Alaska’s state ombudsman is resigning in April.
Kate Burkhart departs after eight years on the job and numerous investigations that have led to major systemic reforms in the state. She began her first five-year term in the position in 2017 and was unanimously reappointed by the Alaska Legislature in 2022.
The ombudsman is a non-partisan position within the state that serves as part of the checks and balances for the government. The office investigates systemic issues and individual complaints against state agencies and makes recommendations on how to fix them.
In an interview on Thursday, Burkhart said she’s proud of the work she and her staff have accomplished during her tenure.
“State government touches people’s lives every day, whether they realize it or not. For a lot of people, it touches their lives in some of the most intimate ways possible,” she said. “The ombudsman’s office, we are able to connect people to the folks in government who can solve their problem. If that doesn’t happen, then we can investigate to figure out what happened, why it happened, and what can be done to fix it.”
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Burkhart will leave Juneau for Maine, to be closer to family. She took a job as the director of Maine’s Bureau of Labor Standards for the state Department of Labor.
The state of Alaska created its ombudsman’s office five decades ago, and Alaska is one of only five states that have a statewide ombudsman. Some cities, like Anchorage, have their own ombudsman’s offices to investigate complaints at the municipal level. Fairbanks and Juneau once had their own offices too, but those were eventually closed down due to budget restraints.
Throughout Burkhart’s tenure, her office has investigated thousands of complaints from all across the state.
Notably, the office released a report in 2019 that substantiated major problems related to the treatment of patients at the Alaska Psychiatric Institute in Anchorage.
And in 2022, it recommended systemic changes to the state’s Department of Corrections following a complaint that correctional officers used excessive force on inmates in Anchorage.
Another investigation last year found that DOC did not meet serious dental treatment needs of inmates, and the office made recommendations to increase oversight of the dental program.
The state of Alaska is currently grappling with a significant budget deficit and the ombudsman’s office is not immune to potential cuts or downsizing. Burkhart said a robust state ombudsman’s office is necessary to maintain accountability and justice for the residents of Alaska.
“The programs that the state of Alaska provides can be essential to people’s livelihoods,” she said. “When things go sideways, there’s not always an easy fix, and sometimes you can’t even figure out who to talk to to fix it, and that’s where the ombudsman provides an invaluable resource to constituents.”
Assistant Ombudsman Jacob Carbaugh will serve as acting ombudsman until the Alaska Legislature appoints a permanent replacement. Carbaugh joined the office in 2020 and is a graduate of the University of Alaska Anchorage.
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