Principal Chief James Floyd

James Floyd is the recently retired Principal Chief of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.  The MCN is the fourth largest tribe in the United States, covering eleven counties in eastern Oklahoma with over 86,500 members worldwide. Chief Floyd’s 38-year public service career includes 28 years at the Indian Health Service and Veterans Affairs, with 23 spent in the Senior Executive Service. He served as Director of the Eastern Oklahoma VA Health Service, the Veterans Affairs Heartland Network in Kansas City, the VA of Salt Lake City Health Care System, and the VA Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah.

In 2004, he was recognized with the Under Secretary for Health’s Diversity Award for his work in establishing innovative outreach and treatment programs for Native American Veterans, incorporating traditional healing practices, and establishing tele-health services in rural and Native American communities. Chief Floyd has worked relentlessly throughout his career to ensure that Native Veterans have access to quality healthcare and dedicated his time to ensuring the veterans within his community and on the national level have a Veterans Affairs that meets and exceeds their needs.

Chief Floyd has a Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration from Northeastern State University, and a Master of Public Administration from Portland State University. He completed post-graduate training at the University of North Carolina and at the Brookings Institute.