UAS Honors Dr. Elliot Bruhl of Sitka with Meritorious Service Award

Meritorious Service Awards are awarded for public and volunteer service to the university or a local community.

Sitka, Alaska

Date of Press Release: April 11, 2022

The University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) uses the occasion of Student Commencement each year to recognize individuals in our community who’ve offered outstanding service to the university, the state of Alaska, or Southeast communities. Meritorious Service Awards are awarded for public and volunteer service to the university or a local community. The UA Board of Regents approves candidates who are nominated by local campuses. This year UAS will honor Dr. Elliot Bruhl with a Meritorious Service Award, to be presented during the Sitka campus ceremony on Friday, April 29.

"Our response to the pandemic has been a team effort in all of our communities, including Sitka. I am thankful for our wonderful staff, who have given it their all in the last two years to keep patients and the community safe,“ said Bruhl.

Dr. Elliot Bruhl is a well-respected medical doctor who has served Sitka for many years. He is currently Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) and has been a leader in COVID-19 planning and response throughout Southeast Alaska communities. As a member of the COVID response Sitka Unified Command Team, he has provided especially noteworthy service for the community of Sitka. Bruhl and many others have selflessly dedicated themselves to lessening the impact of the pandemic on Sitka and throughout Southeast Alaska.

Sitka has run its COVID response through the Unified Command Team, which includes leaders from EMS services, businesses, schools, city management, and other areas. As the medical doctor for the group, Dr. Bruhl has coordinated with and provided advice for all sectors of the community. John Holst remarked, “Of all the people in Sitka, I know of no one who has done more to help us get through the pandemic. He is a primary reason our schools were open for most of the school year.” Holst served on the Unified Command as the Interim Sitka Schools Superintendent.

Fire Chief Craig Warren, Incident Commander for the City and Borough of Sitka, remarked, “Dr. Bruhl has moved mountains to try and get all of his Southeast communities vaccinated. He was the lead medical officer in the roll-out of the vaccine through SEARHC communities.”

UAS Chancellor Karen Carey noted, “The pandemic hit all of us hard, but Dr. Bruhl didn’t let it stop him. He stepped up and did what needed to be done to keep Sitka and all Southeast communities safe. The Meritorious Service Award is presented to those individuals who go above and beyond in their communities, and Dr. Bruhl is most deserving of this award.”

Bruhl will be honored in person during the UAS Sitka Campus Commencement Ceremony on Friday, April 29.