Tara Sweeney
Tara Sweeney | |
|---|---|
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| 13th Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs | |
| Assumed office August, 2018 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Kevin K. Washburn |
| Personal details | |
| Nationality | American |
Tara Sweeney is an American businessperson, Native Alaskan activist and political operative that since 2018 serves as Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, overseeing the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Education at the United States Department of the Interior.
A daughter of teachers Bryan and Eileen Mac Lean, Sweeny grew up in Wainwright, Bethel, and Unalakleet and Utqiagvik in rural Alaska. Her mother became a state representative. She is an Iñupiat and a member of the Native Village of Barrow Inupiat Traditional Government[1]. One of her ancestors translated the bible into the Inupiaq language.[2]
In 1991, she graduated from Barrow High School. She went on to earn a B.S. in industrial and labor relations at Cornell University in 1998.[2]
For almost two decades she has worked for Arctic Slope Regional Corporation (ASRC) with subsidaries, in various position, the last being as Executive Vice President of External Affair where she served as the company's spokesperson. In this capacity she has advocated for opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil drilling. She has a birthright co-ownership in the company.
She started a one year term as co-chair of the Alaska Federation of Natives in October 2013[1] and served as chairman of the Arctic Economic Council from 2015 to 2017 as a representative of the Inuit Circumpolar Council.[2]
In October 2017, she was nominated by President Donald Trump for Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs. The US Senate Committee on Indian Affairs unanimously recommended a full vote in the Senate and she was unanimously confirmed by the Senate in June 2018.[3] During the confirmation hearings she pledged to recuse herself from issues involving the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation. She is the first Native Alaskan and second woman to oversee the Bureau of Indian Affairs.[3][4]
She is married to Kevin Sweeney who is also a Republican operative. The couple has two children and lives in Anchorage. Their son Ahmaogak had a role in the 2012 film Big Miracle.[2]
References
- ^ a b Alaska Native executive Tara Sweeney named to top Bureau of Indian Affairs job Indianz.com. October 17, 2017. Retrieved January 25, 2019
- ^ a b c d Steve Straehley and David Wallechinsky Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs: Who Is Tara Sweeney? Retrieved January 17, 2019
- ^ a b Daniel Kirby (June 28, 2018) Senate unanimously confirms Tara Sweeney for Interior Department post Ktuu.com. Retrieved January 25, 2019
- ^ Dan MacGuill (September 18, 2018) Did Donald Trump Appoint the First Native American to Lead the Bureau of Indian Affairs? Snopes.com. Retrieved 25 August 2019