I am pleased to announce that Markel Stowell is our new Chief Nurse Executive. Markel is replacing John Morris as the Chief Nurse and we are excited to see the things she will accomplish in this new role.
Markel’s YKHC journey began in 2016 when she came to Bethel as a student nurse. She came during her final nursing clinicals through Viterbo University, and worked in both the hospital and the Kotlik Village Clinic. Because of the impact of that experience, the trajectory of her plan changed significantly, which resulted in her pursuing a position with YKHC upon graduation. Markel and her husband, Zandy, moved to Bethel in July 2016. During her time at YKHC, Markel has worked in our Inpatient department, the Well Child and Immunization department, and most recently at YK Elders Home as the Director of Nursing for the last 5.5 years.
Markel and Zandy have two children, Cora (5 yo) and Evelyn (2.5 yo), who were both born at YKHC. They have two dogs and what they have deemed their Stowellstead, consisting of 14 chickens, 2 goats, and a large garden during the growing season. When not working, Markel can be found chasing her kiddos, spending time with family, gardening, baking, reading, sewing, or playing cards with friends.
John Morris has been with YKHC since March 2018 when he came as the Clinical Educator. Prior to his time in Bethel, he had worked in Alaska on a commercial crabber in 1990 and was excited to be back in the Last Frontier. His health care career prior to YKHC includes 5 years as a Coast Guard medic, 10 years in Neuro ICU, 2 years in ED, 9 years in home health, 3 years as a Sim lab instructor, and 20 years as a life support instructor. John served as the Interim CNE from February to August 2019, and then in June 2020 he returned to the CNE role, this time as the permanent CNE. John says that “healthcare administration is a different world from bedside nursing and I am forever grateful for the opportunity to experience it. What I learned above all is that the nurses and providers who serve this extraordinary community are among the most unique, tough, resilient, dedicated, and hard working professionals on earth. It has been a humbling privilege to serve them and I know they are in the most excellent hands as I transition back to the Educator role.”
John will be returning to the role of Clinical Educator and is looking forward to having the opportunity to provide education to our amazing staff, and to do some bedside nursing as well.
–Susan Wheeler, Vice President of Hospital Services