Acting Director, Indian Health Service (IHS), Division of Behavioral Health (DBH)
Dr. Tamara James serves as the primary source of national advocacy, policy development, management and administration of behavioral health, alcohol and substance abuse, and family violence prevention programs. Working in partnership with Tribes, Tribal organizations, and Urban Indian health organizations, DBH coordinates national efforts to share knowledge and build capacity through the development and implementation of evidence-/practice-based and cultural-based practices in Indian Country.
She joined IHS in 2016 as the national data coordinator within DBH, Office of Clinical and Preventive Services. In this role, she has supported DBH program priorities, including reporting and evaluation efforts related to suicide prevention, alcohol and substance abuse, and the Community Health Representatives programs. She received her PhD in biomedical sciences from New York University School of Medicine and completed postdoctoral fellowships at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and a bioinformatic startup, GeneCentrix Inc.
Throughout her career, Dr. James has worked as a health science resource within tribal, nonprofit, and federal settings to promote the health and well-being of the American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) population. Her transition from “bench science” to health science administration was possible through her selection into the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Science and Technology Policy fellowship program. As a policy fellow within the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, she participated in science policy activities to advance the mission of the Institute.
Prior to joining IHS, Dr. James worked with the Southern Plains Tribal Health Board as a project coordinator to promote tribal public health development and capacity building. She is passionate about strengthening AI/AN families and communities, with a focus on the promotion of well-being and resilience among AI/AN males