Senate unanimously confirms Josett Monette as new Indian Affairs secretary

Feb. 5—Josett Monette made history Monday by becoming the first secretary of the state Indian Affairs Department who isn't from a New Mexico tribe.

A member of the North Dakota-based Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, Monette has been the department's deputy secretary since July and general counsel since March.

Before Monday's unanimous vote to confirm Monette, Sen. Benny Shendo, D-Jemez Pueblo, said the appointment recognizes New Mexico is home not only to 23 sovereign nations but also to many individuals who are members of tribes based elsewhere. The United States recognizes more than 300 tribes, he noted.

Earlier in the day, Monette told members of the Senate Rules Committee that New Mexico is, in fact, home.

She said her connection to the state dates to the fourth grade when her mother worked for Indian Health Services and temporarily moved to New Mexico to attend a training.

"I went to Monte Vista Elementary School [in Albuquerque] when I was in fourth grade for part of the year, and, in my mind, New Mexico was like the place to be," she said. "I had strived my entire life to get to back to New Mexico. I loved Albuquerque. I love New Mexico."

She started her career as a high school teacher but always dreamed of being an attorney, she said. She moved to New Mexico in 2012 as a single mother with three young children to attend law school at the University of New Mexico and has lived in the state ever since.

"My kids tell me repeatedly they're not leaving," she said. "This is where they want to be, so this is our home."

Monette succeeds James Mountain, a former governor of San Ildefonso Pueblo who never went up for a confirmation hearing amid controversy over a years-old rape allegation.

Monette was appointed secretary-designate in December, and Mountain moved to another job as Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's senior policy adviser for tribal affairs.

Monette joined Indian Affairs in March as the department's general counsel, which she said allowed her to "learn the lay of the land."

"It was my first time [working] in state government, in any state government, so it was a huge learning process for me," she said. "I spent the first few months reading through all our policies, all the statutes."

In July, she was promoted to deputy secretary while continuing to serve as general counsel until her appointment in December.

Before working with Indian Affairs, she was the New Mexico Legal Aid Native American program director. Her résumé includes recently serving as a commissioner for the Tesuque Pueblo Gaming Commission and legal work for Isleta Pueblo and a Native law firm in Albuquerque.

Monette said working for Indian Affairs has been a "wonderful learning experience."

"It's an honor to be able to serve the state of New Mexico and to serve the tribes, nations and pueblos in New Mexico, as well as all Indian people in New Mexico," she said.

"I think New Mexico is a unique state," she added. "It really is the apex of what's happening in Indian Country. People are looking to what's going on in Indian Country in New Mexico to determine where Indian Country should go in the future, and I think that's important, and I think it's an amazing experience to be part of. I cannot thank the state and all the nation's pueblo and tribal leaders enough to allow me to be in this position."

Sen. Shannon Pinto, D-Tohatchi, said Monette "not being a New Mexican" could prove advantageous by allowing her to be neutral.

"I hope you can bring that to us and unite the tribes, nations and pueblos within our state, especially when we talk about the true tribal collaboration that is in statute," she said.

Sen. Brenda McKenna, D-Corrales, said she was "impressed" with Monette during her interview.

"I really got to know her a little bit, too, when she served [as] deputy, and so that really gave her a great opportunity to learn under her predecessor and the team there what IAD is all about and the breadth [of] responsibility that it has, which is incredible," she said. "I want to thank her tribe for loaning her to New Mexico for a while, and I want her family to know back home that we'll take care of her."

A number of Indigenous leaders, including the governors of the pueblos of Pojoaque and Picuris and the vice president of the Navajo Nation, spoke in support of Monette's appointment.

After winning unanimous approval in committee, Monette emerged from the hearing room with tears in her eyes, which she said were tears of joy.

Asked how she felt, she replied, "Extremely humbled and proud."

Follow Daniel J. Chacón on Twitter @danieljchacon.