Dr. Zink is a practicing Emergency Medicine physician in Palmer, Alaska, and a public health leader dedicated to developing innovative health strategies, implementing data-driven solutions, and advocating for health improvements at local, tribal, territorial, state, and national levels.
Dr. Zink believes that health is deeply personal—and that people, when empowered with tools, transparent information, and resources, can make the best decisions for their health. Her work focuses on building systems that provide individuals with the support they need to navigate complex systems and make informed choices. She is committed to collaborative, data-driven approaches that integrate public health, healthcare, and community partners to improve outcomes. Grounded in transparency, responsiveness, and prevention, Dr. Zink strives to create resilient systems that support individual well-being and strengthen community health.
She currently serves as a Senior Fellow at the Yale School of Public Health, where she focuses on health data visualization, teaching, and mentoring to prepare the next generation of public health leaders.
Dr. Zink is also a Public Health Senior Advisor to The Pew Charitable Trusts and collaborates with various agencies, including serving on the steering committees for the Common Health Coalition and the Biosecurity Game Changer Coalition.
From 2018 to 2024, she served as the Chief Medical Officer for the State of Alaska, leading the state through the COVID-19 pandemic and numerous other initiatives. Her work included reorganizing the Department of Health and Social Services, building the Healthy Alaskans initiative, launching the state’s Complex Care System to streamline government services for patients, and developing programs to address pressing health issues, from tuberculosis to youth mental health.
Dr. Zink is the immediate past president of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), where she represented public health leaders from all 50 states and U.S. territories, fostering collaboration and advocating for policy change during a time of rapid transformation in public health.
Originally from Denver, Colorado, Dr. Zink holds a B.A. from Bryn Mawr College and an M.D. from Stanford University. She completed her emergency medicine residency at the University of Utah, served as a Thomas J. Watson Fellow, and was a longtime instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS).
Anne Zink, MD
