bio coming soon

My name is Josephus Govaars, normally called Jos, but more often “Hey you.” I now reside in Ketchikan, Alaska with my wife Riekie. Together we have 5 kids that are spread over two continents. Back in 1986 my car was hit by a truck and at that time I acquired a traumatic brain injury, but I did not know it at the time. Years later, I was properly diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury. Not long after, I realized there was little help for TBI victims in Alaska. I was asked to participate in an advisory board for TBI victims and I have been hooked since. Through a cooperative of many people and agencies, progress has been made.

Denise Daniello is the Executive Director for the Alaska Commission on Aging, an agency under the Department of Health and Social Services charged with planning, advocacy and public awareness on behalf of older Alaskans. Denise has more than 10 years of experience in senior services. She is the former executive director for the North Star Council on Aging Senior Center in Fairbanks and was the program manager for the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geriatric Education Center. Denise holds a M.A. degree in anthropology and B.A. degrees in sociology and anthropology.

bio coming soon

Cindy is a TBI survivor, a mother of a TBI survivor, and has been a board member since April 2009. She also sits on the ICAS Vocational Rehabilitation Advisory Board. She retired with 21 years in the Alaska Air National Guard and is currently employed by the State of Alaska, Department of Labor, Employment Security Division, as the Barrow Job Center Manager. She also works for the City of Barrow as a Recreation and Administrative Specialist. Cindy has 35 years working in an Educational and multi-cultural environment and has coordinated, advised or chaired numerous organizations, projects and clubs, such as; Natural Helpers, Rare-T (Reduce Aids Effectively in Teens), REACH America, Student Assistance Program, S.A.D.D., Mat-Su Safe Home Program, GMS Substance Abuse Aftercare Program and five Summer Computer and Digital Media Camps. In her spare time, Cindy is a Freelance Photographer and owns Windows to the World Photography Studio in Barrow and donates much of her time, energy and Photography to her community and around the state.

Dallas-Lee is a long time resident of Barrow where she came to coordinate the Early Intervention and Developmental Disabilities programs over twenty years ago. Her tenure with the North Slope Borough Health Department culminated with her having been the Deputy Director for Physical Health. She then spent nearly a dallas_fulldecade as the Director of the Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation Program for the Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope, the regional tribal government. Prior to moving to Alaska, she was an Administrative Director for the Children’s Aid Society, serving 100K children, where she focused on Head Start Programs in New York City. Dallas-Lee’s sister, the noted Jazz Singer, Baby Jane Dexter had a concussion from a motorcycle accident decades ago, and has had to work through subsequent barriers caused by the accident at a time when little was known about TBIs. Though Dallas-Lee’s degrees are in education with a certification as a superintendent of schools, she has historically been an advocate for those with disabilities and TBI’s.

Heidi James Frost is a lifelong Alaskan who returned home after serving in the USAF for over 10 years. She has worked in the disability community for the past 13 years as a Business Liaison, Youth with Disabilities Program Coordinator, on Workforce Development issues, and on the program to help youth with intellectual or developmental disabilities go to college. She is now staff to the Statewide Independent Living Council. After returning home as a veteran and starting to work within the disability community, Heidi was crashed into by a drunk driver, resulting in a head injury. Heidi has a loving husband (over 28 years together), two grown sons (James and Christopher), a few furry family members as well.

George Girod, Master of Social Work, Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Certified Chemical Dependency Clinical Supervisor. Mr. Girod has been employed in direct service in both the for-profit and non-profit arenas as a drug counselor, mental health therapist, and co-occurring services specialist. He has also been a clinical supervisor and has designed and operated programs serving persons having complex behavioral disorders. He has been a volunteer field instructor for human services students at UAA and has provided supervision for persons seeking independent clinical licensure in social work or counseling. He is currently employed as a Mental Health Clinician III in the State of Alaska Division of Behavioral Health where he does grants management and provides both individual and programmatic technical assistance to grantee agencies seeking to maintain persons having complex disorders in their communities.

bio coming soon

The Alaska Brain Injury Network (ABIN) family would like to remember and celebrate the life of Eileen Kotyk, who passed away in November. One of our long-term Advisory Board Members, Eileen became an advocate for TBI prevention after her daughter was involved in a car accident in 2000. She was actively involved with ABIN’s efforts to promote awareness, education and improved services for every Alaskan affected by traumatic brain injury.

Eileen’s contributions and caring spirit will be missed by all. We wish her family the very best and thank Eileen for her passion and commitment to the Alaska Brain Injury Network.