PRESS RELEASE
William H. “Bill” Hogan was recently recognized with the Bert Hall Award for his commitment to the health of the community. The “Bertie” is an annual award presented by the Mat-Su Health Foundation to an individual who consistently exemplifies commitment to improving the health and wellness of Mat-Su residents.
“Bill has been a mentor, a leader, a collaborator and an advocate for improving access to quality care, particularly behavioral healthcare, for Mat-Su residents and all Alaskans,” said Mat-Su Health Foundation CEO, Elizbeth Ripley. “He has never been satisfied with the status quo, with just the way things work, but instead has strived to change them, even if it involved bureaucracy, statutes and regulations.”
Until his recent retirement, Bill served as the dean of the College of Health at University of Alaska Anchorage. He spent over thirty-five years in the mental health, substance abuse, developmental disabilities and social work fields, with experience as a clinician, supervisor and administrator. Bill worked with the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority as a senior fellow, and he was the commissioner, acting commissioner and deputy commissioner of the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. Prior to working with the State of Alaska, Bill was CEO of Life Quest (now called Mat-Su Health Services), a private non-profit community mental health center located in Wasilla. He also served as director of the Division of Behavioral Health, and he worked for community agencies in various capacities in New York, West Virginia, Virginia and Mississippi. Bill has served as chair of the Alaska Mental Health Board, board member of the Alaska Community Mental Health Services Association (now the Alaska Behavioral Health Association), executive director of the New York State chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, and on the boards of the Mat-Su Health Foundation and Mat-Su Regional Medical Center. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from State University of New York at Buffalo and a Master of Science degree in social work from West Virginia University.
The Bert Hall Award is named in honor of Mat-Su resident, Bert Hall, who helped put together the Valley Hospital Foundation Board of Directors and currently serves as a Mat-Su Regional Medical Center trustee. Bert has served Alaska in many capacities including as a Mat-Su Regional Medical Center board member, associate director of the US Department of Veterans Affairs, commissioner of the Alaska Department of Health and Human Services, director of health and social services for the Municipality of Anchorage and as the Alaska liaison to the US Department of Health and Human Services. Bert also served as a president of the Alaska Public Health Association, represented Alaska on the Governing Council of the American Public Health Association and served on the Alaska Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse.
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, the MSHF board members and representatives actively participate in the governance of Mat-Su’s community hospital and protect the community’s interest in this important healthcare institution through board oversight. The MSHF invests its assets into charitable works that improve the health and wellness of Alaskans living in Mat-Su. More information is available at www.healthymatsu.org.
