Stanley Speaks spent his career involved in First American affairs of every nature. He was born in 1933 and grew up to graduate from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

Speaks joined the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) soon after and never stopped devoting his time to bettering the way of life for First Americans.

Speaks was honored for his 45 years of service to the BIA. His career had included serving as a teacher, supervisor, manager, agency superintendent, area director and as the director of the BIA Northwest Regional Office in Oregon, which oversees 15 agencies that serve 45 federally recognized tribes.

His career also involved his service as acting director of the Bureau of Indian Education, acting deputy commissioner for the BIA and acting director for the Eastern Oklahoma Regional Office.

Speaks was key in the progress and development of the Joint Tribal/Department of Interior task force for the reorganization of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Speaks was dedicated to protecting tribal rights and in helping tribes to achieve economic and business development.