Mark Cruz Nominated to Lead the Indian Health Service

Indian Country has its nominee to lead Native Health!

A Klamath Leader Steps Forward

On June 1, 2026, the White House nominated Mark Cruz (Klamath) of Oregon to serve a four-year term as Director of the Indian Health Service. The role had sat vacant since January 2025, when former Director Roselyn Tso resigned. Since December 2, 2025, Chief of Staff Clayton Fulton has served as acting director. That same day, the Senate received the nomination and referred it to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

A Proven Record Inside HHS

Cruz currently serves as the first Tribal Senior Advisor to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a post he assumed in June 2025. In that seat, he helped secure a historic $1 billion to clear the 1993 facilities construction backlog. Native health organizations have credited him as a key liaison between HHS and Indian Country. Earlier, he joined the Department of the Interior as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs on September 24, 2018. He holds a Political Science degree from Pepperdine and a master’s in Urban Education Policy from Brown.

Why This Matters for Native Health

The stakes are real. The IHS serves roughly 2.8 million American Indians and Alaska Natives from 575 federally recognized tribes across 37 states. Established in 1955, the agency funds hospitals, clinics, and health centers delivering primary care, behavioral health, and dental services to Native populations. For many rural tribal nations, these facilities remain the primary source of care. Funding and staffing shortages have challenged the system for decades. Culturally competent leadership determines how clinicians, Native practitioners, and elders across Indian Country are supported.

Ellsworth, a Navajo-owned, ISBEE-certified Native owned small business, proudly supports this appointment! Cruz is an on-the-ground leader, knowledgeable and innovative. Senate confirmation comes next. We will keep Our Relatives informed as the process advances.