Ukallaysaaq T. Okleasik has been named by the Rasmuson Foundation to coordinate a pandemic response project to assure availability of personal protective equipment and supplies to key organizations that may have difficulty securing them.
The Alaska PPE Resource Links Project is in partnership with the University of Alaska Anchorage College of Health.
Rasmuson Foundation officials said Okleasik, who is Inupiaq, is identifying needs of groups such as behavioral health providers and childcare providers, as well as manufacturers and suppliers. The project goal is to advance public health by linking PPE resources with service providers.
Okleasik, who joined the foundation in June, has served as a vice president of Kawerak Inc., planning director of the Northwest Arctic Borough and executive director of the Native Village of Kotzebue. Earlier in his career he also worked for the University of Alaska and Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska.
Roy Agioinga, who has served five years on the foundation’s program team, has joined the external affairs team as a program officer. He will be working with Alaska partners on funding collaborations and with funders outside of Alaska to encourage giving in Alaska, particularly the critical needs of Alaska nonprofits.
Agioinga, who is Inupiaq,’ has professional background in rural health administration, Inupiaq language preservation, education and training and government policy. He serves on the board of the Alaska Federation of Natives representing Bering Strait villages.
