ALUMMI PROFILE
senior legislative and policy advisor, before eventually
accepting his current role as chief of staff. Clark now helps oversee a department tasked with the education of students on 64 reservations and an annual budget of approximately $1.5 billion. He’s most proud of developing the bureau’s first ever strategic plan, setting long-term goals for reforming Indian education, and hitting the reset button on tribal relationships. And it’s paid off. Graduation rates are on an upswing. “We still have a long way to go, but it has really demonstrated to me that the ideas I had as a paramedic were right: that policy really does address root issues,” Clark said. “If you’re addressing those root issues, you can see real substantive change for the good.” Most recently, Clark completed the Department of the Interior’s Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program. And while he’s not certain what the future may bring, he does know that he will continue to play a role in his tribe’s success. “We all have a role to play within our communities,” Clark said. “No role is more important than another. But we must play our roles to move forward together.”
Spring 2024 Page 19
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