SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Mark Cruz, a citizen of the Klamath Tribes, was formally sworn in as Director of the Indian Health Service during a ceremony in San Diego, with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. administering the oath of office.
Cruz now leads the Indian Health Service, which provides health services to approximately 2.8 million American Indians and Alaska Natives from 575 federally recognized Tribes. He is the 12th Director of IHS and will serve a four-year term.
During the ceremony, Klamath Tribal Council member Brandon Tupper spoke about Cruz’s roots in Klamath Falls and the significance of having a Tribal citizen who understands Native communities serving in the role. Tupper emphasized that health care for Native people is rooted in the federal trust responsibility and highlighted the challenges ahead, including staffing, facilities, funding and the daily needs of Tribal health facilities.
Secretary Kennedy administered the oath using Cruz’s grandmother’s Bible.
“Today is just a formality because Mark has been running Indian Health Services for the past two years,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy said he sought a leader who could navigate the federal bureaucracy, break through barriers, work with Congress and advocate for Tribal communities. He described Cruz as someone who “will not ever give up and just get things done.”
Kennedy also praised Cruz’s work leading up to his formal swearing-in.
“As many great people as I have, there is none better at this job than what Mark is doing,” Kennedy said. “I’m so proud of all the accomplishments.”
Cruz will also continue serving as Senior Advisor for Native Affairs to Secretary Kennedy, strengthening the connection between Tribal nations and federal health leadership while leading IHS.
Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren attended the ceremony in San Diego to witness Director Cruz take the oath of office. President Nygren serves as the primary Navajo Area delegate to the HHS Secretary’s Tribal Advisory Committee, where he continues to advocate for Navajo health care priorities directly with federal health leadership.
