Ross Swimmer, Interior Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, today announced the appointment of Nancy Garrett as Director of the Office of Administration in the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Garrett, a member of the Senior Executive Service (SES) since 1978, currently serves as Deputy-Comptroller in BIA's Office of Indian Education Programs. Her new appointment is effective December 22.
"I am pleased that Garrett has agreed to move into this important position in BIA," Swimmer said. "Her three years of experience in Indian affairs and her long-time managerial experience in the SES will be a tremendous asset in helping us better manage personnel, budget and contracting and grants programs in the Bureau." In her new position, Garrett will report to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Operations and be responsible for: the personnel and training activities of more than 14,000 BIA employees; an annual finance and budget program of almost $1 billion; the Bureau's property management activities; management research and evaluation programs; and management of the Agency's contracting and grants program.
Garrett joined the Federal service in 1960 as a GS-3 clerk-typist in the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) in the Department of State. In 1967 she was named budget officer for Dulles Airport and 18 months later was given the additional duties as budget officer for National Airport. She became budget officer of the Office of Field Operations in the Office of the Secretary in the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW), later renamed Health and Human Service, in 1970. Four years later she moved to the office of director of the Executive Secretariat in HEW's Social and Rehabilitation Service, HEW, and in 1976 became the first female executive in the U.S. Treasury's U.S. Customs Service when she was named deputy assistant commissioner.
She became a charter member of the Senior Executive Service in 1978 and was appointed Associate Director of the National Park Service. In 1982 she served as Director of the Office of Technical Assistance in Territorial and International Affairs before joining BIA in 1983. Garrett resides in Arlington, Virginia and maintains a farm in Culpeper, Virginia.
