Tara Sweeney becomes first Indigenous Alaskan to head U.S. Indian Affairs
The U.S. Senate Thursday evening confirmed Alaskan Tara MacLean Sweeney to be the assistant Interior Secretary for Indian Affairs. Sweeney is from Anchorage and Utqiagvik.
Sweeney is an executive at Arctic Slope Regional Corporation and a past co-chair of the Alaska Federation of Natives. She is the first Alaska Native to become an assistant Interior secretary.
She’ll oversee the bureaus of Indian Affairs and Indian Education.
The Senate’s vote was by unanimous consent.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Indigenous participation in research key to improving health outcomes, says expert, Eye on the Arctic
Finland: Sámi school preserves reindeer herders’ heritage with help of internet, Cryopolitics Blog
Russia: Russia plans fenced parks to confine reindeer herding in Arctic, The Independent Barents Observer
Sweden: Report sheds light on Swedish minority’s historic mistreatment, Radio Sweden
United States: Committee approves nomination of Alaska’s Sweeney to U.S. Indian Affairs, Alaska Public Media
