The Indian Health Service named Clayton Fulton, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, as its new chief of staff. Fulton will oversee coordination of agency operations and support the Office of the Director in implementing initiatives and policy priorities, the agency said in a statement.
Fulton previously served as an assistant attorney general for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation in eastern Oklahoma, where he worked on economic development, regulatory frameworks, and intergovernmental agreements. His portfolio included utility infrastructure projects and commercial matters tied to tribal self-governance.
Before joining the Muscogee Nation, Fulton earned a law degree from the University of Michigan and both undergraduate and graduate business degrees from Northeastern State University, where he focused on Native American enterprise. His early experience includes an internship with Cherokee Nation Businesses, which he credited with shaping his interest in tribal economic development.
“I believe that lasting change begins at the community level,” Fulton said in a statement.
IHS Acting Director Benjamin Smith said Fulton’s background in tribal policy and program development “will only strengthen our government-to-government relationships throughout Indian Country.”
The Indian Health Service, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, delivers care to about 2.8 million American Indians and Alaska Natives from 574 federally recognized tribes across 37 states.
