Nurse Practitioners Strengthen Alaska Heart & Vascular Institute’s Mat-Su Branch
Photo Credit: Alaska Heart and Vascular Institute
The Alaska Heart & Vascular Institute (AHVI) added two experienced advanced practice providers to its Seward Meridian Parkway location in Wasilla.
Monica Lewis
Photo Credit: Alaska Heart and Vascular Institute
Monica Lewis is a board-certified family nurse practitioner. She brings a blend of clinical expertise and experience serving remote Alaska communities. She earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Utica College and a master’s degree from State University of New York Upstate Medical University. Her career began as an emergency medical technician and transitioned to nursing, specializing in emergency medicine at a Level I trauma center. Before joining AHVI, she provided primary, urgent, and emergency care in remote Alaska villages.
Current Issue
September 2026
Geoff Mittelsteadt
Photo Credit: Alaska Heart and Vascular Institute
Geoff Mittelsteadt is an acute care nurse practitioner and certified emergency nurse. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and a master’s degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. A retired US Air Force veteran, Mittelsteadt served twenty-eight years as a mentor, educator, and healthcare leader. With seventeen years of experience in intensive care, trauma, and critical care, he was drawn to AHVI’s mission and statewide impact.
Alaska Native Medical Center Transfers to Tribal Ownership
The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium takes ownership of Alaska Native Medical Center from the federal government.
UA Foundation Adds Analytics, Strategy Leaders
The University of Alaska Foundation brought in Gwendolyn Gruenig as Chief Data and Analytics Officer and Stephanie Monahan as Director of Strategic Initiatives.
KPMG Promotes Audit Manager
The only “Big Four” accounting firm with a presence in Alaska, KPMG, promoted Jim Henderson to Audit Manager.
What happens when a city with fewer than 300 residents becomes a major freight and tourism hub, despite being accessible only by boat, plane, or a one-lane highway/railroad tunnel managed on a strict schedule?
If you’re in the City of Whittier, you get busy. The city has two separate transportation planning efforts underway, including a safety action plan under the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All initiative, which focuses on improving safety for pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, and emergency responders. The second is Whittier Moves, the city’s transportation master plan, which serves as the long-term roadmap for growth.