- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
President Joe Biden today announced 13 new intended nominations for his administration, including nominee Patrice Kunesh for Commissioner of the Administration for Native Americans, a program office within the United States Department of Health and Human Services.
Kunesh, a Standing Rock Lakota descendant, is an attorney and policy advocate who has led a career in public service at tribal, state, and federal levels.
She currently works for the Native American Rights Fund, where she began her career as a public interest fellow after earning her JD at the University of Colorado Law School, then a Master of Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
Previously, Kunesh led the Center for Indian Country Development at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, an economic policy research center dedicated to Indian Country issues; served as in-house counsel to the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and on the faculty at the University of South Dakota School of Law.; and served as the Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Deputy Solicitor for Indian Affairs at the U.S. Department of the Interior.
She is the founder and director of Peȟíŋ Haha Consulting, “a social enterprise committed to building more engaged and powerful Native communities by expanding assets and fostering social and human capital,” the company’s website reads.
If her nomination is confirmed, Kunesh would lead the Administration for Native Ameriacns, a program established in 1974 through the Native American Programs Act. The Administration works to support Native American communities by providing financial assistance and capacity building, gathering and sharing data, and advocating for improved policies within Health and Human Services and across the federal government.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsNative News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
This Day in History – Dec. 26, 1862: 38 Dakota Men Executed by Order of Abraham Lincoln
The Bald Eagle Finally Becomes the Official Bird of the United States
Merry Christmas from Native News Online
Can we take a minute to talk about tribal sovereignty?
Sovereignty isn't just a concept – it's the foundation of Native nations' right to govern, protect our lands, and preserve our cultures. Every story we publish strengthens tribal sovereignty.
Unlike mainstream media, we center Indigenous voices and report directly from Native communities. When we cover land rights, water protection, or tribal governance, we're not just sharing news – we're documenting our living history and defending our future.
Our journalism is powered by readers, not shareholders. If you believe in the importance of Native-led media in protecting tribal sovereignty, consider supporting our work today.
Right now, your support goes twice as far. Thanks to a generous $35,000 matching fund, every dollar you give during December 2024 will be doubled to protect sovereignty and amplify Native voices.
No paywalls. No corporate owners. Just independent, Indigenous journalism.
