Carrie has over fourteen years’ experience advising tribes and tribal enterprises on matters involving federal Indian law, tribal law, and Intellectual Property. Carrie has counseled clients in all areas of tribal and federal Indian law including Supplemental Security Income, gaming, housing, tribal court development, special domestic violence criminal jurisdiction, code drafting, trademarks, and copyrights. She has worked with various forms of economic development including a tribal 8(a). Carrie has represented tribal businesses in negotiations of contracts. She has also represented tribes before Congress and pushed for the passage of the tribal provisions in the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization which restored tribal criminal jurisdiction to prosecute domestic violence crimes against non-Indians on their reservations. She is passionate about defending the rights of Native women and children who are victims of crime.

Carrie’s advocacy on behalf of survivors began before law school at the Tribal Law and Policy Institute where she was mentored by her friend Professor Sarah Deer who encouraged her to attend law school to continue her work. As Chief General Counsel at the Pueblo of Pojoaque, Carrie was intimately involved in the Pueblo’s bad faith litigation against the State of New Mexico.

Carrie’s current focus is working with tribes and Native entrepreneurs on trademark and copyright registration to protect their intellectual property rights. Carrie often speaks on the topic of trademarks in Indian Country and protecting tribal cultural property through the enforcement of intellectual property rights. Carrie also focuses on nation building within tribal governments by writing and amending tribal codes, governmental affairs, and negotiation with outside entities on behalf of tribes.

Carrie received her JD from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 2009 graduating Cum Laude with a Certificate in Indian Law and Clinical Honors. She also served as an editor on the Tribal Law Journal. Carrie is admitted to practice in the State and Federal courts in New Mexico and in the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. Carrie lives with her husband, three children, and her three female Dogo Argentinos.