The chief medical officer for the Navajo Area Health Indian 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 IHS chief medical officer since May. IHS Acting Director Elizabeth Fowler announced Christensen’s appointment Friday to the service serving 2.6 million American Indians and Alaska Natives.
