February - Page 3

Ceremony Commemorates Transfer of Programs at Native Hospital The transfer of Alaska Native Medical Center programs was commemorated in December with a flag-raising ceremony, officially shifting programs from the Indian Health Service to Southcentral Foundation and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. "The flag-raising ceremony is a statement of assumption of management by Alaska Native people," said Katherine Gottlieb, president and CEO of Southcentral Foundation (SCF). "It will be a permanent reminder of Alaska Natives' ability to administer federal health care and other social service programs for ourselves and our families. The public health service is still a vital part of the health care system." Traditionally, Natives received services from the federal government through a variety of federal agencies. The trend today is to have Native organizations provide these services using federal money. Southcentral Foundation operates all programs at the Anchorage Native Primary Care Center adjacent to ANMC, and dental, optometry and some of the programs in the main hospital. The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium operates the remainder of the programs at ANMC. Southcentral Foundation's Evelyne Tunley-Daymude assists in the raising of the Southcentral Foundation flag in front of the Alaska Native Medical Center in December. Looking on is Dr. Richard Mandsager, director of ANMC, who is holding the folded Indian Health Service flag. Gottlieb raised a flag featuring SCF's logo following the lowering of the Indian Health Service flag, which was presented to Dr. Richard Mandsager, director of ANMC. Those present at the ceremony included a representative from U.S. Senator Ted Stevens' office, members of SCF's board of directors, and employees from SCF, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and ANMC. Incorporated in 1982, SCF is the non-profit health agency operating under the tribal authority of CIRI. It is designated to administer health care funding for the 25,000-plus Alaska Natives and Native Americans who reside in the Anchorage service area. Koahnic Offers Youth an Introduction to the Media Profession Koahnic Broadcast Corporation's Training Center is now accepting applications for its ninth annual Alaska Native Youth Media Institute (ANYMI), a program that introduces Alaska Native and Native American		high school students to career options in media. The 2000 ANYMI will be held in Anchorage June 5-12 at the KNBA 90.3 FM studios and on the Alaska Pacific University campus. There is current demand for Alaska Natives in the media industry. ANYMI presents a unique opportunity for students to participate in a mix of intensive courses taught by some the nation's top media professionals. This year, the focus of the institute will shift to intensified audio production to allow in-depth training in radio and audio production, including writing, interviewing, announcing, recording, editing and mixing audio productions. Panel discussions with leading print and television journalists and tours of local media facilities will round out a full experience for ANYMI students. The institute also provides students with vital contacts in the media profession in Anchorage and throughout the nation. Many rural schools and institutions do not offer media courses even though the impact of the media industry in Alaska is broad and, in most rural communities, a necessity for survival. Without educational opportunities and adequate training in this area, Alaska Native youth lack the necessary skills to advance critical media services in their local communities. Lori Townsend, KBCTC coordinator, said, "ANYMI offers an excellent opportunity for students to gain skills and experience. The goal is to inspire Alaska Native students to explore the expanding careers available in broadcast media." Tasha Perry, a 1992 ANYMI alumnus, says, "My ANYMI experience definitely got me in the door into the media profession. I would recommend this program to any student who is interested in a career in media." Perry is now working for KNBA 90.3 FM as a full-time operations assistant. An Inupiaq born and raised in Kotzebue, Perry got her start in 1990 as a radio announcer for KOTZ-AM. She has since been published by the Anchorage Daily News, Alaska Newspapers, Inc., and the Arctic Sounder. Tasha Perry, a 1992 ANYMI alumnus, is now a full-time operations assistant at KNBA 90.3 FM. Applications for ANYMI must be postmarked by March 27, 2000. Students can obtain applications from their school counselors, or by contacting Lori Townsend at (888) 278-5622 or locally in Anchorage at 258-8885. Applications are also posted on the Internet at www.knba.org or by emailing a request to ltownsend@knba.org. continued on page 5

By William Prosser

CIRI Chairman of the Board

Direct communication with CIRI shareholders continues to be extremely important to members of the CIRI Board of Directors. Several shareholders recently commented in a focus group study that they did not feel they had adequate communication with board members.

Actually, communication is extremely important for a corporation like CIRI to remain successful. This corporation is owned by Alaska Native shareholders who deserve to have their questions

and concerns addressed. It is very easy to misunderstand decisions and workings of this company. I welcome the opportunity for one-on-one discussions about our company and the non-profit affiliates.

As chairman of the board, I keep regular office hours at CIRI each Wednesday and meet with an average of one to two shareholders a week. Interested shareholders can make an appointment with me or any other board member by scheduling a time and date through the CIRI executive office. Shareholders can also make their appointment requests via email, fax,

or using the comment section of the CIRI web site. Interested shareholders just need to indicate their name and phone number, and a suggested time of day to be reached.

One-on-one conversations with members of the board is just one way for shareholders to have their say in the functioning of the corporation. I encourage all shareholders to talk with board members, participate in annual elections, and submit their names for selection to one of the shareholder participation committees.