by ANTHC Staff
Olinka Peterson was recently hired as ANTHC’s Regional liaison for Bethel and Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation (YKHC) area. After spending a week at ANTHC’s offices in Anchorage learning about the ANTHC resources available to support Tribal members in the YKHC region, Peterson is now working in Bethel as a local ANTHC resource.
Peterson was born in Bethel, grew up in Kasigluk, and spent time in Anchorage and other parts of Alaska before finding her way back to Bethel in 2010. Peterson is Yup’ik, a Calista Corporation shareholder and an enrolled member of the Native Village of Kasigluk.
Peterson looks forward to assisting and working for the patients of the YKHC region.
“As a Regional liaison, I will be covering 56 villages that are covered by YKHC. Inside the 56 villages, there are 5 sub-regional clinics, this region is like the size of the state of Oregon.”
ANTHC recognizes the need to better support our partners by providing a local point of contact within the regions it serves. ANTHC’s wide range of services can make it difficult for a Tribal health organization to navigate. Regional liaisons will enhance the knowledge of services available and improve specialty care referrals between Alaska regions and the Alaska Native Medical Center (ANMC).
Patients often have questions regarding their reservations for travel and housing arrangements or scheduled clinic and diagnostic appointments at ANMC. Peterson can view these schedules and work with case managers and patients should any of the arrangements need to be changed. Additionally, after the patient leaves ANMC, she can help ensure that staff members within the YKHC region receive the correct information for follow-up care.
Before joining ANTHC, Peterson was a consumer service supervisor at ResCare HomeCare where she worked assisting Elders in the community. Her background focuses primarily on social work and advocating for vulnerable populations, including children and Elders.
“You learn to become a voice for your people and assist them in any way possible.” Peterson also speaks, reads, and writes in her native Yup’ik language, which will be very beneficial for Elder patients.
Peterson can be reached at [email protected].
ANTHC adds second regional liaison in Bethel
After spending time in Anchorage attending new employee orientation and learning about resources available to support Tribal members, Nastasia Kassel returned to Bethel to serve as ANTHC’s second regional liaison for the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation (YKHC) regional area.
Kassel is of Yup’ik heritage and is an enrolled member of the Kasigluk Traditional Council. She has lived in Bethel for the last three years. Before moving to Bethel, Kassel lived in Kasigluk where she is originally from.
Before accepting this new position, Kassel worked in the environmental field for several years. She enjoyed the work, but felt like she was meant to be doing more by helping others.
“I wanted something new and I have always felt like I am meant to help people,” said Kassel. “I like to be the middle person and make sure everything gets taken care of. When I saw an advertisement for this position, I thought, ‘Maybe this is meant for me.’”
Kassel has a 7-year-old son and many extended family members who live in Bethel and throughout the YKHC region. In her spare time, she enjoys being outdoors— boating, picking berries, fishing and foraging for tundra eggs.
“I want to work for my people and ANTHC seemed like a really cool organization to work for,” added Kassel. “I am really excited to work with patients and help them.”
ANTHC recognized the need to better support our partners by providing a local point of contact within the regions it serves. ANTHC’s wide range of services can make it difficult for a Tribal health organization to navigate. Regional liaisons enhance the knowledge of services available and improve specialty care referrals between Alaska regions and the Alaska Native Medical Center.
YKHC already has one regional liaison and the position was so well received and there was demand for more assistance, so a second position was created.
Patients often have questions regarding their reservations for travel and housing arrangements or scheduled clinic and diagnostic appointments at ANMC. Kassel can view these schedules and work with case managers and patients should any of the arrangements need to be changed. Additionally, after the patient leaves ANMC, she can help ensure that staff members within the YKHC region receive the correct information for follow-up care.
For those in the YKHC region, Kassel can be reached at [email protected] to support patient needs between their region and ANTHC.
Peterson and Kassel can be reached at (907) 543-1783.
ANTHC is currently recruiting for Regional Liaisons in Ketchikan, Unalaska and a second liaison in Bethel. If your region is interested in having an ANTHC Regional Liaison, please contact Jenni Harrison, ANTHC Senior Tribal Health Liaison at [email protected] or (907) 223-7144.
