"Score another one for Arizona.

President Obama's pick to head the Indian Health Service is a professor at the University of Arizona's medical school. If confirmed, Dr. Yvette Roubideaux would join Janet Napolitano as a member of the Obama administration who knows Arizona's needs.

Roubideaux, a member of the Rosebud Sioux tribe, has done extensive work on health issues facing American Indians and Alaska Natives, including work on diabetes and cardiovascular-disease prevention.

Roubideaux earned her medical degree and a master's in public health from Harvard. After a decade at UA, she's earned respect as a scholar in the family- and community-medicine program.

If confirmed, she'll provide an eloquent voice for members of more than 560 federally recognized tribes in the country.

She also will give Arizona another voice in the administration."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Obama's health pick knows our state (The Arizona Republic 3/27)

White House Announcement:
President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts (March 23, 2009)

Related Stories:
Friend vows IHS will 'flourish' under Roubideaux (3/26)
Rosebud Sioux leaders hail Roubideaux for IHS (3/25)
Yvette Roubideaux nominated as director of IHS (3/24)
Kevin Abourezk: IHS gets $500M from stimulus (03/20)
IHS Director: National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness (03/19)
Biden announces $3M tribal senior nutrition funds (03/19)
Omnibus funds North Dakota tribe's overdue hospital (03/17)
Kevin Abourezk: Problems with Indian stimulus funds (03/13)
Death rates high among Natives in Washington (03/12)
Kansas governor tapped for Health secretary post (03/02)
Obama announces first budget (2/27)