McElwain New Saint Regis Mohawk Health Services Assistant Director
Oct 15, 2019
AKWESASNE — The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT) announced that Kim McElwain has been selected as Assistant Health Director. McElwain was hired following ten years of employment with Saint Regis Mohawk Health Services in various capacities.
“We are very happy to announce Kim’s new role and look forward to her continued work towards enhancing the overall health and wellbeing of our clients,” stated SRMT Health Director Michael Cook. In her new role as Assistant Health Director, McElwain will provide support for the overall operation of the Tribe’s Health Services Division, which is comprised of more than 140 staff members.
McElwain first started in a contract position with Health Service’s Let’s Get Healthy Program in 2004. Following six months assisting clients with diabetes care and prevention, she resumed her education at Syracuse University, as she pursued and successfully obtained a Master’s Degree in Nutrition Science.
Looking to help community members improve their individual and family’s health, McElwain returned to the Tribe’s Health Services in 2008 as the Public Health Nutritionist. After five years of experience in advancing public nutrition, she took multiple positions at the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne before returning to Health Services in March of 2016.
In the last three years, McElwain has worked on expanding and developing the Tribe’s Community Nutrition Program into the Health Promotion and Planning Program. The redesigned nutrition program provides health education through assorted community outreach, including tribal and employee wellness events.
“I look forward to continue providing support to all of our prevention and public health programs that improve the health of our community and employees,” noted McElwain on her new role as Assistant Health Director.
In doing so, one of McElwain’s recent accomplishments includes working with the Strong Roots Charitable Organization in establishing an Akwesasne Farmer’s Market at Generation Park. Held every Tuesday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. from June through early-October, the market offers a wide variety of locally grown fruits and vegetables.
“Kim truly cares about community health in Akwesasne and the quality of our health care,” shared SRMT Executive Director Tsiorasa Barreiro. Barreiro added, “Her experience working with health programs throughout Akwesasne is an asset to our Health Service administration team for oversight of daily operations and the coordination of wellness programs and services. We are all happy to see our Mohawk people ascend to such vital positions within the community and wish her the best.”
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The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council is the duly elected and federally recognized government of the Saint Regis Mohawk People.