The U.S. Department of the Interior announced that Bryan Mercier, a member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, will be the new director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs BIA.
Mercier brings a lot of experience to the role. Over the past 20 years, he has worked in several federal agencies, including as the Northwest regional director for the BIA. He has also worked with the U.S. Forest Service, Department of the Treasury, and managed Fish and Wildlife at Bonneville Power Administration.
I’ve worked in four federal agencies—Energy, Treasury, Agriculture, and Interior—all with different goals, but none as important as the BIA’s, said Mercier. I’m honored to be the new director and excited to build on the strong foundation laid by Darryl LaCounte to support Tribal sovereignty and self-determination, and to improve our services for Native people.
Mercier holds degrees in business administration, economics, and human rights and international law from universities in the U.S., Germany, and Spain.
He will replace Darryl LaCounte, who will retire later this year after nearly 40 years at the BIA.
It’s been an honor to serve the BIA for almost four decades, said LaCounte. During my time, we have added thousands of acres to the federal trust, simplified processes, and made it easier for Tribal governments to govern themselves. I’m proud of what our team has done to make Indian Country safer and more prosperous. Under Mercier’s leadership, the BIA will continue to provide important services to the 574 federally recognized Tribes.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs supports Tribes by managing infrastructure, law enforcement, social services, tribal governance, and land and resource programs for Native American and Alaska Native communities.