Native American Democratic Caucus

Chair: Laura Harris, Comanche

Laura Harris is an enrolled citizen of the Comanche Nation. She is the Executive Director of Americans for Indian Opportunity (AIO) where she heads up a national Native American leadership development program and is developing an international Indigenous leaders exchange initiative. Before joining AIO, Harris was on the original fund-raising staff for the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and prior to that, she worked in the Washington, D.C. office of U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman (NM). During the 2004 U.S. presidential primary, Harris was Gov. Howard Dean’s National Native American Policy and Outreach Senior Advisor and during the general election, served on Sen. John Kerry’s Native American National Steering Committee. Harris has extensive experience on national, state and local campaigns and in political fundraising. Harris is a New Mexico State Director of INDN’s List (a national organization that recruits and trains Native American candidates and campaign workers). Over the past ten years, Harris has served on several national boards, including the Center for Policy Alternatives, Renewing Democracy Through Interracial/Multicultural Community Building, the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, and Las Adelitas (dedicated to electing women to office in New Mexico). In 1997, President Clinton appointed Harris to a two-year term as Senior Consultant to the President's Initiative on Race. She is a trained facilitator in the CogniScope ™ social system design process. Harris holds a B.A. in Political Science with a minor in Native American Studies and Latin American Studies from the University of New Mexico. Harris resides in Albuquerque with her son, Sam Fred Goodhope, a senior in high school.

Vice Chair: Irvin Harrison, Navajo

Irvin Harrion is currently running unopposed for my third term in the New Mexico House of Representatives, District 5, which includes McKinley and San Juan Counties.

Harrison grew up in Gallup, NM and has a B.A. in political science from Stanford University, CA. He was employed by McKinley County for 21-years, of which he served ten years as the McKinley County Manager. Harrision has also served as the Contracting and Grants Officer for the County earning the national designation of Certified Public Purchasing Officer.

Mr. Harrison has been involved with the McKinley County Democratic Party as the Vice-Chair and as Chair. He also attended the Democratic National Conventions as a delegate when the convention was held in Los Angeles and Boston. Mr. Harrison was unanimously voted as the Vice Chair of the newly formed Native American Democratic Caucus of the Democratic Party of NM.

Secretary: Darva Chino, Acoma Pueblo

Treasurer: Martin Aguilar, San Ildefonso Pueblo