Kevin Skenandore

Acting Director, Bureau of Indian Education

Kevin Skenandore began his career in the mid-1970s as a Home Living Assistant at the Intermountain Inter-Tribal School and, over the years, he has served as a Recreation Specialist, Principal, Line Officer, Director for the Center of School Improvement, and, in January 2007, he was promoted to the Senior Executive Service as the Associate Deputy Director for the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). In August 2007, he was appointed to the position of the Interim Director for the Bureau of Indian Education and continues to serve in this capacity.

Mr. Skenandore led the movement to restructure and reorganize the Office of Indian Education Programs from being embedded within the Bureau of Indian Affairs to becoming its own Bureau of Indian Education. This achievement has brought true recognition to and elevated the stature of Indian Education within the Department of the Interior, allowing the Bureau of Indian Education to enhance educational services to Indian students.

Serving in key leadership positions within Indian Education has allowed Mr. Skenandore to facilitate educational change for a more focused approach to improve teaching and learning opportunities for all American Indian children served by the Bureau of Indian Education. His strong commitment to his employees is evident by his leadership style and in the way he serves as a leader, mentor and colleague to three generations of Indian Education employees. He maintains high expectations for the role each employee assumes as a steward of American Indian Education.

Mr. Skenandore is well known and respected in the American Indian community because of his openness and willingness to address difficult issues that result in improved educational services for Indian students.

Mr. Skenandore is the co-founder of the Coalition of Educators for Native American Children in New Mexico, and established the Children’s First Coalition on the White Mountain Apache Reservation. This coalition brought together public, parochial, tribal and Bureau-operated schools in a united front to improve educational opportunities for all students on the reservation.

Mr. Skenandore has been an advocate to maximize technological capabilities to enhance learning throughout the Bureau’s educational system.

Mr. Skenandore grew up on the Sho-Ban reservation and is a third generation Bureau employee. He attended the University of Utah and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology as well as his Masters degree in Education from Utah State University. He is passionate about learning and enjoys reading and exploring the outdoors. He has been known to serve as a guide in Island Park, Idaho, where he also enjoys quiet time with a rod and reel for fly-fishing.