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Valerie Nurr’araaluk Davidson

Valerie Nurr’araaluk Davidson, Yup’ik, has enjoyed a distinguished career in health care administration, policy, governance and advocacy. Davidson most recently served as President/CEO of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, the first woman to serve in that role. Davidson previously served as the first woman President of Alaska Pacific University.

Davidson is an enrolled tribal member of the Orutsararmiut Traditional Native Council. She was the first Alaska Native woman to serve as Lieutenant Governor of Alaska when her strength as a leader was needed to steady our state after the abrupt resignation of her predecessor. Davidson was appointed by Governor Bill Walker in December 2014 to serve as Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Health & Social Services. While there, her visionary leadership and ability to manage difficult dialogues, diverse leaders and teams, and critical issues made it possible to implement expanded Medicaid coverage to over 70,000 Alaskans, implement Medicaid Reform and negotiate the first Alaska Tribal Child Welfare Compact with 162 Alaska Tribes, the first of its kind in the nation.

Davidson earned a Bachelor of Education with a specialty in Early Childhood Education and a minor in Bilingual Education from the University of Alaska Southeast and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of New Mexico School of Law. She has deployed her education and commitment to her Native peoples and Alaska to advance a collective and holistic approach to Self-Governance and the well being for all Alaskans.

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