Rachel Cassandra
Health and Wellness ReporterRachel Cassandra is the health and wellness reporter and producer. As a reporter, she covers statewide health and mental health news. A few of her areas of focus include addiction and the opioid epidemic, food and health care insecurity, rural health care, mental health care and stories of how communities thrive. She also occasionally produces shows for LineOne: Your Health Connection. She’s worked in Alaska Public Media’s newsroom since May 2023.
Before working for AKPM, Rachel was a reporter in Petersburg for KFSK. She also interned for Sitka’s radio station, KCAW. She worked for many years as a freelance journalist, reporting for a range of publications including KQED, Mindsite News, The Atlantic, Atmos and VICE. She graduated from UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism.
When Rachel is not reporting, she might be running, hiking, crafting, illustrating, reading, playing board games or playing with her two cats — Indigo and Persephone.
You can reach Rachel at rcassandra@alaskapublic.org.
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Supporters of the bill said it would increase access to birth control, especially for rural Alaskans, and reduce reliance on abortions. -
One confirmed case and two suspected cases of the infection were reported to the district this week. -
About $8.5 million will go to 18 organizations in the state helping with prevention and addiction treatment for the state’s deadly opioid crisis. -
The report is based on over 250 peer-reviewed studies and shows the Arctic environment and people are disproportionately impacted by microplastics, plastic chemicals, and contaminated sea life. -
What role does herbal medicine play in a pharmacist’s practice and how do these two approaches coexist? We explore those questions on this Line One. -
Researchers at UAF have been collecting berry data over the past two decades and communities are using that to help guide interventions. -
Alaskans have limited access to medicinal and recreational psychedelics, but an upcoming conference, called Arctic Visions, will address ethical, cultural, and logistical approaches to psychedelic practices. -
Researchers said the populations they’re studying have been almost entirely left out of current Alzheimer’s research and will deepen knowledge of the disease. -
Thomas McDuffie had over 100 wards in his care as a guardian between 2021 and 2023. The lawsuit names him, the state and two state employees as defendants. -
Jason Davis relies on all-local ingredients to make his meads and ciders. He says Alaska berries and honey have better flavor.
