Myron Allukian, Jr., DDS, MPH, Director of Oral Health, Boston Public Health Commission is a 1964 graduate of Pennsylvania Dental School who became interested in public health dentistry following his tour of duty in Vietnam. Dr. Allukian also led an effort to revamp the dental health program at Massachusetts General Hospital, resulting in expanded capacity to accommodate some 12,000 patient visits annually.

Ellen Ganley, MPH, Chief Executive Officer, Information Insights, has a strong background in planning, program evaluation, and policy. She holds a Masters in Public Health from the University of Hawaii and has worked as a management consultant for 20 years.

Ward Hurlburt, MD, MPH, is Chief Medical Officer and Director of the Division of Public Health, Department of Health and Social Services. He served 30+ years with the US Public Health Service, including long assignments in Alaska and several years as an assistant surgeon general. Dr. Hurlburt served as hospital administrator in Dillingham, hospital administrator and chief of surgery at the Alaska Native Medical Center, and as deputy director of the Alaska Area Native Health Service.

Jeff Jessee, JD, currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority (The Trust). He began his career in 1980 as an attorney for the Disability Law Center. Mr. Jessee is responsible for leveraging Trust income and developing partnerships to enhance mental health services throughout the state. He earned a BA in criminal justice from California State University, Sacramento, and a law degree (JD) from the University of California, Davis School of Law.

Karen Martinek RN, MPH, Nurse Manager/Nurse Epidemiologist, supervises the Epi nurse team in addition to functioning as a member of the infectious disease outbreak investigation and public health preparedness team. Ms. Martinek is responsible for TB special projects including program evaluation, training and education. She has over 34 years of experience providing consultation, managing diverse public health programs and delivering direct services to individuals and families in both rural and urban communities in Alaska, with a special interest in tuberculosis education and training. She has worked as an Itinerant Public Health Nurse, AIDS Surveillance Coordinator, Public Health Specialist for Alaska’s Breast and Cervical Health Check Program, and Alaska’s Children with Special Health Care Needs Director, responsible for Alaska’s Early Intervention/Infant Learning Program, Specialty Clinics, Genetics Clinics, Newborn Hearing Screening, and the Early Childhood Behavioral Health Program.

Gabor Maté, MD, is highly sought after as an author and speaker for his expertise on a range of topics, including addiction and attention deficit disorder (ADD), mind-body wellness, adolescent mental health, and parenting. Dr. Maté weaves together scientific research, case histories, and his own insights and experience to present a broad perspective that enlightens and empowers people to promote their own healing and the healing of those around them.

Joe McLaughlin, MD, MPH, FACPM, is the State Epidemiologist for Alaska and the Chief of the Alaska Section of Epidemiology. He began his career in Alaska as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2001. After completing his fellowship with CDC, he was hired-on with the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) in 2003. In his current role as the Chief of Alaska Section of Epidemiology, he oversees the work of six major programs and approximately 60 people.

Karen Perdue, is the President/CEO of the Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association. From 1994 to 2001, Ms. Perdue served as Alaska’s Commissioner of Health and Social Services. She served ten years as Deputy Commissioner of DHSS, and directed the Division of Community Development at Community and Regional Affairs in the early 80s. She is a graduate of Stanford University.

Brian Saylor, PhD, retired, was director of UAA’s Institute of Circumpolar Health Studies, where he oversaw the continuing development of funded research programs. He taught graduate and undergraduate courses in support of the Nursing, Public Administration, Social Work and Public Health programs. His major career emphasis has been advocating for rural health issues and representing needs of rural health providers and consumers. Since 1974, Dr. Saylor has been active in Alaska’s health affairs. He became interested in health care planning and policy in the early 1970s during his time as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malaysia. During his career, Saylor held a variety of state government and University of Alaska positions during his career.

Brian Yablon, MD, CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Officer assigned to the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Public Health, Section of Epidemiology grew up in northeast Wisconsin and received his Bachelors in mathematics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He received his M.D. from Yale School of Medicine in 2007. He completed residency training in internal medicine and pediatrics at the University of Minnesota in 2011 and he stayed on as a chief resident in pediatrics there from 2011-2012