to apply in the context of Indigenous rights and policy development. In the Spring 2025 Tribal Justice Clinic, Aidos focuses on increasing public access to Navajo Nation caselaw for the Diné Nihi Kéyah Project.
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
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.
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.
Murphy Chen is a professional oil painter and a J.D. student at American University Washington College of Law. Murphy worked alongside our family advocate in Diné Bá Álchíní Yił Ádaaní NAVAJO FAMILY VOICES as a legal intern in Summer 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.
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.
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!