Welcome To AI/ANCOAC Awards

For exemplary performance as Chief Information Officer for the Navajo Area IHS in a manner that reflects quality attributes on the U.S. Commissioned Corps and Indian Health Service.

BIO: LCDR Michael J. Belgarde

LCDR Michael J. Belgarde is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the Navajo Area Indian Health Service (NAIHS).   He was born on the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa reservation in Belcourt, North Dakota. He attended Minot State University in Minot North Dakota where he received a Bachelors of Science with a double Major in Mathematics and Computer Science: 1990. He later attended Colorado Technical University in Colorado Springs where he received a Master’s of Science in Computer Systems Engineering: 2000. He is currently pursuing the Project Management Masters Certification thru the George Washington University collaborating with ESI International.

LCDR Michael J. Belgarde in his three year presence at NAIHS has been instrumental with creating a cross functional team approach and materializing several large scale million dollar projects; WAN DS3 Convergence, Vista Imaging and IBM HACMP AIX RPMS Server roll-out.

 The CIO provides leadership in the planning, concept, requirements, design, construction, delivery, evaluation, and closeout of major departmental projects and oversight through project rollout and performs post implementation performance assessments.  The CIO evaluates major investments in information technology, and is responsible for their subsequent periodic review based on performance measures. Oversees and manages risks associated with major information systems and information technology.  The CIO reviews the department's information resources for fraud, waste, and abuse to avoid having redundant resources, in conformance with the Clinger-Cohen Act. IT Investment Analysis.

 The CIO coordinates the NAIHS's strategic planning, capital planning and investment control (CPIC), budgeting and performance management processes for information technology, and provides direct planning development and support to assure that Information Resources Management (IRM) plans support agency business planning and mission accomplishment.

For outstanding performance in achieving expert status in her role as Lead EHR Co-CAC while serving as Assistant Chief Pharmacist at the White Earth Health Center.

 BIO: CDR Cheryl Namtvedt

CDR Cheryl Crissler Namtvedt is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians originally from Wahpeton, ND.  She attended pharmacy school at North Dakota State University in Fargo, ND on the 437 scholarship.  After graduating in 1991 with a BS in Pharmacy, she began her career with the Indian Health Service.  Her first COSTEP experience was at the IHS Hospital in Sisseton, SD; her second at the IHS hospital in Santa Fe, NM.  Her first assignment after graduation was at Mt Edgecumbe Hospital in Sitka, AK in 1991.  Two years later, she transferred to the IHS Hospital in Red Lake, MN, then to the IHS Hospital in Sisseton, SD.  In 1998, she returned to the Red Lake IHS Hospital before moving on to her present assignment at the White Earth Health Center, a remote clinic in northern Minnesota, where she is the current Assistant Chief Pharmacist.  She is the Bemijdi Area representative on the IHS National Pharmacy Council.  She coordinates the Pharmacy Clozapine Program and is the Lead Co-Clinical Applications Coordinator responsible for implementation and maintenance of White Earth’s electronic health record.

 She has enjoyed her career thus far and credits the many talented people she has worked with in various locations, including her husband, Mike, who has been very supportive of her career moves and decisions.  She has two terrific kids, son Hogan and daughter Sydney.

The recipient of the 2008 Junior Officer Award is LCDR Rolanda Sandoval.

 For dedication and service to providing timely, sustained, and professional engineering construction management of new community sanitation facilities for tribal homes on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation.

 BIO: LCDR Rolanda Sandoval