Sarah Kastelic

Since 2015, Dr. Sarah Kastelic (Alutiiq), an enrolled citizen of the Native Village of Ouzinkie, has served as executive director of the National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA). Prior to joining NICWA as chief of staff in 2011 as part of an intentional, culturally based executive leadership transition, Sarah led the National Congress of American Indians’ (NCAI) welfare reform program and, in 2003, was the founding director of NCAI’s Policy Research Center. She began her career at the Bureau of Indian Affairs as a child welfare specialist in 1998. She earned a master’s degree and PhD from the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis, where she serves as adjunct faculty. Sarah has served as principal investigator of several federally and privately funded national research projects, partnering with Tribal and urban Indian communities. She has authored numerous publications, including journal articles, book chapters, and curricula. She is a member of the boards of directors of BoardSource, Brazelton Touchpoints Project, Children’s Funding Project, Generations United, Native Ways Federation, and Northwest Area Foundation. Sarah enjoys being an auntie to her five nieces and nephews, reading, hiking with her pup Penny, and kayaking.