Finding His Role: TRAVIS CLARK IMPACTS POLICY FROM WASHINGTON, D.C.
As a paramedic, Travis Clark (Tzi-Zho-Ki-He-Kah - Eagle Chief) responded to hundreds of calls across Cherokee Nation. It didn’t take long before he started to notice patterns. “Every day was Groundhog Day – seeing the same health emergencies over and over again,” Clark said. “I felt like a gerbil on a wheel.” An enrolled citizen of the Osage and Cherokee Nations, Clark grew frustrated by the seemingly endless repetition of life-threatening crises across his community. Each week, he’d respond to frequent drug overdoses and diabetic ketoacidosis. “What becomes very readily apparent when you’re dealing with these issues every day as a paramedic, is that we were never addressing their root cause,” Clark said. “And that’s when I started thinking seriously about law school.” Looking to expand his impact beyond triaging symptoms and toward the root causes – Clark overhauled his career aspirations: “I blew it all up.” Once on track to attend medical school, Clark ’14 J.D. instead ac- cepted a scholarship to attend the University of St. Thomas School
values, his own Catholic faith, and the School of Law’s mission, as a Catholic law school, to prepare attorneys ready to work for the common good. As a law student, Clark was president of the Native American Law Student Association and a senior editor for the Journal of Law and Public Policy. He also served as a law clerk in Washington D.C. at the Native American Rights Fund and the Office of the Solicitor’s Division of Indian Affairs. “My St. Thomas experience impacted me deeply… and the quality of education really did give me the tools to be successful in my career,” Clark said. Clark kicked off his new professional career in South Dakota as an attorney for Fredericks, Peebles & Morgan, which specializes in Federal Indian Law. But it didn’t take long before Washington, D.C. – and the chance to directly impact policy – came calling. In 2016 the Obama administration decided to reorganize the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), going on a hiring spree in the process. Looking for outside experts and fresh perspectives, Clark was on the top of their wish list.
of Law, and now serves as chief of staff for the Bureau of Indian Edu- cation in Washington, D.C. “I knew with a legal background I could have my hands on the policy,” Clark said. “It would give me more options than just trying to address the same issues whack- a-mole style as a paramedic.” Clark considered offers from law schools across the country. But a trip to the St. Thomas campus in Minneapolis – and a chance to chat with faculty and students – made the decision an easy one. “When I went to other schools, the message was ‘Look what we can do for you,’” Clark said. “When I came to St. Thomas, the message was much different. Instead, it was ‘we’re going to equip you with the skills to do things for other people.’” From a young age, members of the Osage and Cherokee Nations learn that they each have a role to play in their collective success. Emphasis is put on the tribe, rather than the individual. For example, stories passed down from generation to generation rarely use names, as names and individual accomplishments are considered immaterial.
Clark quickly felt the parallels between his tribe’s longstanding
He’d serve as the BIE’s first chief performance officer and as a
Page 18 St. Thomas Lawyer
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