The National Indian Health Board Heroes in Health

The National Indian Health Board celebrates the 2022 Heroes in Health

WASHINGTON, DC – September 28, 2022 – This year, the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) hosted the Outstanding Service Awards at the Heroes in Health Awards Gala during its 39^th annual National Tribal Health Conference at the National Museum of the American Indian. Annually NIHB honors and recognizes outstanding individuals, programs, and organizations from across Indian Country whose service and selfless work have significantly contributed to improving American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) health. NIHB recognized several individuals from across Indian Country in Area and Regional Impact, National Impact, Youth Leadership, and the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Jake Whitecrow Award.

“Achieving Tribal health equity is only possible due to the diligence of our sisters and brothers we are honoring tonight. They have demonstrated outstanding service in our Tribal communities, helping to improve the health of our people,” said NIHB CEO Stacy A. Bohlen. "NIHB is pleased to honor good work being done all around Indian Country. Through tireless work, often in the most remote and challenging areas and with limited resources - those who were recognized are among the best of us. Their work protects and improves health and significantly reduces health disparities in Tribal communities. We cannot thank you enough for your work to bring health equity to Tribes."

The Gala’s Keynote Speaker was Billy Mills, Oglala Sioux, Olympic Gold Medalist. Mills addressed the audience with words of wisdom and shared his story of strength and resiliency. Born in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, and was raised on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Beating the odds, Mills took up running while attending Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas.

The highest honor, the Jake Whitecrow Award, recognizes an individual or organization with outstanding lifetime achievements in elevating health care advocacy, raising awareness, or affecting positive change for AI/AN health care. This year’s recipient is Maria Tripp (Yurok), past Board Member, United Indian Health Services, Inc, and California Rural Indian Health Board. Tripp began advocating for her community in the late 1960s and worked tirelessly for over 50 years serving her Tribal community. Most notably, she served for 35 years as an elected community representative for United Indian Health Services, Inc. (UIHS), including 20 years as its Chairperson, where she oversaw the designing, fundraising, and building of the UIHS Potawot Health Village and the Ku’wah-dah-wilth Restoration Area, a 20-acre Tribal health center which includes an organic orchard, community food garden, wetlands restoration, walking trails and which features cultural traditions and art. During this time, she also served for over 15 years on CRIHB, including two years as the California delegate to NIHB and nine years as the first American Indian appointed to the California Endowment. She also served as both the Vice-Chair and Chairperson for the Yurok Tribe and was instrumental in helping to write the Yurok Tribe’s constitution.

Maria Tripp, along with her late husband Amos Tripp, were pillars in their community, serving the field of Indian health for decades while also promoting community wellness in their everyday lives. From helping to revitalize cultural ceremonies to advocating for Indian health, education, and culture, they always kept lessons taught by past generations and the well-being of future generations in their hearts and minds as their guiding principle in their leadership. After 50 years of service, Maria finally retired and enjoys having time to spend with her daughters and their families and is most proud of her three great-grandchildren.

In a short video, Tripp congratulated NIHB on 50 years of serving AI/ANs and thanked them for honoring her with the Jake Whitecrow award. She said, "Like most of us in healthcare, I was passionate about elevating the care in our Indian families and communities. Using traditions, cultural values, and ceremony integrated into our health clinic's program, along with western medicine, we have made much progress." Accepting the award on Tripp's behalf was Reno Keoni Franklin, Chairman of the Kashia Band of Pomo Indians, and Vice Chairman of the Sonoma County Indian Health Project.

Each year NIHB commends a young AI/AN for their leadership and outstanding efforts to increase the quality of healthcare or awareness of health issues within their peer group or community on a local or national level with the Youth Leadership Award. The honor went to Alec Calec (Pauma Band of Luiseño Indians), a graduate student at the University of California San Diego. Calec has a special interest in educational attainment and supporting the next generation of AI/AN physicians. “I have always dedicated my work to the community over my own interests. This recognition means the world to me as a future physician-scientist,” said Calec.

He was largely responsible for the conceptualization and development of the new Program in Medicine – Transforming Indigenous Doctor Education (PRIME-TIDE) initiative at UC San Diego School of Medicine, part of a $2.6 million investment from the state of California. Calec expressed the importance of having a community of support, which he has as a member of the Pauma Band of Luiseño Indians, one of the 18 federally recognized Tribes in San Diego County.

The National Impact Award honors an individual or organization whose work has impacted AI/AN health care on a national level. All honorees were nominated by their peers from across the nation. NIHB had the privilege of honoring six individuals or organizations with the National Impact Award for their tireless efforts in improving the health of AI/ANs.

• Molly Rutledge, Indian Health Service
• National Tribal Emergency Management Council
• United South and Eastern Tribes Reclaiming Native Psychological Brilliance Behavioral Health ECHO Series
• U.S. Department of Interior Boarding School Report Team
• Dolores Subia (Caddo Tribe, Northern Cheyenne Tribe of Montana)
• Indian Country ECHO Program

The evening continued with the Area/Regional Impact Award, which pays tribute to an individual or organization whose work has contributed to improving AI/AN health care or has affected change on an area or regional basis. Impact winner Carey Hawk (Cheyenne/Sac and Fox/Absentee Shawnee), Denver Indian Health and Family Services, expressed,

“It is an honor and privilege to receive recognition from the National Indian Health Board and our peers. Our clinic, Denver Indian Health and Family Services, and our leadership, specifically our Executive Director, Adrianne Maddux, and our Medical Director, Karen Hoffman, truly deserve this award and recognition. Due to their persistence and proactive response to the existing environment during the pandemic, they were able to quickly initiate and implement operational strategies to receive the COVID vaccines from our regional IHS (ABQ) and disperse the vaccine to our patients and tribal members in the Denver Metro area. Our clinic was also able to provide the COVID vaccine to non-tribal individuals who worked closely with our Native American community, sister organizations, BIA area employees, local school districts, and the homeless. It was truly an honor and privilege to be able to protect and care for our tribal community and prevent the further spread of the COVID virus during the COVID pandemic.”

Twelve Area/Regional Impact Awards were given to:

• Ileen Sylvester (Village of Ekwok)
• Center for Native American Health
• Bay Mills Health Center
• Gabriel Ray (Scott's Valley Band of Pomo Indians), MSPI Pinoleville Pomo Nation Healing Native Youth Minds Project
• Carey Hawk (Cheyenne/ Sac & Fox/Absentee Shawnee), Denver Indian Health and Family Services
• Tammy Greer (United Houma Nation), University of Southern Mississippi
• So' Tsoh Foundation
• Choctaw Nation Tribal Opioid Response 2 Grant
• Tara Van Orden (Reno-Sparks Tribal Health Center)
• Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board
• Pascua Yaqui Tribe's Community Health Nursing Program
• Phoenix/Tucson/Navajo COVID-19 Tribal Incident Command Emergency Response Teams

Fellow Impact Awardees, the Choctaw Nation Tribal Opioid Response 2 Grant team stated, “We are honored and humbled to serve fellow Tribal members in our communities that are oftentimes forgotten. We believe the work we are doing is essential to giving them a chance at a better life and aids in breaking generational cycles for healthier future generations. We believe that it starts with just one person reaching out for help that can make a lasting impact on them, their families, our community, and our Tribes,” Dorothea “Shauna Humphreys,” Choctaw Nation Behavioral Health Director.

NIHB also recognizes exemplary work with the Local Impact Award, which acknowledges an individual or organization whose work has affected change or impacted health care on the local and/or Tribal level. This year's well-deserving Local Impact Award Winners will be celebrated at an upcoming Area Indian Health Board Meeting in their Area.

• Cook Inlet Tribal Council Recovery Services
• Chickaloon Village Traditional Council Health & Social Services Department
• Santa Fe Indian School COVID Response Committee-Testing
• Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center
• Mallory Horwath, Gun Lake Tribe Health & Human Services, Nurse Manager
• Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana Tribal Council
• Beverly Switzler (Hoopa Valley Tribe), United Indian Health Services, Inc.
• Rosebud Sioux Tribe Health Administration
• Roxanne Twobulls (Ogala), Native Women's Health Care
• Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Health Services
• Choctaw Health Center/COVID-19 Planning and Response Team
• Crownpoint Community Health Representative Outreach Program
• Navajo Health Command Operations Center Public Information Officer Section
• Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma Perkins Family Clinic Behavioral Health
• Charlene Wassana (Cheyenne and Arapaho/Navajo), Registered Nurse
• Colorado River Indian Tribes Department of Health and Social Services
• San Carlos Apache Tribe Department of Health and Human Services
• Alyssa Fine (Cowlitz Indian Tribe) - Wellness & Diabetes Program
• Socia Love-Thurman
• Paul Mesa (Pascua Yaqui Nation), Department of Public Safety
• Carlos Aceves (Tohono O'odham Nation), Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP)

Thank you to the Outstanding Service Awards at the Heroes in Health Awards Gala sponsors the Poarch Creek Indians and the Intertribal Buffalo Council.