Mr. Joshua Bess serves as the under secretary of support and sustainability for the department of family services. He is a Chickasaw citizen and has worked for the Chickasaw Nation since 2006. He continues to serve the Chickasaw people through providing high quality family support, residential, and violence prevention services.
Mr. Bess serves as vice-chair for the Chickasaw Foundation and is a member of the Chickasaw Foundation Scholarship Committee. He is also a member of the Chickasaw Historical Society, and serves as a member of the Core Committee with the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare.
Mr. Bess is a graduate of the Chickasaw Leadership Academy, and has also served as a member of Toastmaster’s International, National Tribal Child Support Association (NTCSA), Oklahoma Tribal Child Support Association (OTCSA), National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA), and the Oklahoma Indian Child Welfare Association (OICWA).
He earned a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree in human resources administration from East Central University.
