Mark Cruz appointed to advise HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Mark Cruz, a citizen of the Klamath Tribes, was sworn in June 19 as senior advisor to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., according to Native News Online. Cruz's appointment fulfills a commitment Kennedy made during his confirmation process to ensure Native voices are represented at the highest levels of the department.

Previously, Cruz served as deputy assistant secretary for Indian Affairs in the U.S. Department of the Interior under the first Trump administration. He has also held key roles on Capitol Hill, including chief of staff to Representative Todd Rokita and legislative fellow in the office of Representative Tom Cole. Cruz began his career teaching at St. Francis Indian High School on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation in South Dakota. He holds degrees from Pepperdine University and Brown University.