Kevin Bearden, a more than 25-year government market veteran, has joined Cherokee Federal as vice president of humanitarian solutions.
In his new position, Bearden will spearhead the Tulsa, Oklahoma-based contractor’s work with various agencies across immigration, refugee and emergency response programs, the federal division of Cherokee Nation Businesses said Friday.
Tim Roberts, senior vice president of innovative practices at Cherokee Federal, said Bearden will build on the “sophisticated resources, crisis response services and trauma-informed care” the company offers with its government collaborators.
“The continued growth and expansion of Cherokee Federal’s humanitarian solutions operation is in full alignment with our corporate ethos as a tribal enterprise…Kevin’s experience and leadership will be extremely valuable,” Roberts added.
Bearden comes to Cherokee Federal with extensive humanitarian experience, having dedicated his efforts to refugee camps in northern Ethiopia and Kenya as a volunteer board member for the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. He also aided the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in their unaccompanied children shelter care facilities throughout the southern border and has been an advocate for corporate social responsibility initiatives.
The former U.S. Army Signal Corps officer occupied C-suite and other senior-level roles at The Providencia Group, SOS International, General Dynamics Information Technology and Booz Allen Hamilton.
Along with human service programs, Bearden’s expertise lies in project management, business development, capture, information assurance and cybersecurity.
Bearden shared that the pursuits that drew him to Cherokee Federal are “supporting the vulnerable and underserved among us” and “providing critical services and compassionate care to those who urgently need it.”