After 13 years of transformational school leadership in public education, always fascinated with using systems and structures as a means to strategically dismantle deeply ingrained complacency with inequity (e.g. status quo culture) found in institutions and in people, I am curious to suddenly find myself working in state government for the Oregon Department of Education. I am the three great granddaughter of Tom Chocktoot, a Paiute headman and signer of the Snake and Klamath treaties. This past year has been about reconciling holding a position within the system which repeatedly attempted genocide on my people through the government policies of war and boarding schools, and then suddenly finding myself very much alive and occupying a position in the system, in the Office of Indian Education of all places. It has been a rad transition to say the least. Furthermore, ensuring the purpose of Indian Education is fulfilled, as outlined in Sec. 6102. [20 U.S.C. 7402], is also a commitment I have made to my ancestors in the work I perform for the state of Oregon each day. I am a systems thinker and believe transparency is power. I am a LOUD advocate for us to serve rural Oregon better as an agency. I always ask, "How can we serve our school districts more effectively as an agency?"