Bryan Newland, principal deputy assistant secretary of Indian Affairs, recently announced two new appointments to leadership positions in the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).
BIA has appointed Bartholomew “Bart” Stevens as its new deputy bureau director for Field Operations and Kimberly Bouchard as eastern regional director.
“They bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to these management positions and will provide important continuity within the BIA’s operations and regulations,” Newland said in a statement.
Stevens is a member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe in Arizona with ancestry from the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona, the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes in Idaho and the Ute Tribe in Utah. Before being appointed to his current position, he previously served as regional director for the BIA’s Navajo Regional Office in Gallup, New Mexico.
“Throughout my career, I have pledged not only to uphold the federal trust responsibilities to the tribes, but to leave Indian Country a better place than when I joined federal service,” Stevens said in a statement. “I am honored to serve as the BIA’s next deputy director for Field Operations, and I deeply appreciate the confidence placed in me to fulfill this vision. I will do my utmost to ensure that the BIA’s mission is implemented to the best of our ability.”
Bouchard is a member of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians in Wisconsin. She brings 27 years of BIA experience and previously held the position of deputy regional director position at the Eastern Regional Office before being appointed to her current position.
“I want to thank Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Newland and Director LaCounte for this opportunity to continue serving in the Eastern Regional Office,” Bouchard said. “I am committed to continuing the BIA’s mission of supporting all tribes in their desire for self-determination while ensuring their economic development goals are realized.”
Established in 1824, the Bureau of Indian Affairs is the oldest bureau in the U.S. Department of the Interior. It provides services to approximately 1.9 million American Indians and Alaska Natives from federally recognized tribes.
