Primary Care Teams

Summary: Team Deneege (Moose) is a Primary Care Team made up of dedicated doctors, physician assistants, care coordinators, nurses and unit clerks which work together to provide high-quality healthcare to everyone of our patients they provide care for

Team Deneege

• Dr. Tessa Hovenden was born and raised in Alaska.  She pursued her undergraduate degree in Biology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.  After college she spent about a year working as a donor technician at the Blood Bank of Alaska in Fairbanks.  In 2013 she started medical school at Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Parker, Colorado.  She then completed a Family Medicine Residency at Kansas University Ascension Via Christi Family Medicine Program in Wichita, Kansas.  She has special interests in rural medicine, women’s health and pediatrics.  In October 2020 she joined Team Deneege at Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center.  She is happily married with two children.
• Dr. Katie Tsigonis joined team Deneege in September 2016. She is originally from Valdez, AK. She completed her medical degree at the University of Washington School of Medicine and residency at La Crosse Mayo Family Medicine in La Crosse, WI. Her interests include enjoying the outdoors with family, fishing and camping. She is the mother of 4 children and happily married to the TCC General Surgeon, Dr. Abraham Tsigonis.
• Kati Tuma, MMS, PA-C, was born and raised in Central Wyoming.  She is board-certified through NCCPA.  After completing undergraduate Medical Chemistry studies at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, she completed her Master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies in Colorado.  Kate worked in Neurosurgery in Wyoming for 3 years, then transitioned to Family Medicine-Obstetrics for 3 years before moving to Fairbanks, Alaska in 2018.  Kate works at Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center practicing general family medicine, and holds special interest in Women’s Health and Procedural Medicine.  She is committed to her patients and colleagues, to continued education, and to compassionate patient care. Outside of work, Kate enjoys family time, yoga, running, skiing, fishing, hunting, and reading.
• Angie Clark, NP, is a Nurse Practitioner practicing family medicine on Team Deneege. She grew up in Utah, and being married to an active duty soldier her family has moved all around over the last 15 years. She graduated from George Washington University in DC. She has been practicing in various family medicine clinics for over 11 years. She has four boys who keep her busy with their activities. Her family loves to go camping, hiking, skiing or rock climbing together. She enjoys working with TCC particularly traveling out to the villages and getting to know the members of the community on a deeper level.
• Dr. Jennifer Jacobs grew up in the Seattle area. She completed her undergraduate education at University of Washington and then spent 3 years living in Washington DC working in global health. She attended medical school at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon, where she also earned her Master’s of Public Health. She completed her residency in Internal Medicine with a focus on primary care at Penn State Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 sons, exploring the outdoors, and cooking.
• Dr. Steven Jay is a Pediatrician who specializes in caring for children from birth to 18 years of age and is a part of the Maternal Child Clinic located in the Specialty Clinic of the Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center. He was born and raised outside of Boston, Massachusetts and while in the Army, he was introduced to Alaska in 2003. He fell in love coming to work for Tanana Chiefs Conference in 2011. He went to medical school at Boston University and completed his Pediatric Residency at Penn State. He looks forward to practicing his full-scope Pediatrics and delivering specialty care in the beautiful Alaskan interior villages. 
• Dr. S. Gayle Hornberger, DO, is a Family Medicine Physician from Lake Clark National Park in Alaska. She grew up in Bristol Bay (Naknek) and Lake Clark National Park. Dr. Hornberger has wanted to work for Indian Health since she was 8 years old. She has undergraduate degrees from: Eastern Washington University (BA in Design) and UAF (Biochemistry). She attended Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine for her DO degree. She did her transitional internship at Deaconess and Family Medicine Residency at Southwest Washington – Family Doctor. Prior to becoming a physician, she was a Journeyman Carpenter. Her past experiences are in commercial fishing, carpentry/construction, firefighter/dispatcher/EMT, Doctor, mom, auntie and gramma. These experiences have helped her to being flexible and adaptable to different situations and people. Outside of work she enjoys riding her horse (Friesian horse: Jorrit Von Hollum), biking, fishing, boating, building, reading, sewing, playing with grandkids. She loves being a mom and grandma to 2 biological daughters, 2 sons in law, 2 grandbabies, 1 Airedale dog Isobella, 2 grandpuppies, 3 grandkittens and 1 grandfish J . She is a new provider at TCC as of January 2021, she looks forward to “Meeting lots of people, both colleagues and patients, new experiences, visiting the villages.  Not having to do my own payroll book keeping, being able to leave work at work most days. I love the people, village travel and my team!!”
• Dr. Kerry Wappett, OB/GYN grew up in Fairbanks and loves the long, bright days of summer as well as the dark, crisp nights of winter. He grew up locally here in Fairbanks, and he and his children have attended Pearl Creek Elementary, Tanana Middle School and Lathrop High School. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at Utah State University in Logan, Utah, and went on to attend the Medical College of Wisconsin in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. After graduation, he relocated his family across the country to Albuquerque, New Mexico where he completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology. While there, his residency program had a strong emphasis on training providers to work in rural, remote settings, and has provided a broad skill-set that has served well in Dr. Wappett’s career.

  In the start of his career, he completed residency on a Saturday night, then traveled to Fairbanks on Sunday, and started working in a newly developed practice on Monday morning. He worked in a busy private practice for 9 years, which helped to solidify and expand his clinical and surgical skill-set.

  He says, “Through my formative years, and during my training, I always hoped to return to Alaska to work and raise my own family.  Some of my fondest memories as a child included attending World Eskimo-Indian Olympics at the Big Dipper, and the Fairbanks Native Arts Festival at the Davis Concert Hall with my family.  My parents instilled in me a deep respect and admiration for Alaska Native culture.  This respect has deepened as I have had the opportunity to spend time in numerous villages throughout Alaska with school groups, and through previous occupations. My desire to work at TCC is summarized in their mission statement: I want to promote physical and mental wellness…and culture of the Interior Alaska Native people.”

  He has a particular interest in minimally invasive surgical procedures (including robotic surgery), ultrasound, high-risk obstetrics, contraception, pelvic organ prolapse and its management, and urinary incontinence.

  Outside of work, he loves to spend time with his family, while exploring all that Alaska has to offer. He cares for horses, and his wife says that he spends an inordinate amount of time with them. He loves to spend time with them, exploring new trails, training for competitions, or trimming and shoeing. He also likes to spend his time on other interests such as scuba diving, spending time with his family, and cooking.

• Dr. Wendy Lau is a family medicine physician with Team Deneege. She grew up in the Los Angeles area where she completed her undergraduate degree at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and her medical degree at University of Southern California (USC). She completed her residency at St. Peter Family Medicine in Olympia, WA. Thereafter, she practiced for several years in Washington state before making the move to Fairbanks, AK where she is excited to deliver excellent care to Alaska Natives of all ages both in Fairbanks and in Alaska interior villages. In her spare time, she enjoys running, baking, knitting, and spending her free time with her husband, dog, and two cats.

Primary Care Provider & Care Team Information

• To choose or change your Primary Care Provider (PCP), please speak to any one of our staff members and they can assist you with choosing a provider.
• When you call for your next appointment or your child is sick, we will offer you the next available appointment with your PCP.
• If your PCP is not available, we will make an appointment with the other providers on your care team so that you will be able to see the same group of people each time you come in.
• If you are not able to make an appointment with your primary care team, CAIHC Urgent Care Clinic is available for all of your urgent needs.

Summary: Team Teekona (Wolf) is a Primary Care Team made up of dedicated doctors, physician assistants, care coordinators, nurses and unit clerks which work together to provide high-quality healthcare to everyone of our patients they provide care for.

Team Teekona

• Dr. Deborah Minnick-Shearin attended the University of North Texas HSC at Ft. Worth, Texas graduating Medical School in 1998.  She completed her residency at Texas Tech University in Amarillo, Texas in Family Medicine 2001.  She practiced Rural Health Medicine in New Mexico prior to moving to Fairbanks, Alaska 2008.   Her family decided to move to Fairbanks due to their love of the great outdoors where she served the Interior Veterans at the VA Fairbanks CBOC until the summer 2013.   Dr. Minnick-Shearin desire to expand her knowledge of the Alaska Native Culture brought her to work for CAIHC June 2013.
• Dr. Stephen Odegard studied mechanical engineering at Valparaiso University before attending medical school at Loyola University, Chicago. He completed residency in Family Medicine at Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage, and is excited to be part of a strong integrated team of health professionals at TCC where he practices family medicine with obstetrics. Dr Odegard’s professional interests include addiction medicine, palliative care, and rural healthcare delivery. In his free time, he enjoys fishing, science fiction, cycling, washing dishes, and following his wife Krista on many adventures.
• Dr. Shannon Wiegand attended University of Washington and graduated in 1994. She has been at CAIHC since 2009 and her clinical interests are in Family Practice.  She grew up in Fairbanks and worked in our medical records department in high school.  She previously worked for the Alaska Family Medicine Residency Program in Anchorage.
• Dr. Christina Wright is a 1996 undergraduate of Northwestern University (Evanston, IL) with a BS in BioMedical Engineering.  She graduated in 2000 with an MD Residency from Northwestern University Medical School (Chicago, IL) and graduated in 2003 in Family Medicine from the Family Residency of Idaho (Boise, ID).  Dr. Wright moved to Fairbanks initially in 2003 and worked at ICHC, CAIHC and Bassett Army Community Hospital, then work in Flagstaff, AZ, in a private family medicine clinic before moving back to Fairbanks.  Her interests include caring for her two children, camping, hiking, gardening and cross country skiing.
• Marilyn Attla, PA-C, attended the University of Washington Medex PA program and graduated in 1992. She has been at CAIHC since 1996.  Her interests include nature, beading, walking, reading, and the love of the holy bible.  Marilyn says, “Quality patient care includes taking care of what the patient comes in for and good customer service.”
• Tammy Webb, PA-C, graduated from the Baylor College of Medicine, located in Houston, Texas.  Webb practiced in Texas, Maine and Georgia before an Alaska vacation lead to a decision to move to Alaska in 2016.  She strives to empower patients to take control of their health and works to provide them with the tools to do so. Webb believes that listening to patients is the most important thing she can do for them.  Her interests include hiking, camping and spoiling her three cats.
• Stephanie Homan, PA-C began working as a Physician Assistant in Urgent Care at Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center in 2012. Prior to joining CAIHC, she attended the Colorado School of Medicine, graduated in 2009, and worked as a Physician Assistant in Pediatrics in Phoenix, Arizona for three years. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, traveling, reading, and attending sporting events. When asked what she enjoys most about her job, she says, “I look forward to experiencing and learning from the culture that is unique to Alaska.”
• Dr. D. Mike Strum is an internal medicine physician on Team Teekona. He was born in Chicago, and grew up in Oregon. He received his undergraduate degree from DePauw University, and his medical degree from the University of Washington School of Medicine. He completed his residency at UC-Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, California and served at the Tanana Valley Clinic and Fairbanks Memorial Hospital prior to coming to Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center. He says, ” I am very excited to be here; the opportunity to serve such a wonderful patient population with a first-rate tea, in the spirit of Ch’eghwtsen, is a great honor. I am excited to provide care for complex and ill patients, particularly with lung disease, as well as the opportunity to work on quality and system improvements. I am grateful to have had strong clinical training at UWSoM and UC-D Medical Center, which has reinforced and magnified my work experience prior to joining CAIHC.” Outside of work, he likes to spend his time camping, fishing, and hunting with his wife and two little kids.
• Kara Yoshida, NP is a family medicine nurse practitioner from Hawaii. She grew up in Oahu. She attended Kamehameha (a native Hawaiian High School), obtained her bachelors in nursing from University of Hawaii at Manoa, and obtained her graduate degree from Hawaii Pacific University. She previously worked for the VA, and a non-profit pop up clinic in Hawaii. Outside of work she likes gardening, scrapbooking and crafting while spending time with her two dogs and husband. 
• Kristen Sublett, CNM

Primary Care Provider & Care Team Information

• To choose or change your Primary Care Provider (PCP), please speak to any one of our staff members and they can assist you with choosing a provider.
• When you call for your next appointment or your child is sick, we will offer you the next available appointment with your PCP.
• If your PCP is not available, we will make an appointment with the other providers on your care team so that you will be able to see the same group of people each time you come in.
• If you are not able to make an appointment with your primary care team, CAIHC Urgent Care Clinic is available for all of your urgent needs.

Summary: Team Tudi (Eagle) is a Primary Care Team made up of dedicated doctors, physician assistants, care coordinators, nurses and unit clerks which work together to provide high-quality healthcare to everyone of our patients they provide care for.

Team Tudi

• Dr. Gabe Schuldt obtained an undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa.  He graduated with a medical degree from Tulane University and completed his residency at Marquette General Hospital in Marquette, Michigan.  After moving to Fairbanks, Dr. Schuldt worked at Interior Community Health Center, TVC, and Laser Vein Center of Alaska.  His interests include running, skiing, camping and spending time with my wife and two boys.
• Dr. Gail Norton grew up in Fairbanks and Barrow, then graduated from medical school at University of Washington.  She completed her family and community medicine residency at the University of New Mexico. Dr. Norton worked in various clinics in New Mexico before returning to Alaska. Her hobbies include music and cross-country skiing. 
• Ben Turman, MPAS, PA-C, was born and raised on the north shore of Lake Superior in Duluth, Minnesota. After completing undergraduate studies at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth he went on to complete his general medical training and Master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon. Ben worked in Internal Medicine primary care on the Oregon coast in Tillamook for 3 years before moving to Fairbanks, Alaska in 2016. Ben works at Chief Andrew Isaac Health Clinic in Fairbanks practicing general family medicine, with primary interest in geriatric internal medicine, and disease prevention. Outside of work Ben enjoys mountain and trail running, nordic and backcountry skiing, hunting and fishing.
• Dr. Eliana McKee, MD, is an experienced pediatrics physician on Team Tudi.  Although she is originally from Brazil and grew up in Brazil and England, Alaska is her adopted home! She attended medical school at Federal University of Ceara, Brazil and completed her residency in Pediatrics in Brazil and at Driscoll Children’s Hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas. She worked at Peak Vista Community Health Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Before joining TCC, she worked in private practices located in Palm Beach and Melbourne, Florida. She has had the opportunity to work with children, teenagers and their families from a variety of cultures and backgrounds. This has helped her to be open minded, accepting, and to listen to what families are telling her, and has helped to shape who she is professionally. She wanted to join the TCC family because she wanted to contribute to the wellbeing of Alaskan Natives and work in the most beautiful state in the nation!She says, “The best thing about TCC is the team work and the goal that everyone has of improving the health of our population. Everyone is engaged in making things better for our colleagues and our patients.” In her spare time and outside of work, she loves the outdoors, botany, gardening, reading books and studies cosmetic chemistry in her free time. Outside of work, she has three teenagers and two dogs. 
• Dr. Sadie Marden is the Section Lead for OB/GYN Women’s Health at Tanana Chiefs Conference & a member of Team Tudi. She grew up in Oakland, Maine. She has her Doctorate of Medicine, Master’s Degree in Public Health and Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology. Prior to working in medicine, she worked in Public Health and on sailboats assisting a carpentry team. She says, “TCC was and is a near-perfect job for me! I have great colleagues, caring administration, interesting and complicated medical issues to keep me on my toes, and amazing patients.” In her spare time and outside of work, she enjoys hiking, camping, pack-rafting, skiing, knitting and spending time with her big goofy dog.
• Nathon Shoemaker, PA-C is a Family Medicine
  Physician Assistant. He was born in Anchorage, AK but grew up here in
  Fairbanks. He received his B.S Biological Sciences from UAF before attending PA
  school at the University of Colorado. In his spare time he loves camping,
  hiking, traveling, and just exploring the outdoors and spending time with his
  family.
• Dr. M. Aly Terra
• Dr. Ashley Strum

Primary Care Provider & Care Team Information

• To choose or change your Primary Care Provider (PCP), please speak to any one of our staff members and they can assist you with choosing a provider.
• When you call for your next appointment or your child is sick, we will offer you the next available appointment with your PCP.
• If your PCP is not available, we will make an appointment with the other providers on your care team so that you will be able to see the same group of people each time you come in.
• If you are not able to make an appointment with your primary care team, CAIHC Urgent Care Clinic is available for all of your urgent needs.
•  

Summary: Urgent Cares goal is to provide walk-in patients, who have an injury or illness that requires immediate attention, high quality ambulatory care. We are made up of dedicated doctors, physician assistants, care coordinators, nurses and unit clerks which work together to provide high-quality healthcare for all of our patients.

Patients with urgent/emergency needs who do not have an appointment with their primary care provider may be seen in the Urgent Care Clinic at CAIHC.

Examples of health care needs that are treated during the CAIHC Urgent Care Clinic are:

• Urinary Tract Infections
• Prolonged vomiting/diarrhea
• Ear infections
• Minor rashes
• Lacerations
• Minor trauma
• Infants with fever over 101 F
• Shortness of breath
• Orthopedic injuries

We do not provide routine health care like physical exams, pregnancy tests, refills of chronic medication (including pain management) or immunizations on the weekend.

Patients should request medication refills during normal business hours and before holidays so they do not run out of medicine when the clinic is closed.

Dr. Abigail Klager

Peter Harvey, ANP

Jeri Reid, PA-C

Sarah Hamilton, NP