Begay, Deborah

Navajo Nation

“Deborah Begay is an enrolled citizen of the Navajo Nation. She is affiliated with the Lupton Chapter House. Deborah is the first Native American Judge elected to the Maricopa County Justice Courts. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Native American History from the University of California, Berkeley, and her Juris Doctorate from Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law with a concentration in Federal Indian Law.

She has worked for Navajo Nation in both the Department of Justice and the Department of Natural Resources. She was a contributing editor to the Navajo Nation Peacemaking Model used within the Navajo courts and is a strong advocate for Restorative Justice. She also interned at the White House Council on Environmental Quality. She speaks often on LGBTQ+ issues, community collaborations, and restorative justice.” [efn_note]Arizona Democratic Party[/efn_note]