About Us
The Alaska Native Epidemiology Center (EpiCenter) is located within the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium’s (ANTHC) Community Health Services, in Anchorage, Alaska. The EpiCenter provides public health and epidemiologic services to tribal health organizations and the tribal communities they serve. ANTHC provides the highest quality health services for Alaska Native and American Indian people at the Alaska Native Medical Center and across Alaska through training, health education, disease and injury prevention, and rural water and sewer construction.
EpiCenter Staff
Ellen Provost, DO, MPH, MS, PMP, ODS
EpiCenter Director
Ellen has served the Alaska Tribal Health System for over 25 years, and has been Director since 2005. She arrived in Bethel in 1990 to work with YKHC as a Commissioned Officer in the US Public Health Service. She is a physician specializing in Preventive Medicine and Public Health, and has an MS in Biomedical Informatics.
Carla Britton, PhD, MS
Lead Epidemiologist
Carla came to the EpiCenter in 2013 after completing a two year CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service fellowship with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Carla holds an MS in Environmental Health and a PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Iowa.
LaRita Laktonen-Ward, MPH, PMP
EpiCenter Assistant Director
LaRita joined the EpiCenter in 2022. She is the Assistant Director of the EpiCenter. LaRita holds her MPH and earned her BS in Kinesiology with a minor in Indian Education.
Megan Ackerman, MS
Biostatistician
Megan joined the EpiCenter in 2021 as an Associate Health Statistician. She provides data dissemination and technical assistance to the Tribal Epidemiology Centers’ Public Health Infrastructure program. Megan holds a BS in Mathematics and an MS in Demography.
Matthew Bailey, BFA
Senior Marketing Media Specialist
Matthew joined the EpiCenter in 2015. He provides website and graphic design support for EpiCenter projects including the Network Coordinating Center (NCC). Matthew holds a BFA in Visual Communication with a Graphic Design emphasis.
Eva Bergmann Hok
Administrative Program Manager
Eva joined the EpiCenter in 2020. Eva serves as the administrative lead for the EpiCenter. She is Alutiiq/Sugpiaq of the Alutiiq Tribe of Old Harbor and is a Koniag shareholder.
Kelsey Black, MS
Analytics Engineer
Kelsey joined the EpiCenter in 2021. She led the development of the EpiCenter’s interactive data dashboard and continues to support the expansion of EpiCenter data products. She holds a BS in Mathematics and an MS in Operations Research.
Maria Caruso, MA, CPH
Program Manager
Maria joined the EpiCenter in 2023. Maria Supports the Tribal Epidemiology Centers Public Health Infrastructure team in the department. She holds an MA in International Relations.
Toni Clark, BA
Public Health Specialist
Toni joined the EpiCenter in 2022, and primarily works for the Syndromic Surveillance program. They have a BA in Economics, and are currently pursuing an MPS in Data Analytics through Penn State.
Tim Collins, MS, MPH
Senior Epidemiologist
Tim joined the EpiCenter in 2018 as an epidemiologist supporting substance use-related initiatives. He holds an MPH in biostatistics and epidemiology from the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, and an MS in psychology. He is a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.
Renee Corvalan, ODS, AAS
Program Assistant
Renee joined the EpiCenter in 2023. She serves as the Program Assistant for the Alaska Native Tumor Registry. She has previous experience working in radiation oncology and surgical oncology. She is a certified Oncology Data Specialist and holds an associate’s degree in surgical technology.
MaKaela Dickerson, MPH
Program Evaluator
MaKaela joined the EpiCenter in 2024 as a Program Evaluator for TECPHI’s National Coordinating Center. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and a Master of Public Health.
Christie Flanagan, MPH
Program Manager
Christie joined the EpiCenter in 2020, after nine years with ANTHC. Christie is coordinating a randomized controlled trial for colorectal cancer screening. She holds an MPH from University of Alaska Anchorage and is currently pursuing her PhD at UAF.
Olivia Garrett, BA
Program Coordinator
Olivia joined the EpiCenter in 2022 as a Program Coordinator for TECPHI’s National Coordinating Center. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and is currently pursuing her second BA in science communications.
Marian Henry
Patient Navigator
Marian joined the EpiCenter in 2024 as a Patient Navigator for the Colorectal Cancer Control Program. She assists in increasing colon cancer screening within Alaska. She comes from the Noorvik Native Community and is a tribal member of NANA Regional Corporation and Kikiktagruk Inupiat Corporation.
Agnes Hunt
Senior Office Specialist
Agnes joined the EpiCenter in 2023. Agnes provides administrative support for NCC, TECPHI, and other programs in our department. Agnes is Yup’ik from the South Western Village of Kotlik, located in the Yukon/Kuskokwim Region and a shareholder of the Calista Corporation.
Marie Jackman, MPA, CPH
Senior Program Manager
Marie joined the EpiCenter in 2021 and serves as the Program Manager for the Tribal Epidemiology Centers’ Public Health Infrastructure (TECPHI) Program. Marie holds a Master’s in Public Administration.
Lauren Jeffries, MPH
Research Associate
Lauren joined the EpiCenter in 2021. Lauren works on several colorectal cancer research studies. She holds an MPH from the University of Alaska.
Daisy Karasti
Program Administrator
Daisy joined the EpiCenter in 2018. She provides administrative support to the Wellness Strategies for Health program. Daisy is a Tlingit Indian from Sitka, Alaska.
Mishelle Kennedy, BS
Marketing Media Specialist
Mishelle joined the EpiCenter in 2021 and provides graphic design, marketing, and media support for EpiCenter programs and projects. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing with Digital Marketing Specialization and an Associate in Advertising Design.
Nicole Kiana
Senior Office Specialist
Nicole joined the EpiCenter in 2020. Nicole provides administrative support for the Colorectal Cancer Control (CRC) and other programs. She is Inupiaq Eskimo of the Tribe of Selawik and a CIRI Shareholder.
Keri Miller, MHA, BS, ODS
Tumor Registrar
Keri joined the Alaska Native Tumor Registry in 2020. In her role as SEER Program Manager she collects cancer information for Alaska Native people statewide, and oversees the registry’s data management system. She holds a Master’s in Health Administration, a BS in Health Promotion, and is a Certified Oncology Data Specialist.
Ashleighanne Minhas, BA
Training Program Coordinator
Ashleighanne joined the EpiCenter in 2023. She is the Training Program Coordinator for the EpiCenter. She holds a BA in Communications specializing in Marketing with a double minor in Advertising + Digital Media & Design.
Kristen Mitchell, DrPH, MSPH, CPH
Senior Program Manager
Kristen joined the EpiCenter in 2015 and is currently serving as the Senior Program Manager for the Network Coordinating Center for the Tribal Epidemiology Centers’ Public Health Infrastructure Program. Kristen holds a DrPH and an MSPH.
Julie Morris, PhD, MA
Senior Biostatistician
Julie joined the EpiCenter in 2022. Julie holds an MA and PhD in Sociology from the University of Washington. She specializes in statistics, demography, and social determinants of health research.
Diana Redwood, PhD
Senior Epidemiologist
Diana joined ANTHC in 2004. She conducts research studies on colorectal cancer screening methods and prevention. Diana holds a PhD in Public Health, an MPH, and an MS in Nutrition.
Lucy Rogers, MPH, CPH
MCHI Epidemiologist
Lucy joined the EpiCenter in 2020. She is the Maternal Child Health Epidemiologist for the EpiCenter. She holds a BA in English and Linguistics and an MPH in Public Health Practice.
Elena Roik, MD, PhD, MPH
Cancer Surveillance Director
Elena joined the EpiCenter in 2021. She serves as the Director of the Alaska Native Tumor Registry and the Principal Investigator for the Alaska Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program of the National Cancer Institute. She holds an MD, an MPH, and a PhD in Epidemiology.
Derek Searcy, BA, CPH
Public Health Specialist
Derek joined the EpiCenter in 2020 as a Public Health Program Specialist II. He holds a BA in Psychology, has a background in research, and supports data dissemination activities at the EpiCenter.
Lauren Smayda, MPH
Program Manager
Lauren joined the EpiCenter in 2020 as the Colorectal Cancer Control Program Coordinator. She assists with increasing colorectal cancer screening in Alaska. Lauren holds an MPH from University of Alaska Anchorage.
Diana Velez, BA
Public Health Specialist
Diana joined the EpiCenter in 2022 as a Public Health Program Specialist III. She coordinates activities for Alaska’s IHS SASP and DVP Program grantees. Diana holds combined BBA/MBA degrees from Alaska Pacific University.
Lowrie Ward, MPH, CPH, PMP
Senior Epidemiologist
Lowrie joined the EpiCenter in 2021 as a Senior Epidemiologist. She manages data programs at the EpiCenter, including the program to develop and grow syndromic surveillance across the Alaska Tribal Health System. She holds an MPH in public health administration and a CPH.
Levi Wegner, MS
Research Associate
Levi joined the EpiCenter in 2022. He is a Research Associate and evaluates colorectal cancer screening in the Alaska Tribal Health System using Colorectal Cancer Control Program and Alaska Native Tumor Registry data. Levi is of Yu’pik heritage.
Garrett Zimpelman, BA
Programmer/Analyst
Garrett joined the EpiCenter in 2016 as a Computer Programmer/Analyst for the Alaska Native Tumor Registry. Garrett’s duties include data management, database design and implementation, computer programming, and data analysis.