Kevin Washburn makes first public appearance as leader of BIA

Friday, October 19, 2012  

Kevin Washburn, the new leader of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, made his first public appearance outside of Washington, D.C., at the Alaska Federation of Natives convention on Thursday.

Washburn, a member of the Chickasaw Nation, has been on the job for barely over a week. But he said one of his first priorities was to make it to Alaska to learn more about Native issues there, including subsistence and self-governance.

"I know that tribes serve our people better than the federal government can," Washburn told AFN, citing his own tribe's experiencing in taking over programs from the Indian Health Service.

"My number one principle is how we can better improve tribal self-governance," Washburn said.

AFN is being held in Anchorage this year.

Alaska Natives hold rally for subsistence hunting, fishing rights (10/18)