When special circumstances warrant, AHHA's staff present the Beacon Award to honor someone who has made a notable impact by shedding light on an issue, or by helping to address a significant need within Alaska's healthcare delivery system.
This year, together, Providence Alaska’s Chief Executive Ella Goss and Foundation Health Partners CEO Shelley Ebenal nominated Jeff Cook, Emeritus and Immediate Past President of the Greater Fairbanks Community Hospital Foundation, for this award with resounding support from the American Cancer Society’s Alaska office.
Jeff Cook’s decades of leadership in our industry have had a monumental impact on Alaskans. In addition to being a passionate advocate for his own hospital and community, Jeff is an incredible partner to Alaska’s other hospitals. He’s always willing to collaborate and he believes our industry and our state will go further when we work together. Whether it's increasing access to cancer screenings, raising funds for new facilities, research and testing, or advocating for Medicaid Expansion, Jeff is a tireless advocate dedicated to promoting the health and well-being of all Alaskans.
Jeff served as the chair of the Board of the Fairbanks Memorial Hospital and eventually Foundation Health Partners for over a decade. During his tenure, he oversaw the transition of the healthcare system from an operator to a locally owned healthcare system and then guided it through COVID, providing leadership on important community public health interventions such as masking and vaccines. He convened frequent briefings of local municipal leaders, state legislators, and Alaska’s Congressional delegation.
Jeff was a strong advocate for Medicaid expansion in Alaska, reinforcing the advantages of the expansion to the business community and to policy makers. He also continues to be a fierce advocate for expanding cancer services to Alaska.
When his youngest daughter Chrissy was diagnosed with breast cancer, Jeff became a tireless campaigner for local cancer screening, prevention, and treatment. He worked to bring diagnostic testing to Interior Alaska and became the top fundraiser nationwide in the American Cancer Society’s 2017 “Real Men Wear Pink” fundraising campaign. Chrissy passed away this past April but Jeff continues to carry on her legacy through his incredible work. Thanks to his leadership, more Alaskans are receiving life-saving cancer care closer to home.
We are honored to present Jeff Cook with the 2024 Beacon Award for his impact across Alaska as a fierce citizen advocate for healthcare improvement and for his decades of leadership in our industry.
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