All Alaska Pediatric Partnership’s leadership team is comprised of Alaskan leaders and professionals from across the state who are committed to advancing pediatric health care priorities and increasing access to resources, care and supports for all children and families in Alaska.
All Alaska’s Pediatric Partnership’s Board of Directors are a diverse group of cross-sector professionals, medical providers and parents with experience and knowledge of child and maternal health care and a strong commitment to advancing health care priorities to ensure that Alaska’s children and families reach their full potential and thrive.
Executive Director, Stone Soup Group
Mary J. Middleton is the executive director of Stone Soup Group, a private nonprofit organization supporting families who care for loved ones with developmental disabilities. Ms. Middleton has over 30 years of experience in nonprofit management. She is the mother of two, including an adult son who experiences autism. Ms. Middleton is a graduate of Texas A&M and moved to Alaska in 2001.
Financial Advisor, Crosby Wealth Advisors, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC
Damon Darby is a lifelong Alaskan and began his career in the financial services industry in 2008. He received his master’s in business administration from the University of Alaska Anchorage. Damon brings experience in corporate finance and developing investment strategies. Damon joined the AAPP Board of Directors in 2022.
Partner, Ashburn & Mason, P.C.
Matt practices both litigation and corporate law and represents a wide array of clients across Alaska. He has litigated cases in a variety of settings, including federal and state appellate courts, federal and state trial courts, and has argued twice at the United States Supreme Court. Matt also advises nonprofit entities on matters of corporate governance, strategy, and operations, and has served on numerous nonprofit boards including the Stone Soup Group and the Alaska Center for Collaborative Child Therapy. In addition to serving on the A2P2 Board, Matt is currently Board President of the Alaska Hemophilia Association. Matt is co-chair of the appellate section of the Alaska Bar, and has received awards for pro bono services from both Alaska Legal Services and the Alaska Immigration Justice Project.
Matt and his wife Marjorie Allard have lived in Alaska since 2004 and have two children, both of whom are on the autism spectrum, and their son has severe hemophilia. Matt’s family has extensive experience with the health care system in Alaska and the delivery of disability services. Matt is also an active musician and has played with numerous orchestras and ensembles over the years. He is currently the principal trumpet in the Anchorage Civic Orchestra and has played with the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra and Anchorage Concert Chorus Orchestra.
Medical Director of Inpatient Pediatrics and NICU, Tanana Valley Clinic and Fairbanks Memorial Hospital in Fairbanks, Alaska
Dr. Laura Brunner is a pediatrician at the Tanana Valley Clinic and Fairbanks Memorial Hospital in Fairbanks, Alaska. Laura was born and raised in Fairbanks and loves taking care of kids and families in her home community. She trained at Colorado Children’s Hospital and the University of Minnesota. She is the medical director of Inpatient Pediatrics and NICU at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital. She is excited to be part of a team focusing on the care of children and adolescents in Alaska.
Lindsay is a Program Officer at Rasmuson Foundation, where she works in supporting
non-profits, tribal entities, and small municipalities through their grantmaking programs.
Born and raised in Alaska, she has a continued passion to support Alaskan
communities and the people who live, work, and play here. She is a licensed clinical
social worker with broad experience in public health, adolescent behavioral health and
health outcomes, and youth suicide and substance abuse prevention, including
programmatic and clinical work in the tribal and public health system. When not
working, you can find Lindsay adventuring with her husband and two young children
around Alaska with their favorite pup, Willa.
Dr. Bruce W. Hess completed his pediatrics residency at Keesler Medical Center, Keesler AFB in 2001 after completing medical training at Oklahoma State University, College of Osteopathic Medicine in Tulsa, OK. He spent 11 years serving as an active duty Air Force pediatrician in Mississippi and Landstuhl, Germany, before moving to Alaska in 2005. Dr. Hess served four years as Flight Commander of the Pediatric Dept. at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, and it was during this time that he first began working with the All Alaska Pediatric Partnership. Upon completion of his active duty Air Force service, Dr. Hess decided to make Alaska home and joined Ptarmigan Pediatrics in Wasilla in 2009. Throughout his career, Dr. Hess has enjoyed working in collaboration with other diverse groups to improve resources for pediatric patients wherever he has worked, and he developed an appreciation for the complexities of pediatric specialty care in Alaska. He has also served on the board of directors for The Children’s Place since 2016.
Vice President- Specialty Services, Southcentral Foundation, Alaska Native Medical Center, Anchorage
Dr. Matt Hirschfeld became interested in the Alaska Tribal Health System as a resident at the University of Washington. While there, he met Alaska Native families who were in Seattle to get care that was not available in Alaska. These interactions led Dr. Hirschfeld to become a pediatrician at Alaska Native Medical Center (ANMC) in 2005. Today, he is the Vice President of Specialty Services with Southcentral Foundation at Alaska Native Medical Center, where he helps to develop services to improve the health and wellness for Alaska Native families from across Alaska.
Margaret (Meg) M. Horvath, FACHE, serves as the executive director of Providence Alaska Children’s Hospital & Women’s Services, which includes oversight of the Mother Baby Unit, Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Pediatrics, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), Alaska CARES and Nurse-Family Partnership. Meg has been with Providence Alaska since 2019 serving in various roles with strategy and business development and leading Providence’s initiatives around clinical integration prior to stepping into her current role in April 2024.
Meg is a Fellow with the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) and serves as the Vice President for the local chapter, the Alaska Healthcare Executives Network (AHEN). She is proud to be a member of the Executive Leadership Team for the American Heart Association’s Anchorage Go Red for Women campaign as well as joined the Board of Directors for the All Alaska Pediatric Partnership (A2P2) in November 2025.
Meg completed her MHA and Administrative Residency at Tulane University Hospital & Clinic in New Orleans, Louisiana and an Administrative Fellowship at Houston Methodist in Houston,
Texas.
Chief Community Impact Officer, Matsu Health Foundation
Esther is the Chief Community Impact Officer (CCIO) at Matsu Health Foundation, which is a joint owner of Mat-Su Regional Medical Center. Esther believes in building strong collaborative teams who can strategically and synergistically create healthier communities through tactical grantmaking, systems change efforts, and empowering community partners. Esther served in hospital operations for 12 years to include critical access, inpatient, and outpatient leadership roles. Her passion around advocacy for healthier communities and systems, has led to many meaningful partnerships focused on improving outcomes and quality of life for Alaskans. Prior to her leadership in healthcare, Esther worked within the private sector and brings a rich knowledge of operations, strategy, and business development.
Esther received her bachelor’s and MBA with a focus on hospital administration through Capella University and holds several certifications. In her free time, Esther enjoys spending time with her family, hiking in the great outdoors, and catching sunny days in the winter.
Founding member of All Alaska Pediatric Partnership
Private Practice Nurse Practitioner, Former section chief, Women’s, Children’s & Family Health, Division of Public Health
Stephanie Wrightsman-Birch is one of the founding members of the All Alaska Pediatric Partnership. During her tenure, she served in many roles including President, Past President and Treasurer overseeing the development from a community coalition to non-profit entity. As a health professional she has served in various clinical RN roles, led the development of The Children’s Hospital at Providence and served as its first Administrator for 6 years. She also served as the State of Alaska Public Health Section Chief of Women’s, Childrens and Family Health for 12 years, retiring in 2017. She is currently a Family Nurse Practitioner in private practice in east Anchorage, caring for a culturally diverse population from infants to seniors. She continues to serve on other nonprofits boards and is active in both state and federal legislative health care issues.
Tamar joined the All Alaska Pediatric Partnership in 2015 as Executive Director with a background in communication, public relations, journalism, and business development. Early on in her professional career, Tamar traveled extensively throughout rural Alaska as editor and writer for the Arctic Sounder and Dutch Harbor Fisherman weekly newspapers, a role that opened her eyes to the richness of Alaska and to the uniqueness of each of its regions and cultures. Writing the stories of these communities across the Aleutian Chain, the North Slope and Northwest Arctic was a wonderful immersion opportunity that has been immensely valuable to her current role at A2P2. Over the next decade, Tamar worked with her husband to open and run a food business, Urban Greens, in downtown Anchorage, and spent a few years doing public relations and communications work at Thompson & Co. Public Relations.
Tamar was born in Israel and lived there through her mandatory military service in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), after which she moved to the U.S. for an undergraduate degree at the University of Texas at Austin, her parents’ alma mater. What was intended to be a short two-week detour to Seward, Alaska on her way back home to Israel after graduation became a permanent move to Anchorage in 2006, business ownership with her husband Noam, and three Alaskan-Israeli boys.
Carmen Wenger joined the All Alaska Pediatric Partnership in July 2017 as the Program Director for Help Me Grow Alaska. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Earth Science from Dartmouth College a Master of Public Health in International Health and Development from Tulane University and is pursuing a Doctor of Public Health in Leadership, Advocacy and Equity. Carmen has worked in public health and community development in the United States, Latin America and southern Africa. Her work has centered around the development and strengthening of equitable, data-centric local and regional health systems. Carmen’s prior work with children and families include being an Orphan and Vulnerable Child Advisor at Child Welfare South Africa, serving as both the Immunization Information System manager and deputy program manager for the State of Alaska’s Immunization Program, and the director of the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness. She also serves as the CDC’s Act Early Ambassador to the State of Alaska.
Aggie joined the All Alaska Pediatric Partnership in April 2023. Aggie’s background includes community and economic development work with nonprofits participating in the Western Alaska Community Development Quota program. Most recently, Aggie provided strategic planning, administrative, fiscal and advisory services as a management consultant.
Aggie holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management and a Master of Business Administration, both from the University of Alaska Anchorage. Originally from Nome, Aggie is a lifelong Alaskan and enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and two children.
Kelsey joined the All Alaska Pediatric Partnership in October 2022. She was born and raised in Western Alaska in the village named Alakanuk. She loves spending time cooking with her husband, taking walks in the summertime with her dog Coco, watching the beautiful sunrise and sunsets, and taking long car rides. Her hobbies include Yupik Dancing and sharing her culture with everyone she meets.
Reanne joined the All Alaska Pediatric Partnership in February 2024. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Outreach and has spent the majority of her career supporting children, youth, and families in their growth and development together. Reanne is originally from a small farm town in eastern Iowa and moved to Alaska in 2010. She has had the opportunity to travel across Alaska to support the state’s child care efforts. Outside of work, Reanne loves spending time with her family and baking yummy treats to share with those she loves.
Donna joined the All Alaska Pediatric Partnership in January 2024. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Development with certifications in Family Studies and Early Childhood. Much of her background has been in early childhood education and non-profit organizations. Donna currently sits on the Board of Directors for Rage City Roller Derby, a local non-profit entirely volunteer run. In addition to her seat on the BOD, she also skates competitively on the Rage City All*Star team. She is competitive and driven in nature with a passion to pursue growth and development in everything from individuals to systems.
When not at work or derby, she spends her time with family, tending her chickens, attempting learn-as-you-go home improvement projects, and partaking in adventures. Originally from Washington State, Donna moved to Alaska in 2015 and hasn’t looked back since.
Robyn joined the All Alaska Pediatric Partnership in April 2022. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Alabama and a Master’s in Education from Liberty University. With a strong background in early childhood education, Robyn brings a passion for supporting children and families through every stage of development. As a member of a military family, she’s embraced the ever changing definition of “home”. Alaska has quickly become her favorite! Robyn and her family have fallen in love with the state’s natural beauty, tight-knit communities, and unique way of life, and they are proud to call Alaska home.
Jizel joined the All Alaska Pediatric Partnership in March of 2023. Born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, she brings a strong connection to the local community. With family roots in the Dominican Republic, Jizel is fluent in Spanish, which fuels her deep commitment to supporting Spanish-speaking families through culturally responsive services.
She previously worked for four years as a Family Specialist at a nonprofit organization in New Jersey, helping families access childcare and essential community resources. Jizel also brings over 10 years of medical office experience and a strong background in medical billing.
As a mother of a son with autism, Jizel personally understands how overwhelming it can feel to navigate the unfamiliar journey of parenthood for a child with special needs. This lived experience allows her to approach families with empathy, patience, and compassion, recognizing the power of support during moments of uncertainty.
Jizel is passionate about empowering others, offering compassionate guidance, and helping families find hope and stability during challenging times.
Outside of work, she enjoys reading, journaling, and spending quality time with her family.
Ana joined the All Alaska Pediatric Partnership in January 2026. Originally from Colorado Springs, CO, she has over 15 years of experience working with children and families and is deeply passionate about supporting families as they work toward their goals and strengthen their well-being. Ana holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, which has provided her with a strong foundation for understanding child development and family dynamics.
As a Family Support Specialist, Ana values building meaningful, supportive relationships and meeting families where they are with empathy and encouragement. Outside of work, Ana enjoys spending quality time with her children, partaking in activities such as watching anime, playing video games, and exploring the mall together. In her personal time, she also enjoys reading and expressing her creativity through various projects.
Colleen joined the All Alaska Pediatric Partnership in July 2024. She is originally from Texas but has called Alaska home since 2018. She recently relocated to Eagle River after several years in Western Alaska. Her background in law enforcement, social work, family services and community outreach supporting families through crisis. When she’s not working, Colleen enjoys hiking with her daughters, caring for her dogs and crafting.
Jackie joined the All Alaska Pediatric Partnership in January 2026. A lifelong Alaskan, she is raising her children in her hometown in Southeast Alaska and brings both professional training and lived experience to her work with families. Jackie holds a Master of Social Work and graduate certificate in Children’s Mental Health from the University of Alaska, and was previously a direct service provider before joining Help Me Grow. Outside her work, she enjoys getting outdoors with her kids and swimming with her local masters team. Her experience as a parent in rural Alaska brings creativity and practical insight into her work supporting families.
Jamie Ramirez joined the All Alaska Pediatric Partnership in July of 2025. She is passionate about walking alongside families and helping them find the support and resources they need to help their children thrive. A lifelong Alaskan, Jamie brings over 20 years of experience working with horses and a background in equine-assisted therapy to her role, along with a heart for building strong, supportive connections.
As a mom, she understands both the joys and challenges of parenting and approaches her work with empathy, care, and understanding. When she’s not supporting families, Jamie loves exploring Alaska’s trails, horseback riding, competing in barrel racing, and sharing outdoor adventures with her son.
Jordan Randolph joined the All Alaska Pediatric Partnership in January 2026. She holds a Bachelor of Social Work degree from Northern Arizona University and a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Alaska Anchorage. She has over a decade of experience supporting youth and families, primarily within schools and non-profit organizations. Born and raised in Alaska, Jordan understands the unique joys and challenges of living in the state and is passionate about serving the people who live here. In her free time, you can find her outside, exploring trails, trying new recipes, and spending time with her family and friends.
Lauren joined the All Alaska Pediatric Partnership in January 2026. Originally from Canada, she relocated to Alaska in 2025. Lauren earned her bachelor’s degree in Child, Youth, and Family Studies, along with a postgraduate certificate in Therapeutic Recreation, in Ontario. She brings experience in health care and nonprofit organizations and is passionate about supporting children and their families. Outside of work, Lauren enjoys reading, exploring Alaska’s trails, and cuddling with her cats.
Melissa joined the All Alaska Pediatric Partnership in January 2026. She is a lifelong Alaskan raised in the Mat-Su Valley. She earned her degree in Natural Sciences from the University of Alaska Anchorage and brings a background in research and education, with experience working with children and families in school and community settings. She is committed to promoting confidence and understanding for individuals of all ages.
When she’s not working, Melissa enjoys spending time with her husband and family. Her hobbies include fly fishing in the summer months and baking anything that includes chocolate in the winter.
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