Coverage of tribal natural resources is supported in part by Catena Foundation
A former Grand Canyon National Park employee, who worked with Arizona’s tribes to integrate traditional knowledge into federal policy and programs, has begun a new job assisting Indigenous communities nationwide.
Mike Lyndon has stepped down from his role as tribal program manager at the Grand Canyon to become a program and policy analyst at the National Park Service’s Office of Native American Affairs.
He and his family have since relocated from northern Arizona to the nation’s capital.
Lyndon grew up in Flagstaff, studied anthropology at Northern Arizona University and spent 18 years working closely with tribes throughout the Southwest. Prior to his stint at the Grand Canyon, he also served as a tribal affairs staff officer at the Kaibab National Forest until 2019.
The National Park Service told KJZZ News that no one will be filling that position immediately as a nationwide search is gearing up. But in the meantime, NPS Ranger Kelkiyana Yazzie, of Diné ancestry, and Hualapai tribal member Vincent Diaz will be backfilling Lyndon’s workload.
