This year’s joint confirmation hearing – an annual end-of-session event where legislators vote on the governor’s appointees to various boards and commissions – was more muted than usual, but it still marked a legislative first.
All 60 legislators voted to reject Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s appointment of Samantha Smith, a physician assistant who practices alternative “regenerative medicine” at a chiropractor’s office, for a spot on the Alaska State Medical Board. Her rejection was one of just two on the day, and the first in the legislative history by a unanimous vote.
However, as many legislators made clear throughout the debate, it wasn’t her practice of “regenerative medicine” that sank her nomination. Instead, legislators said she not only lacked experience with Alaska’s unique and varied health care system but also showed a lack of interest and, sometimes, outright hostility toward listening and learning from others.
“She practices solo in regenerative medicine at a chiropractic clinic, which is completely fine, but it is not representative of the majority of the physician assistants in the state who practice primary care or in rural Alaska or team-based practices,” said Rep. Genevieve Mina, the Anchorage Democrat who chairs the House Health and Social Services Committee. “Confirming Miss Smith disregards the many talented, well-respected physician assistants in this state, our Alaska health care system, and it would erode trust in our appointment process.”
Physician assistants serve a particularly important role in Alaska, where they are often the only health care provider in rural communities.
They can diagnose and treat a wide range of health issues under the oft-remote direction and scope of training from a doctor or doctors. Their extensive presence throughout the health care system, however, hasn’t always sat well with others who are more accustomed to urban health care systems or don’t regularly work with physician assistants. In 2023, the then-chair of the Alaska Medical Board proposed and tabled regulations that would have significantly increased the training requirements for PAs while simultaneously limiting their scope of work.
That, opponents said at the time, may be well-intentioned but misinformed about the unique challenges facing Alaska’s health care system.
Smith’s opponents said she displayed many of those attitudes during the confirmation hearing, where she criticized other Alaska health care providers for “subpar care” compared to the East Coast, called for higher licensing standards and claimed that more rigorous malpractice lawsuits would improve the state’s quality of health care.
Sen. Matt Claman, D-Anchorage, said that last part was particularly concerning, arguing that it’s a troubling position for someone on the Medical Board to have, especially when she could use the position to potentially build evidence for a malpractice case.
Throughout the confirmation process, Smith emphasized that she worked alone while also criticizing others. That attitude didn’t sit well with Anchorage Rep. Andrew Gray, a physician assistant, who said that she would be expected to represent all physician assistants.
“It’s one thing to lack a lot of experience in your profession or to lack a lot of Alaska-specific experience,” he said, “but to be unwilling to speak with others who have that experience is particularly disqualifying.”
Even some avowed believers in alternative medicine said her lack of experience in Alaska’s health care system and reluctance to consider perspectives outside her own were troubling.
“My children tease me because I’m a firm believer in grounding sheets and I take an array of supplements, so I’m not disparaging that type of care,” said Sen. Shelley Hughes, R-Palmer. “But for the PAs in this state, they are practicing a different type of medicine than she is, and she would need a better understanding and a better handle on that to better represent them well on the board.”
Homeschool ‘principal’ rejected for seat designated for principals
Legislators also narrowly rejected the appointment of Kimberly Bergey for a spot on the Alaska Professional Teaching Practices Commission after last-minute legal concerns about the legality of her appointment were raised. Dunleavy appointed Bergey, who works for the Raven Homeschool Program, to the commission’s principal seat. While legislators raised concerns about whether she actually qualified as a principal, the nail in the proverbial coffin came when legislators pointed out that her appointment appeared to violate the plain language of the law, specifically the requirement that the appointee for the seat designated for a principal come from a slate offered by the Alaska Principals Association.
The Alaska Principal Association not only didn’t nominate Bergey, but in a letter that legislators received only on Wednesday (it appears the Dunleavy administration had the letter for a longer period but didn’t share it), the group requested that her name be withdrawn. They noted that since she was appointed to her first term on the board, she is no longer an active principal who can represent principals statewide.
“Unfortunately, none of us had seen this letter until today,” Senate Education Committee Chair Sen. Löki Tobin said, noting she saw no evidence Bergey had tried to mislead legislators and that otherwise she was deeply experienced in education. “This leads us to believe there has been some miscommunication and just failure in oversight from Boards and Commissions to provide adequate information to the Education Committees in the House and the Senate.”
Republicans defended Bergey’s appointment to the board, praising her work in the homeschool world. Once the legal issues were raised, some conceded that the plain letter of the law could disqualify her if challenged, while others argued that since it was her second term on the board, it should be considered as a reappointment unbound by the appointment rules.
Her appointment was rejected on a 26Y-33N vote.
Other appointment battles
Legislators also came close to rejecting the confirmation of the Alaska Medical Board Chair, Brent Taylor. Soldota Republican Rep. Justin Ruffridge, a pharmacist, led the charge against Taylor, arguing that he’s been “somewhat antagonistic” to various medical fields as the board considers changing the scope of some practices. The appointment drew much less debate, ultimately passing 33-27.
Disapproval over the Board of Regents’ surprise decision to proactively censor DEI-ish terms in line with the Trump administration wasn’t enough to sink the appointment of Regent Christine Resler. As one of the Board of Regents’ newest members, Resler signed off on the measure pushed by the board’s conservatives to preemptively remove any terms that the Trump administration’s anti-DEI goons might find objectionable. Sen. Tobin gave an impassioned speech against her confirmation, arguing that it should be the Board of Regents’ job to protect higher education in Alaska and keep it independent, worrying that Resler’s support for the motion “leads me to believe there would be a willingness to follow illegal orders.”
Still, others lauded Resler for a long history in Alaska’s business world, arguing that she brought important insight to the university. The debate, overall, was much more muted, and she was ultimately confirmed on a 40-19 vote.
Board of Fish votes highlight the unusual currents at play when it comes to fish politics in Alaska, but legislators ultimately approved both the commercial and subsistence-focused appointees. The unique overlay of fish politics was on full display over the votes of two appointees to the Board of Fisheries, pitting legislators whose communities are more reliant on river fishing against those who are reliant on commercial fishing.
The opposition to Cordova commercial fisherman Thomas Carpenter’s appointment was particularly fierce from the Interior lawmakers, who argued that there needs to be more attention and focus on ensuring that fish populations are healthy enough to make for good runs of salmon up the rivers. Tok Republican Sen. Mike Cronk was particularly fiery about it, arguing that it was devastating for his communities on the Copper River to be told that they can’t fish while Alaskan Kings are being sold at Pike Place in Seattle.
“We can’t fish and keep our fish for our smokehouses or tables, but they’re sold in Seattle,” he said. “That’s a real issue for us.”
Supporters of Carpenter noted he’s the only member who lives in a coastal fishing community and has demonstrated he can be fair with and listen to different interest groups. Carpenter’s appointment was approved on a 40-20 vote.
The debate over Nenana resident Olivia Irwin, who’s more on the side of subsistence users, was more staid, with legislators from commercial fishing communities saying that both subsistence and commercial fishing have a place on the Board of Fish. Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, noted that she was concerned about Irwin’s comments about the sustainability of commercial fishing, but said she would “begrudgingly” support her because she is young and eager to learn.
However, that youth wasn’t a positive to everyone.
Eagle River Republican Rep. Dan Saddler took issue not with her subsistence background or comments about the sustainability of fish, but with her age.
“I regret to say I don’t believe she is yet ready to serve on a board of this significance for our fisheries resources, primarily that’s because she has limited experience. She is young. She just graduated from college in 2020,” he said, referencing a date five years ago while running down a resume that covers work in several different fisheries. “Age can frankly be an important factor in wisdom. … Perhaps with a few more years in which to gain the necessary knowledge and experience, perhaps five years, she could be a good candidate to sit on that board.”
Few agreed with Old Man Saddler, and Irwin was approved on a 50-10 vote.
Matt Acuña Buxton is a long-time political reporter who has written for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and The Midnight Sun political blog. He also authors the daily politics newsletter, The Alaska Memo, and can frequently be found live-tweeting public meetings on Bluesky.
