Si-Si A-Pe-Txa, the board that oversees the WahZhaZhe Health Clinic, has announced its new management team following the hiring of Chief Executive Mark Rogers.
The newly hired, announced Sept. 15, are:
- Dr. Tony Little, a family medicine doctor with more than 22 years of experience, hired on at the clinic as the new Chief Medical Officer. He comes from Tulsa’s St. Francis Health System, where he practiced at the Warren Clinic in Glenpool. He obtained his doctor of osteopathy degree from Oklahoma State University in 2000.
- James Brazel, a Barnsdall native, is the new Chief Financial Officer at the clinic. He comes by way of Ascension-St. John in Tulsa, where he was most recently vice president of finance. He was the previous CFO at Jane Phillips Hospital in Bartlesville and has more than 30 years of experience in hospital finance.
- Alyssa Campbell, an attorney who has specialized in Native American law as well as healthcare, will advise the board on legal issues. She has previously advised at least two Native health boards as well as tribal gaming commissions and casinos.
- Julie Standing Bear, a longtime human resources benefits coordinator, is the new HR director for the clinic. She was the benefits director for the Osage Nation before hiring on at the Osage Casinos last year. She is the wife of Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear. Rogers said that she has been invaluable at the clinic thus far and helped put together the senior leadership team.
The new leaders were greeted warmly by the health board.
“It has taken 50 years to get to where we are today,” said board secretary Cecelia Tallchief.
Chairwoman Cindra Shangreau told the assembled team: “We’re going to build a great health system with your help.”
The board is embarking on an ambitious plan to build a new 65,000-square-foot clinic in downtown Pawhuska on land currently occupied by the former Safeway grocery and Moore’s Hardware store. At 2020 prices, it was estimated at $25 million, a price that has likely climbed. Funding is to be provided by a low-interest loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that would be repaid by clinic revenue.
