Tempe office
Moved by her experiences having grown up on the Navajo Nation, Adriana began her legal career with an aim to fill the gaps the marriage of law and policy leave in Indian country.
Adriana joined the Firm's Tempe office in 2021, bringing with her a strong background in Indian law and a dedication to advancing tribes' exercise of their inherent sovereign rights. Adriana has worked closely with tribes in matters affecting tribal governance and governmental relations, including negotiated intergovernmental agreements, self-determination contracting and self-governance issues under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, and treaty rights.
Adriana was named a Native Justice Scholar by the Mitchell Hamline School of Law in St. Paul, MN, where she graduated in 2020. A member of the Indian Law Program, she participated in the Native American Law Student Association at both the local and national levels. Adriana served as the Primary Editor of the Journal of Public Policy and Practice and was published for her research on school funding for Navajo schools. Adriana's clinical experience during law school includes having worked with the Navajo Nation Department of Justice—Office of the Prosecutor, for which she was awarded the Don M. Lewis Fellowship, and with the Center for Law and Education in Washington, D.C.
Before law school, Adriana was a public-school teacher for six years. Part of her teaching experience included serving her community at the very school district she is a product of on the Navajo Nation. She is recognized for her knowledge in the area of Indian Education and Policy.
Adriana is an animal lover and advocate, and she enjoys hiking the Southwest, world travel, and karaoke.
