Klamath citizen nominated to lead Indian Health Service
Mark Cruz's nomination heads to Senate after more than a year of interim leadership at the agency
The White House has nominated Mark Cruz, a citizen of the Klamath Tribes, to serve as director of the Indian Health Service, according to reporting by ICT. The position has been vacant since former IHS Director Roselyn Tso, a citizen of the Navajo Nation, resigned in January 2025.
Cruz has served since June 2025 as tribal senior adviser for Indian health to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., according to the ICT reporting. He previously worked as deputy assistant secretary for policy and economic development for Indian Affairs at the Department of the Interior. The IHS director oversees health care services for approximately 2.8 million American Indians and Alaska Natives from 575 federally recognized tribes. Cruz's nomination has been referred to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and requires confirmation by the full U.S. Senate.
- 1.Jourdan Bennett-Begaye. ICT, .
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