Healthy Alaska Natives Foundation announces 2022 Luminary Award recipients
April 15, 2022
The Healthy Alaska Natives Foundation will host the 15th annual Raven’s Ball on April 19 and 20. For the safety our partners, the Foundation has transformed the event into the Raven’s Ball Online Auction and Virtual Celebration. The Raven’s Ball raises funds in support of Alaska Native people, Tribes and Tribal Health Organizations.
An annual highlight of the event is the presentation of the Luminary Awards. Each year, individuals and groups are recognized for their dedication and outstanding contributions to the Alaska Tribal Health System and their communities. The Luminary Awards will be announced at the live virtual event on April 20, 2022 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. at healthyalaskanatives.org.
The Healthy Alaska Natives Foundation’s Board of Directors is excited to announce the recipients of the 2022 Raven’s Ball Luminary Awards.
President’s Legacy & Leadership Award:
Mr. Robert J. Clark, president and chief executive officer for Bristol Bay Area Native Health Corporation (BBAHC), has been proudly employed by BBAHC for over 47 years. He was one of the corporation’s founding members, his involvement dating back as early as 1973. In 1976, Mr. Clark was appointed to his current position and has since continuously managed 21 village-based clinics in the Bristol Bay region, including the 16-bed Kanakanak Hospital. Over the years, Mr. Clark has been actively involved with many health and Tribal Organizations locally, statewide, and nationally, with an aim to improve the quality of health care.
Outstanding Rural Health Champion Award:
Maniilaq Association’s Behavioral Health Counseling and Recovery Center provides culturally relevant mental health and substance use treatment for the Alaska Native people who live in the Northwest Arctic Borough and Point Hope. The team at Maniilaq Association’s Behavioral Health Counseling and Recovery Center have gone above and beyond to provide quality behavioral health services and maintained a person-centered approach as they care for the people that live and play in the region.
Distinguished Provider Award:
Ms. Anne Anttila Komulainen, a physician assistant at the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation (YKHC), has served Kipnuk, Marshall, and Napakiak as a primary care provider for fifteen years. YKHC administers a comprehensive health care delivery system and services for over 50 rural communities in southwest Alaska. Ms. Komulainen is described as “Xtra-Tufs on the Tundra” and she is recognized for her compassionate care, important contributions as an advocate, and tireless work as a front-line care provider.
For more information on the 2022 Raven’s Ball Luminary Awards, sponsorship and event information, contact the Healthy Alaska Natives Foundation, at (907) 729-5652 or visit healthyalaskanatives.org.
About the Healthy Alaska Natives Foundation
The Healthy Alaska Natives Foundation’s purpose is to support Alaska Native people, Tribes, and Tribal Health Organizations in pursuit of Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium’s (ANTHC’s) vision that Alaska Native people are the healthiest in the world. The Foundation does this through board led, donor-centric fundraising and grant making in support of Alaska Native people with a focus on Healthy Patients, Healthy Kids, and Healthy Communities.