Meet IAD

CABINET SECRETARY

Josett D. Monette, Esq.

Josett D. Monette is a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians. Monette was born and raised for most of her life on her reservation in North Dakota. She has three amazing adult children that she raised as a single mother, and she loves to do Zumba in her spare time.

She achieved her goal of making it to New Mexico in 2012 and now has the honor to serve as the Cabinet Secretary for the State of New Mexico’s Indian Affairs Department (IAD).

Monette holds a J.D., with a certificate in Indian Law from UNMSOL, an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership, B.S.Ed. in Secondary Education – Social Sciences, and a B.A. in (American) Indian Studies all from the University of North Dakota. She was previously the New Mexico Legal Aid Native American Program Director (NMLA NAP). Working directly with some of New Mexico’s tribes, she briefly served as a Commissioner for the Pueblo of Tesuque Gaming Commission and  worked as an Associate Attorney with Barnhouse, Keegan, Solimon, & West, LLP, as an Associate General Counsel for the Pueblo of Isleta. Monette served on the Board of Directors for the New Mexico State Bar Indian Law Section for seven years and sat as an Attorney Bar Exam Coach. She has also assisted with planning several Continuing Legal  Education (CLE) Conferences. 

Prior to her legal career, Josett was a teacher and educator and worked in education mostly on her home reservation in the Turtle Mountain Community.  Monette has served as an Adjunct Professor for the University of New Mexico School of Law (UNMSOL) National Native American Law Student Association (NALSA) Moot Court Team.