Sudden ANTHC leadership change: Valerie Davidson no longer at the helm

4 months ago

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Valerie Nurr’araaluk Davidson was not only caput of 1 of nan largest tribal wellness organizations successful nan nation, but besides recognized arsenic a trailblazer successful Native wellness care. But Davidson is nary longer president and CEO of nan Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium.

In a statement on its website, ANTHC announced she had near nan organization, but gave nary mentation why, different than to opportunity she was “transitioning” retired of nan occupation that oversees much than 3,000 workers. ANTHC is Alaska’s 2nd largest wellness employer.

The news is puzzling to those acquainted pinch Davidson’s way record, who telephone her departure shocking successful that it was truthful abrupt and abrupt.

The news traveled accelerated to her aged boss, erstwhile Gov. Bill Walker, who is connected a travel to London. Walker said he’s some amazed and dismayed.

“It’s conscionable specified an awkward situation, I’ll put it that way, because she’s truthful gifted,” said Walker, who initially tapped Davidson to beryllium his Health and Social Services commissioner.

Walker said she successfully led nan Alaska’s push to grow Medicaid, which saved nan authorities millions.

“I witnessed her virtually move mountains connected wellness attraction issues that benefited Alaska,” Walker said. “There’s thing she wouldn’t do, if it helped supply wellness attraction successful Alaska.”

Davidson, who is Yup’ik and raised successful Southwest Alaska, was known arsenic nan “Kuspuk Commissioner,” because she dressed successful kuspuks, a accepted Yup’ik overshirt. Davidson’s colorful kuspuks were usually handsewn by family and friends. The agleam patterns made her guidelines retired successful nan governor’s agency and nan halls of nan authorities Capitol, arsenic good arsenic her jokes astir really nan large pockets successful kuspuks are useful for carrying things for illustration babe diapers.

Davidson’s trademark joke masked her skills arsenic a savvy lawyer and negotiator, who helped tribal organizations triumph battles successful Congress.

Walker later tapped Davidson to service arsenic his lieutenant governor, aft Byron Mallott resigned in a scandal.

It was a akin script erstwhile Davidson took complete nan Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, aft its president, Andy Teuber, disappeared in a solo chopper clang successful March 2021. Teuber’s fatal formation came conscionable arsenic accusations of intersexual harassment were astir to emerge.

While nan connection from nan tribal consortium gives nary reasons for nan determination to switch Davidson, it heaps praise upon her for guiding nan statement done what it described arsenic a “leadership crisis.”

In nan statement, nan consortium’s Board of Directors credited Davidson pinch galore successes during her watch, which included awesome investments and meaningful improvements that supported what it called nan “remarkable translator of nan organization.”

Gary Ferguson, a erstwhile workfellow of Davidson’s, said she’s 1 of a kind.

“She has been a coagulated leader wherever she’s gone,” Ferguson said, “and has been a changemaker.”

Ferguson is an Unangan, who presently useful arsenic a interrogator astatine Washington State. He’s a licensed naturopathic doctor, who spent 10 years astatine ANTHC, erstwhile Davidson served arsenic nan consortium’s attorney.

Ferguson said he has agelong admired her integrity and passion for bringing accepted Native values to wellness care.

“Val has been a pioneer, speaking her truth,” Ferguson said, “which I deliberation is very difficult to do successful those high-level positions.”

Ferguson said nan wellness consortium has “an unthinkable ngo and does unthinkable work, but besides has an incredibly challenging environment” that pits Native values against nan bottommost line. Ferguson believes this changeless hostility has led to precocious executive turnover.

“There’s a batch of governmental pressure. There are a batch of regions and peoples to serve, immoderate of which person much resources than others,” Ferguson said. “So delivering wellness attraction equity crossed nan authorities tin beryllium challenging.”

Those challenges now autumn to Natasha Singh who, for illustration Davidson, is simply a lawyer — also pinch a estimation arsenic a tribal authorities changemaker. Singh has taken complete arsenic interim president and CEO.

According to nan ProPublica Non-profit Explorer database, which looked astatine taxation forms for nan 2012-2022 fiscal year, nan statewide tribal wellness statement had revenues of almost $840 million. It listed Davidson’s net astatine $806,000.

Repeated requests for remark from ANTHC, Davidson and Singh were not returned. For now, nan governmental undercurrents of this alteration successful activity stay unclear.

Source Alaska Public