U.S. Secretary of Commerce John Bryson announced January 13, 2012 that Dee Alexander will serve as his Senior Adviser on Native American Affairs. Alexander will lead on the coordination and promotion of Commerce programs and promoting the Secretary’s vision for job creation and economic growth to American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

As Commerce’s Tribal Consultation Official, Alexander will have the principal responsibility for implementing the Department’s Tribal Coordination and Consultation Policy, per President’s Obama’s Executive Order (13175), which ensures meaningful and timely input by tribal officials in the development of regulatory policies that have tribal implications.  

Alexander has served with the Census Bureau for 10 years, leading the Census and assisting the Department in developing policies that outline how the Department builds durable relationships with American Indian tribes on a government-to-government basis.  Her work has included ensuring these relationships support tribes in the development of strong and stable economies and compete in the global marketplace. As Senior Adviser on Native American Affairs, Alexander will be housed in the Secretary’s Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs.

Alexander began her Commerce career in 1998 at the Census Bureau’s Kansas City Regional Office, where she was responsible for developing partnerships primarily with federal, state, local and tribal governments for pre-census and Census 2000 promotion activities. In between her two tenures with the Census Bureau, she served as Executive Director for Red Earth, Inc., an Oklahoma City-based non-profit organization that includes an Indian museum with American Indian educational programs.

Alexander moved to Census headquarters in 2005 to work on Decennial Census operations. She chaired the Census 2010 American Indian and Alaska Native Working Team.

Alexander has a degree in Travel and Tourism and has earned a Master’s Certificate in Project Management from George Washington University. Dee and her daughter Kelli live in Bowie, Maryland.