TULSA, Okla. – Cherokee Federal, a division of Cherokee Nation Businesses (CNB), today announced the hiring of prominent industry executive Kevin Bearden as Vice President of Humanitarian Solutions. In this role, Bearden will be responsible for leading the organization’s immigration, refugee and emergency humanitarian response efforts with government agencies.
“The continued growth and expansion of Cherokee Federal’s humanitarian solutions operation is in full alignment with our corporate ethos as a tribal enterprise, as well as our partnership objectives in support of the federal government during this critical time of global humanitarian crises,” said Tim Roberts, Sr. Vice President of Innovative Practices at Cherokee Federal. “We are proud of the sophisticated resources, crisis response services and trauma-informed care we have provided our government partners thus far and know that Kevin’s experience and leadership will be extremely valuable.”
“I am incredibly passionate about supporting the vulnerable and underserved among us,” said Bearden. “This is an exciting opportunity for me to join Cherokee Federal’s team of like-minded, mission-driven individuals committed to providing critical services and compassionate care to those who urgently need it.”
As a volunteer Board Member with the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants for several years, Bearden spent time in several refugee camps in both northern Ethiopia and Kenya. Additionally, he previously supported the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services with unaccompanied children shelter care operations at various locations along the southern border and championed corporate social responsibility programs.
Bearden previously served in C-suite and other key senior executive roles at The Providencia Group (TPG), SOS International (SOSI) and General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT). Before entering the private sector, he was a Commissioned Officer in the U.S. Army Signal Corp and served both on active duty (Europe) as well as in the Army Reserves. Bearden holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina A&T and a Master of Science in Systems Engineering from Johns Hopkins. Learn more about Bearden’s experience by connecting with him on LinkedIn.