Cheyenne’s Affie Ellis embodies spirit of Wyoming
Wyoming State Sen. Affie Ellis is a passionate representative for women, Navajo people and Wyomingites. Once a legislative assistant to U.S. Sen. Craig Thomas, who served as the chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and on the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Affie gained valuable federal regulatory and legislative experience. She is also a former assistant attorney general of Wyoming.
In 2016, Affie was the Republican nominee for the Wyoming Senate in the 8th District, and defeated incumbent Democratic Sen. Floyd Esquibel. She began her first term as a state senator in January 2017, becoming the first Navajo and first Native American to ever serve in the Wyoming State Senate.
Affie has a strong background in federal Indian law and policy, is a member of the Navajo Nation, and serves on the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprises Board of Directors. Today, she’s also on the Select Committee for Tribal Relations, Senate Education Committee and Senate Revenue Committee.
Affie was born to a working-class family in Jackson and spent weekends cleaning motel rooms with her mother. Now herself a working mother of three in Cheyenne, her story of success is one of self-starting and stepping up.

Sen. Affie Ellis is the first Navajo and first Native American to ever serve in the Wyoming State Senate. Courtesy
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