Bookmark & ShareFor Immediate Release: 04/06/2007
Contact: Dave Wasser, 360-923-2711
(OLYMPIA) -- Governor Chris Gregoire joined two former governors to honor the memory of Sue Crystal, a leader in statewide health care and tribal issues. Crystal died of kidney cancer in 2001.
In ceremonies at the Capitol, Gov. Gregoire signed a proclamation honoring Crystal's leadership and vision. She was joined by former Governors Gary Locke and Mike Lowry. Crystal served as Locke's health policy advisor and later as his policy director. She also advised Lowry on health and Indian issues.
Crystal was a driving force in the state's health care reforms in the early 1990s. Earlier, she served as legal counsel to the Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation Commission, was a private practice attorney representing various tribes and tribal issues, and represented tribes on issues related to the Northwest Power Bill.
"Sue Crystal was truly a pioneer on health care issues - her efforts to create the Basic Health Plan and advance so many other innovative reforms have enabled us to offer health care to hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians," said Gov. Gregoire.
During the ceremonies, Health Care Authority (HCA) Administrator Steve Hill announced that the agency's primary conference room would be named the Sue Crystal Center. The room will include a plaque commemorating her contributions to the state, as well as Native American artwork. Crystal was the HCA administrator at the time of her
death.
Evergreen State College President Dr. Les Purce announced plans for a Sue Crystal endowment scholarship that will be affiliated with the college's Tribal Masters of Public Administration program, with an emphasis on health care policy.
Other participants in the ceremonies were her husband, Billy Frank Jr., their son Willie Frank, tribal leaders including American Indian Health Commission Chair Marilyn Scott, legislators and other state officials. The ceremonies were conducted on what would have been Sue Crystal's 54th birthday.
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