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A.C. Looklear Selected to Head the National Indian Health Board

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The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) announced on Friday that its board of directors has selected A.C. Locklear (Lumbee) the organization’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Locklear was chosen after serving as interim executive director when its longtime  chief executive officer Stacy Bohlen (Sault Ste Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians )was terminated on August 21, 2024.

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“Over the past several months, the board conducted a comprehensive review of highly qualified candidates to ensure the best leadership for NIHB’s future. After careful consideration, the Board determined that A.C.’s leadership, vision, and deep commitment to Tribal health make him the right person to lead NIHB forward,” NIHB said in a press release on Friday.

Locklear joined the NIHB in 2021, first as a policy analyst and then as the organization’s first Federal Relations Director, a role in which he leads federal budget and regulatory policy priorities, including developing and advancing Tribal health and public health policy.

NIHB Board Chairman William “Chief Bill” Smith, Valdez Village Native, expressed confidence in the Board’s decision:

"A.C. Locklear has already shown remarkable leadership as Interim CEO, and we have full faith in his ability to lead NIHB into the future. His dedication to Tribal health and his vision for strengthening our organization will ensure that NIHB remains a powerful advocate for the health and well-being of our people. We look forward to the impact he will continue to make for Indian Country."

Locklear  holds a Juris Doctorate and  Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies, with a concentration in American Indian and Indigenous Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

 (Disclosure:  Native News Online co-produces the Hope + Healing podcast with the National Indian Health Board, including season one, which ran in 2022-2023, and season two, which is in production.)

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About The Author
Levi Rickert
Author: Levi RickertEmail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Levi "Calm Before the Storm" Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) is the founder, publisher and editor of Native News Online. Rickert was awarded Best Column 2021 Native Media Award for the print/online category by the Native American Journalists Association. He serves on the advisory board of the Multicultural Media Correspondents Association. He can be reached at [email protected].