Dr. Nizhoni Denipah is a board-certified otolaryngologist with over 13 years of experience delivering high-level care in disorders of the ear, nose and throat. Based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, she provides precise, evidence-based care at Santa Fe ENT with a direct, patient-centered approach focused on clarity, access and results.
Born and raised in Santa Fe, Dr. Denipah comes from a family deeply rooted in community, culture and the arts. Her family has played a meaningful role in the cultural landscape of New Mexico—her late brother, Nakotah LaRance, her sister, Shandien Sonwai LaRance, and her daughter, Shadé-Phea Young, are renowned hoop dancers who, alongside her father, Steve LaRance, helped bring hoop dance back to the state and community. These cultural foundations, along with the teachings of her mother, Marian Denipah-LaRance—who instilled humility, kindness, resilience and a love of life—continue to shape both her personal and professional life. She also carries forward a legacy of caregiving and service inspired by her grandmother, Natalie Denipah, a nurse and educator in Northern New Mexico.
A defining element of Dr. Denipah’s approach to medicine is the integration of art and science. She supported herself through college by creating jewelry —and an experience that refined her hand-eye coordination and precision, which now define her surgical practice. This perspective—combined with her academic and surgical training—continues to inform her work as a physician, enhancing her precision, attention to detail and ability to approach complex anatomical problems with clarity and intention.
As a physician of Navajo, Ohkay Owingeh, Hopi and Assiniboine heritage, Dr. Denipah brings a broader perspective to health and healing, grounded in cultural teachings. She carries a deep respect for Indigenous knowledge and traditional healing practices. This perspective shapes her patient care philosophy, emphasizing respect, connection and a deeper understanding of each patient’s experience.
Dr. Denipah serves on the board of the Association of American Indian Physicians and the Native American Advised Fund. She has also contributed to national efforts through her work with the American Medical Association, the Indigenous School of Medicine, the Native American Surgical Society and We Are Healers.
Education & Training:
University of Arizona — Master of Science in Physiological Sciences
University of New Mexico School of Medicine — Doctor of Medicine