WORKSHOPS: Tribal Executive Leadership Series

Bio Coming Soon

Bio Coming Soon

Ronald T. Pfeifer is a member of the Labor & Employment Law Practice Group in the Green Bay office.

Ron counsels employers on human resources issues generally. He advises employers regarding employee discipline, for example, as well as discrimination issues of all kinds. As a result, Ron's practice involves representing employers before Wisconsin's Department of Workforce Development (and a host of other similar state agencies) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Ron often deals with issues such as downsizing, the Americans with Disabilities Act, compensation issues under the Fair Labor Standards Act and covenants not to compete.

Further, Ron represents employers in matters before the National Labor Relations Board [including representation elections]. He directs employers in their collective bargaining negotiations and frequently represents employers in arbitration cases when they are unable to resolve pending disputes with the labor unions which represent their employees.

Ron frequently lectures on subjects of concern to employers based on his experience in the area.

Ron received his bachelor of arts degree from the University of Nebraska and his law degree from Northwestern University Law School in 1972.

Bio Coming Soon

David W. Devendorf practices in the areas of Federal Appropriations, Public Policy and Regulation, and Federal Indian Policy; including Indian education, energy, gaming, healthcare, transportation and other issues.

Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Mr. Devendorf was chief of staff to U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, upon whose staff he served for nearly 15 years. Mr. Devendorf has extensive experience on Capitol Hill, and is skilled in working on both sides of the political aisle to achieve results.Throughout Senator Campbell’s career, Mr. Devendorf served as a senior advisor on all matters.

As chief of staff, Mr. Devendorf directed all areas of Campbell’s office including legislation, press, administration, and casework. In addition, he was responsible for overseeing Campbell’s committee staff, including the Indian Affairs Committee and the Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee.

He assisted Campbell, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, in directing federal funds to a wide spectrum of projects including universities, hospitals, airports, transportation projects, military construction projects, museums, agricultural, energy and water development projects.

Prior serving as chief of staff, Mr. Devendorf served as State Director to the Senator. In this role he managed Campbell’s Colorado staff and 6 state offices. He worked as a campaign aide and field director for Campbell’s Congressional campaigns. He also has served for many years as Campbell's principal surrogate speaker, both politically and in the Senate.

Ms. Cook Macarro is a partner at Ietan Consulting, LLC. Prior to joining Ietan Consulting, LLC, Holly served as a Senior Public Affairs Advisor in the Public Policy & Regulation group at Holland & Knight LLP, a Washington DC law firm with a significant tribal and governmental affairs practice. Holly has also served as the Director of the Office of Native American Affairs at the Democratic National Committee. In addition, Holly served in the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs in 1997-1998, where she worked primarily on Native American issues. Her primary focus areas at Ietan Consulting, LLC include federal governmental relations, legislative advocacy, and appropriations issues.

Ms. Cook Macarro has significant political and legislative experience in Indian affairs matters. While in the private sector, Holly has successfully secured client appropriations for detention center facilities, youth centers and wastewater treatment projects. In addition, Holly has secured legislation protecting culturally significant tribal lands from development by a major energy company. Holly has represented clients on such lobbying matters as tribal gaming issues, self-governance, law enforcement matters and several client-specific legislative initiatives.

At the White House, Ms. Cook Macarro worked for Lynn Cutler, President Clinton’s top person on Indian Affairs issues. Holly focused specifically on tribal intergovernmental affairs matters dealing with Administration policy and federal agency actions. Holly also coordinated the first ever Tribal economic development conference hosted by the White House and several federal agencies in 1998.

During her time at the Democratic National Committee, Ms. Cook Macarro coordinated the national outreach and organizing efforts on behalf of the Democratic party during the 2000 Presidential campaign. In 2002, Holly worked on Senator Tim Johnson's re-election campaign in South Dakota, serving as an organizer on the Pine Ridge Reservation. In 2003-2004, Holly served as the national co-chair of the Native Vote initiative at the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) where she assisted in putting together organizing, fundraising, and outreach plans for the organization. Leading up to the 2004 Presidential election, Holly also served on the Kerry-Edwards Native American Policy team which was devoted to developing the candidate's policies on Indian Country issues, providing guidance to the campaign regarding tribal outreach, and assisting in various organizing efforts. Holly also served as the Native American coordinator for the Democratic Party of New Mexico in 2004, where she coordinated the party's field and outreach efforts for a battleground state during the Presidential election. In 2006, Holly served on the Minnesota Native Vote team, providing training to field staff and coordination of reservation GOTV efforts.

Ms. Cook Macarro is a member of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians and a graduate of the University of North Dakota with a BBA.

Gerry Sikorski serves as the firm's Government Section leader and brings with him a wealth of government experience. He represented Minnesota in the U.S. House of Representatives for ten years, from 1983 to 1993. During this time he served on the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee, with jurisdiction over telecommunications, finance, trade, consumer protection, health, environment, insurance, nuclear power, securities, utilities, and energy laws and the FCC, FTC, CFTC, FDA, SEC, CMS, IHS, ICC and FERC. The New York Times and The Washington Post have acknowledged Mr. Sikorski’s experience on facets of the congressional process.

For 10 years, Mr. Sikorski served with Chairman Dingell on the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, with a purview of all the Committee’s subject matter jurisdiction, and served as Vice Chairman to Henry Waxman on the Health and Environment Subcommittee, where he was a leader on health reform and environmental issues. Mr. Sikorski was the author of the Community Right to Know law and the Acid Rain Control Act, and he was a primary sponsor of the 1990 Clean Air Act.

During his tenure in Congress, Mr. Sikorski served on the Post Office and Civil Service Committee, chairing the Civil Service Subcommittee. He was a member of the House Leadership serving as Whip-at-Large.

Prior to his time with the House, Mr. Sikorski served as a State Senator for six years, chairing committees with jurisdiction over Health, Welfare and Corrections appropriations and publicly regulated industries.

Mr. Sikorski has previously served as Chairman of the Holland & Knight Directors Committee, Chair of the firm’s Public Law Department and has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.