Board of Directors

Nathan became a member of the board in June, 2011. He works for Maple Springs of Alaska as the executive director and his focus has been to work with other health agencies in the valley to provide the best possible care for those in need. With the opportunity to work directly with those affected by physical and mental disabilities, he has learned just how important the need is for a quality, health-minded community. He has been a football coach for Colony High School for 13 years and a leader in the Boy Scouts of America Organization. Growing up in the Mat-Su Valley, Nathan graduated from Colony High School and has a degree in business administration from Colorado State University.

Lebron was elected to the MSHF board of directors in June, 2016. During his 29-year career with the Mat-Su Borough School District, Lebron served as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, principal and executive director of instruction with an enrollment approaching 18,000 students. Since his retirement in 2013, he has worked for the school district part-time, overseeing students who are on long term suspensions. He also serves as a commissioner for Serve Alaska and  has volunteered with a number of non-profit organizations, including the Alaska Family Services Board. He has been involved in the Community Justice Coalition and the Mat-Su Judo Club, where he served as president for five years, and has coached football, basketball, wrestling, gymnastics and track and field. Lebron holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Eastern New Mexico University and a master’s degree from the United States Sports Academy.

Annie has had successful careers in education and natural resources. She owns Excel Alaska, an education consulting company. Previously, Annie held positions of increasing responsibility with the Mat-Su Borough School District. She was principal at Ron Larson Elementary School, acting assistant principal at Colony Middle School, a teacher, and she served as the district’s coordinator for the Talented and Gifted and International Baccalaureate Programs. Before moving into the education field, Annie was a park ranger and interpretive specialist for the Alaska State Parks and the USDA Forrest Servicer. She earned a Master of Arts in teaching from Alaska Pacific University and a Bachelor of Science in recreation & parks/environmental education from Penn State University.

Talis joined the Mat-Su Health Foundation board of directors in June, 2014. He is a third generation Alaskan who was appointed director of Mat-Su Collegein 2010. He continues to teach history there, something he has been doing since 1992. Talis was appointed as the 20th Attorney General for Alaska in 2006.He was twice elected to the Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly and twice elected as borough mayor, has been president of the Alaska State Fair Board andthe Palmer Rotary Club, and served twice as Chair of the Alaska State Humanities Forum. Talis graduated from Palmer High School in 1976, Pacific LutheranUniversity in 1979 and Pepperdine University School of Law in 1983. He earned a Ph.D. in Northern Political History and Culture from the University ofAlaska Fairbanks in 2008.

Keith has been a physician assistant in the Upper Mat-Su for almost 20 years. Keith has also worked as a physician assistant in several other Alaska communities,as well as overseas. His previous board experience includes eight years with the Alaska Primary Care Association from 1998-2005, the Jessica Stevens Foundationsince its inception in 2007, and with Talkeetna’s local community radio station, KTNA. He also serves as vice president with the Parent Teach Student Associationat Susitna Valley Junior/Senior High School. Keith earned his physician assistant certification from the University of Washington, a Master of Arts degreefrom Lesley College, and a Bachelor of Science degree from Illinois Benedictine College. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army.

Mary has been a MSHF board member since June, 2005; she took one year off after serving her first two terms. Mary currently provides physical therapy services in rural schools in Alaska. She worked as a physical therapist with the Mat-Su Borough School District until her retirement from the district in 2004. Mary has served in elected positions and on committees in the Alaska Chapter of American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and at the national level of the Pediatric Section of the APTA. She graduated from the University of Kansas with a bachelor of science in physical therapy and continued her education by completing master of science degree in rehabilitation medicine from the University of Washington in 1996 and a doctor of physical therapy from the University of Kansas in 2011.

Sammye joined the MSHF board in June, 2019. She is a lifelong Alaskan who has lived in the Mat-Su Borough for more than 36 years. She was senior vice president at the Rasmuson Foundation until 2017, where she worked for 12 years. Currently she works as a consultant and adjunct faculty member in the University of Alaska Anchorage Honors College. Previously, Pokryfki was executive director of United Way Mat-Su and Denali KidCare rural outreach coordinator for Chugiak Children’s Service. She has also served as a volunteer leader on nonprofit boards, government boards and commissions, blue ribbon committees, and in soup kitchens, domestic violence shelters, faith communities, mentoring programs, recreational events, and as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). Pokryfki holds a master’s degree in social work and two bachelor’s degrees, one in social work and one in English literature, all from University of Alaska Anchorage.

Richard joined the MSHF board in 2014. He is executive director of the Knik Tribe in Wasilla, and he has spent the last 20 years in the areas of environmental health and tribal work. He worked for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a senior Tribal Coordinator, and Department of Defense (DOD) as a program manager mitigating environmental impacts on lands due to the DOD. Richard also serves on the Alaska Forum on the Environment, Mat-Su Council on Aging, Alaska Native Brother Hood Camp 89, Yak-tat Kwaan and South Central Foundation’s Valley Native Primary Care Center Joint Operating Board. He graduated from Yakutat High School 1992, earned several certificates in the area of environmental health, and attended the University of Arizona to study environmental sciences.

Jody became a board member in June, 2011. She is currently a legislative aide in the Alaska State Legislature. Previously she served two three-year terms on the Mat-Su Borough Assembly. Her past and current affiliations include the Mat-Su College Citizens Advisory Committee, the Mat-Su Borough Board of Ethics, the MSB/Anchorage Regional Transportation Planning Organization, Mat-Su Borough School District Budget Advisory Committee, and the Mat-Su Borough Library Board, and Wasilla Friends of the Library. Jody has also held leadership positions in numerous Big Lake community organizations, including the Community Council, Chamber of Commerce, Elementary Parent-Teacher Association, and Library Advocates. Jody holds a BA in English literature from the University of Alaska Anchorage and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Alaska Southeast.

Lisa is the health, education, and social services division director for Chickaloon Village Traditional Council. She is a steering committee member ofthe Alaska Resilience Coalition and of R.O.C.K. Mat-Su (Raising Our Children With Kindness). She is also a member of Benteh/Nuutah Valley Native PrimaryCare Center’s Joint Operating Board and an advisory committee member of the Ahtnahwt’aene’ Nay’dini’aa den (Life House Clinic Community Health Center).Lisa holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Metropolitan State University. She studied Counseling Psychology at the master’s level at SaintMary’s University and completed coursework in a PhD program in Clinical and Community Psychology with a Rural Indigenous Emphasis at the University ofAlaska.

Jonathan is lead pastor at Church On the Rock, which has multiple sites in the Mat-Su. He has served the church since 2014. He previously co-founded Church On the Rock Homer. Jonathan has spent the bulk of his adult life living and working in Alaska and brings to the MSHF board skills in leadership development and nonprofit organizational vison and strategy. He has studied at Northeastern State University, Alaska Bible Institute and Louisiana Baptist University.

Randy joined the board in June, 2012. He is an attorney with his own practice in Wasilla with an emphasis in real estate and business law. He also handles wills and probate. Randy previously served on the Valley Hospital board of directors and on other Mat-Su non-profit boards, including 10 years with Victory Ministries and as one of the original members of the board of directors for Heartreach Center. He has been very active in the Wasilla Rotary club, where he served as president twice, district secretary twice, and executive assistant district governor.Randy has a bachelor’s degree from Rockford College and a law degree from Seattle University School of Law.

Sara is a public health nurse at Mat-Su Public Health Center focusing on preventative care in order to help people improve their quality of life. Previously she was employed in nursing positions with the Anchorage Correctional Center, Mat-Su Regional Medical Center and Alaska Native Medical Center. Sara earned a bachelor of science degree in nursing from University of Alaska Anchorage. She has lived in the Mat-Su since 2006 and in Alaska since 1999.