01. Mission Statement
The NW AHEC Program provides and supports educational activities and services with a focus on primary care in rural communities and those with less access to resources to recruit, train, and retain the workforce needed to create a healthy Alaska.
02. Vision Statement
The health workforce that Alaska needs is developed through collaborations and partnership.
03. About AHEC
NW AHEC is an academic and community-based organization which is proudly built upon partnership. Our goals center around implementing educational activities involving health professions to reinforce every part of the pathway between student and health professional.
This is done by developing programming which targets which supports students in their journey to careers and helping professionals hone their practice. In addition, NW AHEC works closely with state and local workforce investment boards to identify and address healthcare needs and shortages.
Staff

Vincent Villella
AHEC Director
Vincent Villella is the North West Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Director. NW AHEC is situated within NACTEC and works lockstep with them to achieve mutual health care career pipeline goals. AHEC’s mission is centered around assisting folk of all ages with their transition into the health care workforce.
Vincent is from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, the home of Groundhog Day! For his first degree he has a dual major in education and biology; his master’s degree is in Social and Comparative Analysis of Education and Indigenous Studies. Vincent started as AHEC Director in 2020.
Fun Facts:
1. Taught in a village named Quinhagak in south west Alaska for two years.
2. Enjoys outdoor sports like rock climbing, XC skiing and mountaineering.
3. When indoors enjoys reading books, playing video games and spending time with his family.
4. His first job was as a cleaning boy in his father’s butcher shop.
Allies in Allied Health

Kira Apaachuaq Eckenweiler

Irvin Barnes

Molly Naaktgeboren

Laura Davis Collins

Uaŋa Attasiaq
About our partners
IḶISAĠVIK
Iḷisaġvik College was founded to primarily serve the residents of the North Slope Borough, America’s largest and most northern municipality.
The intent of its founders was to provide an education based on the Iñupiaq cultural heritage.
The basis for all Iḷisaġvik’s educational programs is the rich foundation of a subsistence culture in harmony with the land and seas that give it sustenance.
AHEC in partnership with Iḷisaġvik runs an allied health / behavioral health camp where young folk in the region can get fun hands on experiences in health careers and earn college credits doing so!
NACTEC
In 2019 NW AHEC relocated to Nome AK to work in partnership with NACTEC. NACTEC in the regional Career and Technical Education (CTE) center for the Bering Straits region. NACTEC specializes in aviation, food service, heavy machinery, fisheries and health care workforce development. Due to Health care workforce development being the largest strand in the region it is a natural fit for NW AHEC.
Learn more about becoming a partner
Sharing makes our communities stronger and is a core value to AHEC. Sharing our efforts, resources and knowledge through partnership is critical to improving and developing both public health and health care career programs. If you are interested in becoming a partner, please reach out to the NW AHEC Director at 907-443-7568, vincent.villella@bssd.org
Land Acknowledgment
NW AHEC acknowledges the Alaska Native Nations upon whose ancestral lands we work and live.