Valerie Davidson

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Valerie Davidson

| native_name = Nurr'araaluk Amillamarnan

| image = Valerie Davidson.jpg

| caption = Davidson in 2018

| office = President of Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium

| term_start = March 9, 2021

| term_end = May 7, 2024

| predecessor = Andy Teuber

| successor = Natasha Singh

| office1 = President of Alaska Pacific University

| term_start1 = April 25, 2020

| term_end1 = March 9, 2021

| predecessor1 = Bob Onders

| successor1 = Bob Onders (interim)

| office2 = 13th Lieutenant Governor of Alaska

| governor2 = Bill Walker

| term_start2 = October 16, 2018

| term_end2 = December 3, 2018

| predecessor2 = Byron Mallott

| successor2 = Kevin Meyer

| office3 = Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services

| governor3 = Bill Walker

| term_start3 = December 1, 2014

| term_end3 = October 16, 2018

| predecessor3 = William Streur

| successor3 = Jay Butler

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|5|19}}

| birth_place = Bethel, Alaska, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Democratic

| education = University of Alaska Southeast (BA)
University of New Mexico (JD)

}}

Valerie Nurr'araaluk Davidson{{refn|group=nb|Nurr'araaluk is part of Davidson's Yup'ik name. Her full Yup'ik name is Nurr'araaluk Amillamarnan.{{cite news |last1=Annie |first1=Feldt |title=Lt. Gov. Davidson delivers first public speech in new position |url=https://www.alaskapublic.org/2018/10/17/lt-gov-davidson-delivers-first-public-speech-in-new-position/ |access-date=October 22, 2018 |work=Alaska Public Media |date=October 17, 2018}} Nurr'araaluk is also shortened to Nurrii.}} (born May 19, 1967{{cite news |title=Fishing, Cooking And A Yup'ik Upbringing Made Alaska's Health Commissioner |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/09/01/436327115/fishing-cooking-and-a-yupik-upbringing-made-alaskas-health-commissioner |work=Morning Edition |publisher=National Public Radio |date=September 1, 2015 |language=en}}) is an American politician who briefly served as the 13th lieutenant governor of Alaska, from October to December 2018. She was sworn in after Byron Mallott's abrupt resignation from the post on October 16, 2018. In April 2020, Davidson became the 12th president of Alaska Pacific University, the first woman to serve as the university's president.{{cite web|title = Valerie Nurr'araaluk Davidson Named Alaska Pacific University President|date = March 24, 2020|url = https://www.alaskapacific.edu/valerie-nurraraaluk-davidson-named-alaska-pacific-university-president/|work = Alaska Pacific University | access-date = September 27, 2020}} She took a leave of absence from Alaska Pacific University to become interim president of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium in March 2021. Her presidency of the Consortium became permanent in June of the same year and she resigned from Alaska Pacific University at that time. Davidson later became CEO of the Consortium as well. She left the Consortium in May 2024.

Early and personal life

Davidson was born in Bethel, Alaska. Her mother is Yup'ik, and her father is originally from Port Orchard, Washington. She grew up both in Bethel and the nearby Aniak. Davidson is an enrolled tribal member of the Orutsararmiut Native Council.{{cite web |title=Valerie "Nurr'araaluk" Davidson |url=http://www.csteconference.org/2016/speakers/valerie-nurraraaluk-davidson/ |publisher=CTSE |access-date=October 17, 2018}}

In 1992, Davidson graduated from University of Alaska Southeast with a Bachelor of Education. Davidson also holds a degree in law from the University of New Mexico, obtained in 1998.{{cite web |url=https://ltgov.alaska.gov/ |title=Lieutenant Governor Valerie Davidson |website=Alaska.gov |access-date=October 17, 2018}} After she graduated, she worked as a lawyer for the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium.

Career

Davidson has previously served as Senior Director of Legal and Intergovernmental Affairs for the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium,{{cite web |title=Valerie Nurr'araaluk Davidson Resume |url=http://www.akleg.gov/basis/get_documents.asp?session=29&docid=3951 |website=Alaska Legislature official website |format=PDF |access-date=October 17, 2018}} and as Chair of the Tribal Technical Advisory Group to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for ten years.{{cite web |title=Alaska Lieutenant Governor Valerie Nurr'araaluk Davidson |url=https://ltgov.alaska.gov/ |website=ltgov.alaska.gov |publisher=State of Alaska Office of the Lieutenant Governor |access-date=October 22, 2018}} Part of her work there included getting veterans in rural areas access to healthcare through tribal clinics, and creating rural dental clinic programs employing mid-level dental professionals to improve access to dental care.

In December 2014, Davidson was appointed Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services.{{cite web |title=AFN Announces Keynote Speaker for 2018 Convention |url=https://www.nativefederation.org/2018/09/afn-announces-keynote-speaker-for-2018-convention/ |publisher=Alaska Federation of Natives |access-date=17 October 2018 |location=Anchorage, Alaska |date=September 2018}}{{cite news |last1=DeMarban |first1=Alex |title=Valerie Davidson, Alaska's new lieutenant governor, has a long history fighting for Native issues |url=https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/rural-alaska/2018/10/16/valerie-davidson-alaskas-new-lieutenant-governor-has-long-history-fighting-for-native-issues/ |access-date=October 22, 2018 |work=Anchorage Daily News |date=October 17, 2018 |location=Anchorage, Alaska}} During her tenure there, she worked on Alaska's Medicaid expansion alongside Governor Walker.

On October 16, 2018, Davidson was sworn in as lieutenant governor after an emergency cabinet meeting in the wake of Byron Mallott's resignation.{{cite news |last1=Kitchenman |first1=Andrew |title=Updated: Lt. Gov. Mallott resigns after 'inappropriate comments' |url=https://www.ktoo.org/2018/10/16/lt-gov-mallott-resigns-after-inappropriate-comments/ |access-date=October 22, 2018 |work=KTOO |publisher=Alaska Public Media |date=October 16, 2018}} She is Alaska’s first female Alaska Native lieutenant governor.{{cite web|author=James Brooks |url=https://www.juneauempire.com/news/new-lieutenant-governor-opens-alaska-federation-of-natives-conference/ |title=New lieutenant governor opens Alaska Federation of Natives conference |date=18 October 2018 |publisher=Juneau Empire |access-date=October 19, 2018}} Upon being sworn in, she briefly became the running mate of incumbent Governor Bill Walker in his 2018 re-election campaign before he dropped out of the race on October 19.{{cite news |last1=Zak |first1=Annie |title=Alaska Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott abruptly resigns following "inappropriate comments" |url=https://www.adn.com/politics/2018/10/16/alaska-lt-gov-byron-mallott-abruptly-resigns-followiing-inappropriate-comments/ |work=Anchorage Daily News |date=October 16, 2018 |location=Anchorage, Alaska}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/19/politics/bill-walker-reelection-bid/index.html|title=Alaska Gov. Bill Walker suspends re-election bid|first=Caroline|last=Kelly|work=CNN|date=October 19, 2018|access-date=October 19, 2018}}

In April 2020, Davidson became the 12th president of Alaska Pacific University. She was the first woman to serve as president of the university.

On March 12, 2021, Davidson was named interim president of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. She took a leave of absence from Alaska Pacific University at that time.{{Cite news |last=Hollander |first=Zaz|date=March 13, 2021 |title=APU President Valerie Davidson named interim head of Alaska's largest tribal health organization|url=https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2021/03/13/apu-president-valerie-davidson-named-interim-head-of-alaskas-largest-tribal-health-organization/|access-date=August 17, 2021 |website=Anchorage Daily News|language=en-US}} Davidson's presidency of the Consortium became permanent on June 14, 2021 and she resigned from the presidency of Alaska Pacific University.{{cite news |last=Berman |first=Annie |date=June 15, 2021 |title=Valerie Nurr'araaluk Davidson named president of Alaska's largest tribal health organization |url=https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2021/06/15/valerie-nurraraaluk-davidson-named-president-of-alaskas-largest-tribal-health-organization/ |work=Anchorage Daily News |access-date=May 10, 2024}} Three years later, on May 7, 2024 the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium unexpectedly announced that Davidson had left her positions as president and CEO. No explanation was given.{{cite news |last=McBride |first=Rhonda |date=May 10, 2024 |title=Sudden ANTHC leadership change: Valerie Davidson no longer at the helm |url=https://alaskapublic.org/2024/05/10/sudden-anthc-leadership-change-valerie-davidson-no-longer-at-the-helm/ |work=Alaska Public Media |location=Anchorage, Alaska |access-date=May 10, 2024}}