Larry EchoHawk rises every morning before dawn in order to make the most of an opportunity he spent his entire career preparing for.

EchoHawk, was 14 when his family joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is a Native American and member of the Pawnee Nation. The former Brigham Young University football player's primary reason for becoming a lawyer was to help Indian people. More than 35 years after getting his license to practice law, he now works for the U.S. Department of the Interior as Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs, perhaps the preeminent position in all of government for positively influencing the 1.9 million Native Americans in the United States.

"The assistant secretary of Indian Affairs is described as the top official within the federal government that has exclusive responsibility for Indian Affairs. I have a trust responsibility under United States law to protect the political integrity, the lands and the natural resources of American Indians and Alaskan Natives."

President Barack Obama nominated EchoHawk to his present post. The U.S. Senate confirmed him on May 19, and he was sworn in May 22 by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar.