Wasilla, Alaska – The Mat-Su Health Foundation (MSHF) recently welcomed three new staff members: Jessica Clarkson, Lane Gambill and Raegan Pickworth.

Jessica Clarkson was hired to fill a new R.O.C.K. Mat-Su program manager role that will focus on community engagement. R.O.C.K. (Raising Our Children with Kindness) Mat-Su is a collaborative of community members joining together to promote family resilience and reduce child maltreatment. It was developed as a cross-sector partnership of Mat-Su agencies. The Mat-Su Health Foundation provides ongoing staff support to the collaborative. R.O.C.K. Mat-Su works to build social supports, eliminate silos, and influence systems that affect children and families throughout the borough, all in support of achieving the goal of ending child abuse in Mat-Su. In her new position Clarkson is tasked with developing and managing methods to integrate authentic community voice into the work of R.O.C.K. Mat-Su, to ensure that the collective’s strategic direction for systems change is community-informed.

Clarkson has long been an integral part of the R.O.C.K. Mat-Su partnership. She served as the Palmer Families with Infants and Toddlers (FIT) Court program coordinator since its inception in 2017. Prior to that, Jessica’s experience includes serving as a CASA program coordinator, a clinical therapist, and social worker. As the FIT Court is an important initiative of R.O.C.K. Mat-Su, the collective will be providing transition support the FIT Court as they welcome their new program coordinator. Clarkson earned a Master of Social Work degree from Eastern Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Lane Gambill serves as a community resource specialist for Connect Mat-Su, an organization developed by the Mat-Su Health Foundation and community partners to be a comprehensive and innovative health and social services information and referral resource center. He works to develop and maintain a database of health and social services resources in Mat-Su and engages in outreach to develop and strengthen relationships with social service organizations, providers, and programs. He serves as the first point of contact for Connect Mat-Su consumers, assuring a quality end-to-end customer service experience. Gambill previously worked as a recreation therapist manager. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Therapeutic Recreation from Eastern Washington University and an associate’s degree in Fire Science Technology from Spokane Community College and is a veteran of the U.S. Army.

Raegan Pickworth’s new position is grants management specialist. In this role she supports grant applicants and grantees and works with other foundation staff to structure and complete processing of grants and grantmaking requirements and to provide grant administration. She came to the foundation with extensive administrative and customer service experience. Pickworth earned two associate’s degrees at Montana State University, one in Human Resources and the other in Business Administration. She is a graduate of Wasilla High School.

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About Mat-Su Health Foundation: Mat-Su Health Foundation (MSHF) is the official business name of Valley Hospital Association, Inc., which shares ownership in Mat-Su Regional Medical Center. In this capacity, MSHF board members and representatives actively participate in the governance of Mat-Su’s community hospital to protect the community’s interest in this important healthcare institution. The MSHF mission is to improve the health and wellness of Alaskans living in the Mat-Su and the tools it uses include grantmaking, convening of local partners, and policy change. The foundation’s work has resulted in significant improvements in systems that support the health of Mat-Su residents in areas such as behavioral health, child welfare, crisis response, community connections, workforce development, transportation, housing, and senior services. More information is available at healthymatsu.org