A.C. Locklear

A.C. Locklear, J.D. is Chief Executive Officer of the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) and a nationally recognized leader in Tribal health policy, federal Indian law, and Tribal public health. He leads national advocacy to strengthen Tribal sovereignty and advance health outcomes for American Indian and Alaska Native communities. A.C. has helped advance landmark federal outcomes for Tribal health, including securing advance appropriations for the Indian Health Service and contributing to the first major increase to the Special Diabetes Program for Indians in over a decade. He has also provided executive leadership during periods of federal disruption, working with Tribal leaders, national Native organizations, and senior federal officials to protect Tribal health funding and ensure continuity of critical programs. He serves in national advisory capacities across public health, including on behavioral health, health systems modernization, and population health strategy, and is a frequent congressional witness and national media voice. He is a citizen of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.