Dr. Jerry Bread's academic background includes a B.S. degree in Education from Northeastern State University (emphasis on Indian history and education); a M.S. in Education Administration (Indian education policy and history); and a Ph.D. in Education Administration (research, policy, leadership and curriculum development) from the University of Oklahoma. He has been very active in American Indian policy making at the national, state, tribal and local levels, serving as chair and director of several national and tribal Indian education movements. He has served as Director of The University of Oklahoma's American Indian Institute; Director and Founder of the College of Education's American Indian Teacher Corps, Mentorship Program for Minority Students, and the Foundations in Native Education Graduate Program. He is a member of OU's Presidential American Indian Task Force, the National Indian Education Association, American Indian Faculty Association, and many local, state, tribal, and national thrusts related to the education and welfare of native people. His research and teaching interests focus on native participation in education, tribal governmental history and development, cultural influence on achievement, and contemporary native issues and communication. His personal interests include native languages, tribal business development, ceremony, history, religion, and psychology. Dr. Bread is a member of the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma and has family linkage with the Cherokee Nation as well.