Grace Fox

About Grace Fox

Hesci (“Hello” in Mvskoke), I am Grace Fox! I am an enrolled citizen of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, based in Norman, and I’m committed to building policy solutions that honor tribal sovereignty while improving health outcomes for Native people.I proudly serve as a Tribal Healthcare Policy Analyst at the University of Oklahoma’s Native Nations Center for Tribal Policy Research (NNCTPR), where I lead research and policy development under the NIH-funded Improving Cancer Outcomes in Native American Communities (ICON) initiative. As the first policy analyst hired at the Center, my work focuses on understanding—and helping address—the structural barriers that shape cancer outcomes for the 38 federally recognized tribes in Oklahoma, as well as Native communities across Indian Country. Much of my work is about translating complex systems into actionable options for tribal leaders to strengthen access, coordination, and patient protections while honoring self-determination.My background is in federal Indian policy, culturally grounded research, and advocacy. In 2024, I earned my Master of Public Policy from the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government as an Eisenhower Global Scholar. To fulfill my MPP fieldwork requirement, I worked in Washington, D.C. for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Tribal Relations. My experience supporting tribal food sovereignty and economic development initiatives directly inspired my dissertation, which examined how flexible federal funding can be leveraged to uphold the federal trust responsibility while advancing sustainable, community-led development.I earned my bachelor’s degree from Columbia University in 2023, graduating cum laude with a double major in Psychology and Ethnicity & Race Studies (Native American/Indigenous Studies). My academic and leadership journey has been recognized through honors including the Gates Scholarship, the Udall Undergraduate Scholarship, and the Udall Native American Congressional Internship, where I served at the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Education.Across roles, my goal is consistent: produce rigorous, sovereignty-centered policy research that is useful to Tribal Nations—work that supports clearer pathways to care, stronger systems, and outcomes that reflect what Native communities have always deserved.

Experience

1. Tribal Healthcare Policy Analyst

   Native Nations Center For Tribal Policy Research

   Jun 2025 — Present · Norman, OK, US

   Lead sovereignty-centered research and policy analysis under the NIH-funded Improving Cancer Outcomes in Native American Communities (ICON) initiative, examining how federal and IHS systems shape access to the cancer care continuum for Tribal citizens in Oklahoma and across Indian Country.• Author policy briefs, grant-supporting content, and long-form research reports (including NNCTPR’s Sovereign Report publications); develop stakeholder-ready presentations and facilitate discussions that make complex policy systems accessible to Tribal leaders, partners, and decision-makers.• Analyze Indian Health Service Purchased/Referred Care (PRC) and related federal coverage pathways—mapping eligibility/residency rules, PRC Delivery Area geography, authorization workflows, medical priority levels, alternate resource requirements, and failure points that drive delays, confusion, and improper billing exposure.• Collaborate with OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center’s Native American Center for Cancer Health Excellence to translate research into actionable policy and implementation options that strengthen navigation, coordination, and patient protections in tribally informed ways.• Serve on regional and national cancer advisory bodies (Stephenson Cancer Center Tribal Advisory Council; SPIPA Cancer Advisory Committee; Oklahoma Lung Cancer Roundtable; NACCHE), providing Tribal/community-informed input on outreach, screening, navigation, and survivorship priorities.

Education

• Columbia University

  Bachelor of Arts - BA, Psychology, Ethnicity and Race Studies (Native American/Indigenous Studies)

• Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford

  Master's of Public Policy (MPP), Political Science and Government

• Columbia Bartending Agency and School of Mixology

  Certificate of Graduation, Bartending/Bartender

• Edmond Memorial High School

  High School Diploma