WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Bureau of Indian Education has selected the 2026–2027 Student Advisory Board, the first-ever group of its kind highlighting student voice for the BIE. After a rigorous application process, the Bureau brought together six emerging leaders from across Indian Country to ensure student perspectives directly inform the future of Native education.
Their appointment strengthens BIE’s commitment to student-centered decision-making and advances the BIE Strategic Direction by creating a meaningful avenue for students to help shape policies, programs, and priorities that affect their education and future. Under the Trump administration, BIE is engaging students in a formal, structured way by inviting them to share their perspectives directly with Bureau leadership and to contribute to policy development and school improvement efforts across the BIE system.
“These exceptional students represent the leadership and determination needed to shape the future of Indian Country. We proudly welcome them as partners in advancing BIE’s goals,” said Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Billy Kirkland. “The Student Advisory Board will provide valuable insight into how we can better prepare students for college, careers, and leadership in their communities. Their participation directly supports the Trump Administration’s commitment to student achievement, workforce readiness, and access to high-quality educational opportunities that prepare BIE students for success beyond the classroom.”
This year’s representatives are:
- Shya Reynolds, Bureau Operated Schools Representative — Riverside Indian School (Anadarko, Oklahoma)
- Adrianna Martinez‑Pablo, Navajo Schools Representative — Navajo Preparatory School (Farmington, New Mexico)
- Cameron Atwell, Tribally Controlled Schools Representative — Sequoyah High School (Tahlequah, Oklahoma)
- Caleb Secatero, Postsecondary Representative — Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
- J’Den Nichols, Postsecondary Representative — Haskell Indian Nations University (Lawrence, Kansas)
- Thurman Lynch, Postsecondary Representative — Tohono O’odham Community College (Sells, Arizona)
“This year’s outstanding Student Advisory Board marks the beginning of what will become one of BIE’s most valued groups of stakeholders,” said BIE Director Tony Dearman. “They will help shape how the Student Advisory Board grows in the years ahead and how student insight becomes a permanent part of our decision-making. These students will build the foundation for how BIE incorporates student voices, and their commitment reflects the strength and vision of the future leaders we serve.”
Their contributions will directly support efforts to enhance student wellness, strengthen family and community partnerships, improve instructional quality, and build environments that honor and celebrate Native identity.
The Bureau of Indian Education congratulates each of these outstanding students. Their leadership, resilience, and commitment to their communities embody the future of Indian Country. As the newest advisors to the BIE, they are helping build a stronger, more responsive, and more culturally grounded education system for all Native students. Visit BIE.edu for more information about the Student Advisory Board.
The Bureau of Indian Education supports educational opportunities for more than 400,000 American Indian and Alaska Native students nationwide through early childhood, K–12, and postsecondary programs. BIE directly operates 55 schools, funds 128 Tribally controlled schools across 23 states, and supports native students in public schools through the Johnson-O’Malley program. The Bureau also provides early childhood and special education services, and it advances postsecondary opportunities by operating Haskell Indian Nations University and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute while funding 33 Tribal Colleges and Universities that serve more than 22,000 students.
The Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs advises the Secretary of the Interior on Indian Affairs policy issues; communicates policy to and oversees the programs of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Indian Education, and the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration; provides leadership in consultations with tribes; and serves as the DOI official for intra- and inter-departmental coordination and liaison within the Executive Branch on matters concerning American Indians and Alaska Natives and the federally recognized Tribes in the United States.
