IHS Announces Rear Adm. Kelly Battese as New Division of Commissioned Personnel Support Director

The Indian Health Service is announcing the selection of Rear Adm. Kelly Battese, a member of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, as the new director for the Division of Commissioned Personnel Support. Under his leadership, Rear Adm. Battese will focus on the needs of the United States Public Health Service commissioned officers and improve support and partnership between IHS and Commissioned Corps Headquarters and senior leadership. 

DCPS administers the Commissioned Corps programs for approximately 1,600 commissioned officers assigned to IHS, tribal, and urban Indian organization facilities throughout the United States. DCPS serves as subject-matter experts and consultants to IHS leadership, program officials, commissioned officers, and their dependents and survivors on all Commissioned Corps matters.

Rear Adm. Battese has served in multiple leadership positions throughout his career. He started with the IHS as a clinical pharmacist with the Haskell Indian Health Center in Lawrence, Kansas. His work ethic and leadership skills have transitioned him into several leadership positions within the IHS Oklahoma City Area. He served as the chief pharmacist of the White Cloud Health Station in White Cloud, Kansas, and assumed the chief executive officer duties for that facility. Looking to further his knowledge and leadership skills, he transferred to the Claremore Indian Hospital where he served as the ambulatory care director and later as the hospital’s administrative officer. These positions and experiences led him to his last position as the chief executive officer at Haskell Indian Health Center in Lawrence, Kansas.

For 14 years, Rear Adm. Battese served on Rapid Deployment Force 4 in a variety of roles, eventually leading the team as team commander. His extensive deployment history includes border missions, hurricane responses, and Remote Area Medical missions. Recently, he has served as the vice-chair for the National Council of Chief Executive Officers and currently serves on the National Council of Chief Executive Officers, the IHS National Commissioned Corps Awards Board, is faculty for the IHS Pharmacy Leadership Training course, and is a member of the IHS Health IT Modernization Executive Committee.

Rear Adm. Battese was the recipient of the 2012 Outstanding Senior Pharmacist of the Year Award for the Oklahoma City Area, Chief Executive Officers Award from the IHS Direct Service Tribes Advisory Committee, and the IHS Director’s Award.

Rear Adm. Battese received his Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Tabor College, a Master’s Degree in Business Administration in Healthcare from Southern Nazarene University, and a Doctorate of Pharmacy from the University of Kansas. He has been happily married to Rachel for 21 years and has three children, Alayna, Natalie, and Tanner. He enjoys spending time with family and friends, and as much time as possible in the outdoors.