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Navajo member new Indian Health Service top medical officer

Navajo Nation
Posted at 2:18 PM, Jul 30, 2021
and last updated 2021-07-30 17:18:33-04

PHOENIX (AP) — The chief medical officer for the Navajo Area Health Service based in Arizona has been named to the same position for the national service.

Dr. Loretta Christensen is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation.

She began her career with the Indian Health Service as a general surgeon and has been chief medical of the Navajo Area service since 2014.

She previously served as chief medical officer at the Gallup Service Unit in New Mexico and has been the acting HIS chief medical officer since May.

HIS Acting Director Elizabeth Fowler announced Christensen's appointment Friday to the service serving 2.6 million American Indians and Alaska Natives.