Officers

Jennifer Weddle - President

Jennifer Weddle is an Indian law specialist, handling a variety of matters for tribal and non-tribal clients. Her work has ranged from drafting of tribal code provisions to natural resources regulation and development to litigation. She has particular experience in the areas of tribal jurisdiction and natural resources development on tribal lands. Jennifer also has U.S. Supreme Court experience, serving as one of the attorneys for the respondent in the important Indian Law case of Nevada v. Hicks (2001). Jennifer’s work has included negotiations for mineral leasing on tribal lands, tribal employment matters and representation of tribes before federal agencies. She has also been involved in civil litigation, working on numerous complex federal and state litigation matters, including class action tort litigation and large commercial disputes. Jennifer also has significant securities litigation experience and products liability litigation experience. Jennifer has recently handled more than 30 trials in connection with her participation in Municipal Court Assistance Program (MCTAP), and subsequent pro bono prosecution work for the City of Denver. Jennifer is a frequent speaker on tribal rights, Indian Law matters, and Native Americans' unique racial and political perspective on legal diversity issues.

Dave Heisterkamp - Vice-President

Dave Heisterkamp is a principal in the thirty-one year old Denver law firm of Wagenlander & Heisterkamp, LLC. The firm is cross-cultural practicing in the fields of Indian, housing, landlord-tenant, contract, construction and international law. Currently Wagenlander & Heisterkamp LLC is general counsel to eleven tribal housing programs situated throughout the country as well as six public housing authorities in Colorado and a number of small and medium size companies. Much of his practice involves Indian housing both on reservations and on national issues. Mr. Heisterkamp served as legal counsel to several of the tribal and housing representatives to the Negotiated Rulemaking Committees appointed by HUD to draft regulations for the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (NAHASDA) and various amendments thereto. In this capacity, he also served on several Rulemaking Committee workgroups which did much of the actual drafting of the regulatory requirements. He has successfully argued on behalf of tribal housing entities for dismissal of employment discrimination suits in the Eighth and Ninth Circuit Federal Courts of Appeals. Mr. Heisterkamp earned his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire and his law degree from the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado.

Amy Bowers - Treasurer

Amy is a member of the Yurok Tribe. Her family is from the Yurok village of Requa on the mouth of the Klamath River in Northern California. Amy earned a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Oregon and her J.D. from the University of Denver in 2007. She was a visiting student at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law during her third year of law school. She served two terms as the National Native American Law Students Association Secretary and the University of Denver Native American Law Students Association President. Prior to coming to NARF as a staff attorney in 2007, Amy clerked for Alexander, Berkey, Williams and Weathers and the Native American Rights Fund. She is admitted to practice law in Colorado. Currently, Amy represents Tribal clients in the areas of water rights, trust fund mismanagement and Indian education. As the most recent addition to NARF, she also serves as the director of the NARF law clerk program.

Melissa C. Meirink - Secretary

Melissa C. Meirink is an attorney with the Denver office of Holland & Hart LLP. She is actively involved in the firm's Indian Law Practice Group, where she focuses on Indian law matters, tribal consultation, and natural resources development affecting Indian tribes. Melissa also specializes in compliance with federal and state environmental regulation. She has experience with NEPA, the Endangered Species Act, and cultural resource protection laws, such as the National Historic Preservation Act and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. Prior to joining Holland & Hart, Melissa externed as a law clerk for the Honorable Gerry L. Alexander, Chief Justice of the Washington State Supreme Court. She earned her J.D. from Seattle University and her B.A. from the University of Colorado at Boulder.