Mat-Su Health Foundation Promotes New Leader
Photo Credit: Mat-Su Health Foundation
With the retirement of Elizabeth Ripley as President and CEO of Mat-Su Health Foundation (MSHF), the nonprofit co-owner of Mat-Su Regional Medical Center promoted a new leader from within. Esther Pitts, who currently serves as Chief Community Impact Officer, formally takes over on May 1, 2025.
The MSHF board of directors engaged The Foraker Group for a nationwide executive search. From a field of more than seventy-five applicants, Pitts emerged as a unanimous choice.
“We had the privilege of reviewing many highly qualified candidates from across the nation,” says MSHF Board Chair Lisa Wade, “but at every key moment, Esther stood out—not only for her impressive healthcare experience but also for her authenticity, compassion, and unwavering dedication to advancing the MSHF mission. She truly embodies our organization’s values, and we are excited to see her lead and thrive as our next President and CEO.”
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April 2025
Having lived in Alaska since 1991 and in Wasilla since 2015, Pitts has a deep personal connection to the community and a strong commitment to improving the health and well-being of its residents. Pitts is an accomplished healthcare executive with more than twenty years of leadership experience in healthcare, nonprofit governance, government contracting, and small business management. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration from Capella University and is a Certified Professional Healthcare Risk Manager.
“I am deeply honored to accept this role and lead an organization that continues to make a lasting impact in the Mat-Su,” says Pitts. “This community is my home, and it is a dream realized to lead an organization so vital to the health and well-being of our residents. I am humbled by the opportunity to collaborate with our community and partners, working together to build a healthier, brighter future for all who call the Mat-Su home.”
Pitts also supports her community through board service with Alaska Psychiatric Institute, All Alaska Pediatric Partnership, Best Beginnings, and Mat-Su College Advisory Council.
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