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NIWHRC Board Member Receives AwardNational Indian Women’s Health Resource Center’s Albuquerque Area Board Member, Filomena Louise Kiger, has been selected as a New Mexico Nursing Legend for 2006. The New Mexico Nursing Excellence Awards is a statewide program to recognize and honor excellence in nursing practice. The New Mexico Nursing Legends Awards pay tribute to retired New Mexico nurses who have had a lasting impacting on the nursing profession in the state. Being selected for this award is a reflection of the respect and appreciation Mrs. Kiger has attained for her accomplishments as a nurse. Filomena Louise Kiger is an enrolled member of the Santa Clara Pueblo tribe and was raised on the Santa Clara Pueblo reservation in northern New Mexico. After high school she earned a BS degree in Nursing from the University of New Mexico in 1959. Upon graduation, she worked on the surgical unit of the Bataan Memorial Hospital in Albuquerque, New Mexico for eight months before joining the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps. From 1960 to 1971 Captain Kiger served in various positions ashore and aboard ship including a tour at the Naval Support Activity Hospital in Da Nang, South Vietnam (1968-69). She was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat “V”, the Vietnam Service Medal with 4 stars, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign, the National Defense Service Medal. She was released to the Naval Reserve in 1971. She served in the Naval Reserve in several units as she accompanied her husband on his U.S. Navy assignments. She was promoted to Commander in the Naval Reserve. In 1971-74, Captain Kiger spent three years on the island of Guam, first as a Clinical Instructor at the University of Guam (College of Nursing), then as a School Health Counselor for the Government of Guam at Agana. While there she developed/implemented a school health program for a 600 student elementary school. In 1979, Captain Kiger obtained a Master of Nursing degree from the University of Washington. She was elected to Sigma Theta Tau (National Nursing Honorary). Upon the retirement of Captain Kiger’s husband, the family moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico. From 1980-1991 was employed at the PHS Indian Hospital, a comprehensive health care delivery system serving 12 tribes in northern New Mexico. She held several positions: Clinical Nurse Supervisor, Nurse Educator, Ambulatory Care Supervisor and Chief Nurse. In 1983, she joined the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. In January 1991, she was assigned additional duty as a Nurse Fellow in the office of the Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs in Washington, D.C. In this capacity, she assisted the committee staff on preparing congressional testimony and briefings on health issues. She attended meetings and discussions on the committee’s behalf. In 1991-93 Captain Kiger served as a Nurse Consultant (Recruitment/Retention) for the Albuquerque & Portland Indian Health Areas. Captain Kiger was selected as Chief Nurse of the Indian Health Service (IHS) in 1993. She provided the leadership and oversight of all aspects of nursing in the IHS which included administration, education, research, career development, recruitment, legislative and clinical components of the program. In addition, she managed two major initiatives for IHS, the Women’s Health and Elder Care Programs. Upon retirement from the USPHS in 1999, she continued her work as a Health Consultant in nursing on Indian women’s health issues and Indian health care issues in general. She served as a team member on federal grant and program reviews such as Indian Headstart Programs, Indian Health Scholarship Program (437), and the CDC Early Detection-Breast and Cervical grant programs. Captain Kiger lived in Naples, Italy from 2001-2004. Upon her return, she has resumed work with the National Indian Women’s Health Resource Center. Currently she serves on the Board as Vice-chair. She has been selected to participate in the first annual NM Indian Affairs Department Policy Development Forum. The purpose of this forum is to engage tribal and state representatives in developing short and long term Indian policy initiatives that could improve the quality of life for Native Americans in the state. Captain Kiger is married to Commander Charles Kiger, USN retired. The Kigers have three grown children. Her favorite pastimes include reading, golf and making Pueblo Indian embroidery traditional wear. The National Indian Women’s Health Resource
Center congratulates Mrs. Kiger on this great achievement.
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