Conservatives turned out in force during the June 12 annual membership meeting for the Mat-Su Health Foundation. Like last year, the meeting revealed a growing ideological divide between the largely conservative rank-and-file membership and the governing board of directors.
Founded to promote the health and wellbeing of Mat-Su residents, the enormously wealthy foundation has been mired in controversy after multiple reports showing that it pushes far-left programs and projects rooted in critical race theory and LGBTQ political ideology.
Thanks to a business arrangement with Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, the health foundation has ballooned its assets to almost a quarter of a billion dollars by capturing 35% of hospital profits. Much of this money is redistributed to myriad nonprofit and educational groups that align with the health foundation’s philosophy and ideology.
In addition to funding noncontroversial scholarships and community programs, the health foundation also backs critical race theory workshops for educators, funds LGBTQ advocacy events and works with hard leftist organizations in an attempt to undercut the largely conservative social environment of the Mat-Su.
“I acknowledge that the MSHF does some good things, but I made it very clear that conservatives have a lot of concerns about the social agenda they are pushing.”
Rob Johnson
To address these concerns, a growing number of Mat-Su conservatives have joined the health foundation’s membership to help reform the organization. Several of these conservative members spoke out at the June 12 meeting, including Mat-Su Borough Mayor Edna DeVries.
Ron Johnson, a long time Mat-Su resident and political activist, was also on hand. He and others have been warning Mat-Su residents about the direction of the health foundation, and urging people to become members in order to address the board of directors’ increasingly leftist agenda.
According to Johnson the June 12 meeting included had just over 100 members in attendance, the majority of whom were conservatives.
Prior to the meeting, Johnson met with Mat-Su Health Foundation leaders to express concerns with the organization.
“They know that the conservatives in the Valley are very unhappy,” Johnson said in an interview with the Watchman. “They do some good things, but we have a problem with their support of certain social issues.”
Johnson said his meeting with health foundation leaders was largely unproductive.
During the membership gathering he reiterated his grievances to the board of directors.
A top priority is to change the way board members are chosen. Current bylaws allow the board of directors, alone, to choose and replace all of its board members with no input from the membership.
“I acknowledge that the MSHF does some good things, but I made it very clear that conservatives have a lot of concerns about the social agenda they are pushing,” he said. “I do not think this is in keeping with their mission or bylaws.”
In 2021, the Mat-Su Health Foundation’s ideology was widely exposed when it was discovered that the organization funded an attempt by the Palmer Chamber of Commerce to rebrand “Colony Days” to “The Braided River Festival.” This was met by widespread community outcry and the decision was reversed within days.
The health foundation was intimately involved in helping to fund the rebranding plan, which had the explicit goal of removing the word “Colony,” due to a belief that it was a “highly offensive and hurtful historical term.”
Since then, the foundation has continued to push its “Braided Stories” program which teaches critical race theory to educators and social influencers. The organization also helps fund LGBTQ initiatives that target children and teens.
POWER STRUGGLE CONTINUES
According to Johnson, the Mat-Su Health Foundation’s total membership currently sits at 359 members, comprised of Mat-Su residents, ages 18 and older who fill out a one-page form and pay a $5 annual fee. Many of these members are conservatives who have recently joined over the past two years. It is Johnson’s hope that more members will join the ranks and eventually demand that the board of directors steer the organization in a direction that reflects the values of the majority of its membership.
A top priority is to change the way board members are chosen. Current bylaws allow the board of directors, alone, to choose and replace all of its board members with no input from the membership.
In order to change the bylaws, however, the board of directors must first approve putting it up for a vote of the members. So far, they have adamantly refused to do so.
While 25% of the members can call a special board meeting, they do not have the authority to set the agenda. Only the board members can do so.
Given these circumstances, the board of directors enjoys immense power over the Mat-Su Health Foundation and its agenda.
TAKING ACTION
— Click here to become a voting member of the Mat-Su Health Foundation.
— To contact Mat-Su Health Foundation President and Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Ripley, email eripley@healthymatsu.org or call (907) 373-2805
— Click here to contact other members of the Mat-Su Health Foundation administration.
— Click here to see who serves on the Mat-Su Health Foundation Board of Directors.
— Click here to apply to serve on the Mat-Su Health Foundation Board of Directors.
