Friday, February 9-Opening Keynote
Julian Guerrero
Julian Guerrero Jr. is the Director for the Office of Indian Education at the United States Department of Education. An enrolled citizen of the Comanche Nation and affiliated with the Kiowa Tribe, Director Guerrero has been a civil servant at the Department since 2020. He is responsible for the oversight and administration of $195 million dollars in Title VI, Part A programs including: 1,300+ formula grants, 400+ competitive grants, the National Indian Education Study, and the National Advisory Council on Indian Education. Director Guerrero’s vision emphasizes the importance of how Tribal consultation and collaboration can bring authenticity to the work of the OIE.
Prior to his federal service, Director Guerrero brings experience working across Tribal, State, and nonprofit sectors. He began his career in public service as a student scholarship coordinator with the University of Oklahoma. He later began work in the nonprofit sector as Associate Director of the Tribal Education Departments National Assembly and later moved to becoming the Executive Director of American Indian Education for the State of Oklahoma. Concurrent to his Tribal and State level work, Director Guerrero served as a Tribal Gaming Commissioner, responsible for the oversight and regulation of all Comanche Nation casino properties across southwest Oklahoma.
Director Guerrero has served on various national, state, and local advisory boards including the National Indian Education Association, Oklahoma City YMCA Youth and Government program, and Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Oklahoma. As a graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor’s in Public Affairs and Administration and Master of Public Administration – Mr. Guerrero believes in the promise that public government must and will do better for all.