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I am 29 years old and a member of the Tule River Tribe of Yokuts Indians. I am from the Chukchansi, Wukchumni, Yaudanchi, and Yowlumne bands of Yokuts. My parents are Richard and Michele McDarment, and I have 3 younger siblings, Amy, Novalie, and Richard Jr. I grew up on the reservation and attended Vandalia Elementrary School, Bartlett Jr. High, and Porterville High School. After High School, I attended the University of California at Santa Cruz. I was also a two-year recipient of a Native Americans into Medicine, Summer Biomedical Internship at the University of Minnesota, Duluth in 1996 and 1998. I graduated from UCSC in 1999 with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and a minor in Education. After college, I worked for a year as a substitute teacher, Long-Term Resource Specialist Educator and G.A.T.E. Test Administrator for Berryessa Unified School District, Orchard School District, and San Jose Unified School District. In 2000, I was accepted to the University of New Mexico, School of Law. During law school I was an active member of the National Native American Law Students Association, and served as a member, and as the web editor for the Tribal Law Journal. During law school, I worked as a tutor for the Pre-Law Summer Institute for the American Indian Law Center, as a Research Assistant for Professor Zuni Cruz, as a Law Clerk for California Indian Legal Services in Eureka, California, and I also worked as a practicing student attorney for the Southwestern Indian Law Clinic. Also during law school I developed high school curriculum on NAFTA and the World Trade Organization in conjunction with the Society of American Law Teachers. I was the first person in my tribe to attend and graduate from law school and was appointed to my current position as in-house legal counsel for the Tule River Tribal Council. My work is currently focused on Indian Gaming, fee-to-trust issues, tax law issues, archaeological resources, water law, tribal energy/utlities development, enrollment issues, and I have been appointed to the following Tribal Committees: Tribal Water Rights Negotiation Team, Vice-Chairperson, Law Enforcement, Natural Resources, National Congress of American Indians, Council of Energy Resources Tribes, California Nations Indian Gaming Association, National Indian Gaming Association, Tribal-State Regulators Association. I have also served as the Porterville Powwow Coordinator for the past two years. |
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