Alaska medical provider Southcentral Foundation appoints interim leader as CEO

Southcentral Foundation, one of the largest medical providers in Alaska, has named April Kyle as its chief executive to replace former longtime CEO Katherine Gottlieb.

Kyle had been serving as interim chief executive since August 2020, when Gottlieb resigned after working more than three decades at the organization.

Southcentral Foundation provides health care to 65,000 Alaska Natives and American Indians across Southcentral Alaska. It owns the Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage along with the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium.

The transition comes as the organizations face a surge in COVID-19 patients that is filling critical-care beds. They’ve faced some criticism after mandating that employees be vaccinated by Oct. 15.

Kyle said it’s an honor to become CEO of Southcentral Foundation.

“Participating in our health care transformation, as both an employee and a customer-owner, I have seen first-hand what is possible when decisions are driven by Alaska Native people and supported by our incredibly talented and caring workforce and partners,” Kyle said.

Kyle, an Athabascan born and raised in Southcentral Alaska, is a shareholder with Cook Inlet Region Inc., the Alaska Native corporation that established Southcentral Foundation.

She holds a master’s in business administration from the University of Washington. She’s worked for two decades at Southcentral Foundation and has played a key role in advancing health care there, according to a prepared statement from Southcentral Foundation on Thursday.

Before she was tapped to serve as interim chief executive, Kyle served as Southcentral Foundation’s vice president of behavioral services.

“As we look to the future, we are confident April is the right person to lead SCF and carry on the long legacy of providing the highest level of support to SCF’s vision and mission,” said James Segura, chairman of Southcentral Foundation’s board.

Gottlieb left weeks after Southcentral fired her husband, Kevin Gottlieb, and two other top executives in its dental department over allegations that dentists falsified health records.