Valerie Davidson

Davidson was born in Bethel, Alaska. Her mother is Yup'ik, and her father is originally from Port Orchard, Washington. In 1992, Davidson graduated from University of Alaska Southeast with a Bachelor of Education. 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, and as Chair of the Tribal Technical Advisory Group to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for ten years. 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. During her tenure there, she worked on Alaska's Medicaid expansion alongside Governor Walker. She is Alaska’s first female Alaska Native lieutenant governor. 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. In April 2020, Davidson became the 12th president of Alaska Pacific University. She was the first woman to serve as president of the university. Davidson's presidency of the Consortium became permanent on June 14, 2021 and she resigned from the presidency of Alaska Pacific University. 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. == See also ==