Has 15 years of experience advising on American Indian policy and regulation.
Served as deputy staff director and senior counsel for the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.
Served as policy director for the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI).
Member of the Sappony Tribe and the Tribal governance project, charged with revamping the tribal constitution.

Denise focuses her practice on American Indian law and policy matters. She has 15 years of experience in advising on American Indian policy and regulation, working on behalf of NCAI, the largest national organization for tribal governments, and the U.S. government. In her role at NCAI, she was responsible for overseeing policy, advocating to Congress and the White House, and communicating directly with leaders of tribal governments on policy matters.

Denise is a former deputy staff director and senior counsel for the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. During her time with the committee, she provided policy, legislative and strategic advice to the chairman and supported the advancement of committee policy through bipartisan Senate outreach.

Denise also served as counselor in the Office of the General Counsel for the National Indian Gaming Commission, where she advised the chairman and commissioners on actions taken by the Commission under the authority of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). There, she was responsible for:

Preparing and implementing the Commission’s facility license regulations.
Conducting internal and external training on the regulations.
The legal review of tribal gaming ordinances, management contracts, facility license submissions and issues related to Indian lands.
Developing and implementing an Indian lands database providing information on lands where gaming facilities are located.
Reviewing facility environmental impact statements.
Responding to Freedom of Information Act appeals.
Performing the day-to-day oversight and review mandated by the IGRA.

Earlier in her career, Denise served in the Department of the Interior as the special assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, where she advised on legal and policy issues impacting tribal governments. On behalf of the Assistant Secretary, she conducted meetings with tribal representatives and acted as liaison with other federal agencies, tribal governments and departmental leadership.

Education
J.D., The George Washington University Law School, 2007
B.A., Marymount University, 2003

Affiliations and Public Service

Former policy director, National Congress of American Indians.
Former deputy staff director and senior counsel, Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.
Former attorney, Office of the General Counsel, National Indian Gaming Commission.
Former special assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior.
Member and counsel to the Tribal Council, Sappony Tribe.

Speeches and Publications

Speaker, Native Governance Center – Trial Leader Orientation – “Update on Washington D.C. and Working with Federal Officials” – January 18, 2019.
Speaker, Federal Bar Association ‒43rd Annual Indian Law Conference, “Responding to the Trump Agenda: Preserving and Protecting our Rights in an Uncertain Time,” April 5, 2018.
Speaker, National American Indian Housing Council – “Advocacy Training,” March 5, 2018.
Speaker, National Congress of American Indians – “Advocacy 101 for Tribal Leaders,” February 13, 2018.
Speaker, Center for Native American Youth – 2018 Champions for Change “Advocacy 101,” February 13, 2018.
Panelist, United South and Eastern Tribes – “Developing a More Effective Advocacy Strategy,” February 5, 2018.
Moderator, Tribal Leaders Strategy Meeting on Priorities for 2017, NCAI Presidential Transition Meeting (with national tribal organizations, including Native American Finance Officers Association, National American Indian Housing Council, National Congress of American Indians, National Indian Education Association, National Indian Gaming Association and National Indian Health Board), January 2017.
Speaker, “National Policy Update,” United Tribes Technical College Tribal Leader Summit, September 2017
Speaker, “Priorities and Strategies under the Trump Administration,” Impact Week, United South and Eastern Tribes, February 2017.
Roundtable Participant, “Opioid Abuse and Infrastructure Priorities,” Semiannual Meeting, United South and Eastern Tribes, June 2017.
Speaker, “What Does the Future Hold for Tribal Governments Under the New Administration? A 2017 Update,” The Knowledge Group Webinar, May 2017.
Speaker, “Priorities in the Administration and Congress,” Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Washington, D.C., March 2017.
Panelist, “A Look Back: The Obama Administration for Tribes,” Native American Finance Officers Association, September 2016.
Senate Testimony, “Options for Addressing the Continuing Lack of Reliable Emergency Medical Transportation for the Isolated Community of King Cove, Alaska,” U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, April 2016.