Institutional Review Boards

Indian Health Service Institutional Review Boards (IRB)

National IRB (NIRB) at IHS Headquarters, Rockville, Maryland: IRB00000646

Rachael Tracy, Chair, IHS National IRB (NIRB)
Indian Health Service
5600 Fishers Lane, MS 09E10D
Rockville, MD 20857
Phone: 301-443-2029
Fax: 301-443-0114

Submit projects electronically to irb@ihs.gov with complete hard copy to Rachael Tracy

Alaska Area: IRB00000636

Dr. Shanda Lohse, Chair, Alaska Area IRB
Terry Powell, Administrator, Alaska Area IRB
4315 Diplomacy Drive - RMCC
Anchorage, AK 99508
Phone: 907-729-3924 or 907-729-3917
Email: akaalaskaareaIRB@anthc.org
Submit project electronically to IRBNet.org Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  , Alaska Area IRB

Bemidji Area

Antonio Guimaraes, MD Chair, Bemidji Area Publication Review Committee
(Human participants research clearance is referred to the NIRB)
522 Minnesota Avenue, NW
Bemidji, MN 56601
Phone: 218-335-3200
Fax: 218-444-0498

Billings Area IHS/Rocky Mountain Tribal: IRB00000638

Vernon Grant, PhD, Chair
Vacant, Co-Chair

Karen Manzo, PhD, MPH, IRB Coordinator
711 Central Ave, Suite 220
Billings, Montana 59102
Phone: 406-252-2550; 406-697-2436 (c)
Fax: 406-254-6355

Great Plains Area: IRB00000635

Dewey Ertz, EdD, Chair, Great Plains Area IRB
Marsha Stevens, GPIRB Coordinator
Phone: 605-226-7493
Fax: 605-226-7214
Toll Free: 866-331-5794

Nashville Area: IRB00000640

John Shutze, MPH, Chair, Nashville Area IHS IRB
711 Stewarts Ferry Pike
Nashville, TN 37214
Phone: 615-467-1669
Fax: 615-467-1585

Max Boykin, MSN, RN, Co-Chair, Nashville Area IHS IRB
711 Stewarts Ferry Pike
Nashville, TN 37214
Phone: 615-467-1628

Navajo Area: IRB00000641

Beverly Becenti-Pigman, Chair, Navajo Nation Human Research Review Board (and Navajo Area IHS IRB)

Michael Winney, Administrative Assistant
Office of Planning, Research, Evaluation Program
Navajo Department of Health
P.O. Box 1390
Window Rock, Arizona 86515
Phone: 928-871-6929/871-6352
Fax: 928-871-6255

Oklahoma City Area: IRB00000642

Ryan Schupbach, PharmD, BCPS, CACP
CAPT, U.S. Public Health Service
Co-Chairman, Institutional Review Board
Indian Health Service, Oklahoma City Area
701 Market Drive, Oklahoma City, OK 73114
Phone: (405) 951-3928

Greggory Woitte, MD, FACOG
CAPT, U.S. Public Health Service
Co-Chairman, Institutional Review Board
Indian Health Service, Oklahoma City Area
701 Market Drive, Oklahoma City, OK 73114
Phone: (405) 951-3776

Phoenix Area: IRB00000643

Cynthia Claus, PhD, MPH, Chair, Phoenix Area IHS IRB
Two Renaissance Square
40 North Central Avenue Suite 600
Phoenix, AZ 85004
Phone: 602-364-5169

CAPT Catherine Witte, BPharm, MDiv, MS, Co-Chair, Phoenix Area IHS IRB
4212 North 16th Street
Phoenix, AZ 85016
Phone: 602-263-1200 ext. 1728

Portland Area: IRB00000645

Rena Macy, Co-Chair, Portland Area IHS IRB
Portland Area IHS
1414 NW Northrup St Suite 800
Portland, OR 97209
Phone: 503-414- 5540

CAPT Thomas Weiser, MD, MPH, Co-Chair
Portland Area IHS IRB, Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board
2121 SW Broadway #300, Portland OR 97201
Phone: 503-416-3298
Mobile: 503-927-4467

Tucson Area

Robert Price, Public Health Advisor
Office of Tribal Self-Determination/Tribal Programs (Human participants research clearance is referred to the NIRB)
7900 South J. Stock Road
Tucson, AZ 85746
Phone: 520-295-2403
Fax: 520-295-2540

Independent Tribal IRBs

An increasing number of Tribes are forming their own IRBs (below) under 45 CFR 46. Research projects at IHS direct care facilities serving a Tribal Nation that has its own IRB must have the approval of both the Tribal IRB and the IHS IRB. Projects at facilities managed by Tribal Nations with their own IRB and FWA require approval of only the Tribal IRB. Protocols approved by Tribal Research Review Committees that do not meet the formal requirements of 45 CFR 46 for an IRB should also be forward to the IHS IRB for approval. A formal letter of approval from the Tribal Research Committee or IRB is required for consideration by an IHS IRB. This generally takes the place of the Council Resolution or approval letter from an authorized Tribal Health Official that would ordinarily be required. Tribal IRBs that serve a dual role as both a Tribal IRB and an IHS Area Office IRB (Such as the Navajo Nation's IRB) are listed under "IHS IRBs."

American Indian Healing Center, Inc.: IRB00008253 IORG0006887

John Andrews, MPH, Executive Director
12456 E. Washington Blvd.
Whittier, CA 90602
Phone: 562-693-4325
Fax: 562-693-1115

Assoc American Indian Physicians: IRB00002261 IORG0001788

Margaret Knight, Executive Director
1225 Sovereign Row, Suite 103
Oklahoma City, OK 73108
Phone: 405-946-7072
Fax: 405-946-7651

Blackfeet Nation: IRB00005802 IORG0004865

Lola Wippert, Chairwoman
Blackfeet Community College
P.O. Box 819
Browning, MT 59417
Phone: 406-338-5421, ext 2252

California Rural Indian Health Board (CRIHB): IRB00004400 IORG0003711

Susan Dahl, MHA, RHIA, CHC, CHP, Chair, CRIHB IRB
4400 Auburn Blvd., 2nd floor
Sacramento, CA 95841
Phone: 916-929-9761 Ext 1400
Fax: 916-929-7246

Cherokee Nation: IRB00001237 IORG0000872

Sohail Kahn, MBBS, MPH, CIP, Co-Chair, Cherokee Nation IRB
Roger Montgomery, MD, Chair, Cherokee Nation IRB
P.O. Box 948
Highway 62
Tahlequah, OK 74465
Phone: 918-453-5602
Fax: 918-431-4148

Chickasaw Nation: IRB00004394 IORG0003705

Sheryl Goodson, Chair, Chickasaw Nation Research Review Committee (RRC)
Carl Albert Indian Health Facility
1001 N. Country Club Road
Ada, OK 74820
Phone: 580-421-4548
Fax: 580-421-6208

Bobby Saunkeah, RN, BSN, CDE, RRC Secretary
Phone: 580-421-4532, Ext. 800
Fax: 580-521-4572

Choctaw Nation: IRB00004293 IORG0003613

David F. Wharton, MPH, RN, Facilitator, Choctaw Nation IRB
Choctaw Nation Health Services
Choctaw Nation Health Clinic - Idabel
902 E Lincoln Road
Idabel, OK 74745
Phone: 580-286-4724
Fax: 580-286-4718

College of Menominee Nation: IRB00007956 IORG0006633

Donna Powless, PhD, Vice-President of Academic Affairs
P.O. Box 1179
N172 State Hwy 47/55
Keshena, WI 54135
Phone: 715-799-5600, Ext. 306
Fax: 715-799-5951

Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, IRB00012101 IORG0010187

Tonya Kjerland, Research Specialist Human Services Division
927 Trettel Lane
Cloquet, MN 55720
Phone: (218) 655-3623

Haskell Indian Nations University: IRB00003557 IORG0002948

Freda Gipp, Administrative Assistant
155 Indian Avenue
Lawrence, KS 66046
Phone: 785-749-8407
Fax: 785-749-8411

Ho-Chunk Nation IRB

Brenda Owen, IRB Chair
Joan Greendeer-Lee, Secretary
N6520 Lumberjack Guy Road
Black River Falls, WI 54615
Phone: 715-284-9851 ext. 5052

Southwest Tribal IRB (Albuquerque Area)

Marvin Sarracino, Chair
Rachell Tenorio, Coordinator
5015 Prospect Ave NE
Albuquerque, NM 87110
Phone: 505-764-0036
Fax: 505-764-0446 Email: SWTribalIRB@aaihb.org Website: Southwest Tribal NARCH Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov 

Oglala Sioux Tribal Research Review Board (OSTRRB) (Great Plains)

Katie Blindman, OSTRRB Data Research Assistant
P.O. Box 5011
Pine Ridge, SD 57770
Phone: 605-867-1704
Email: ost.rrb16@gmail.com

Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Local Research Review Board (SWOLRRB) (Great Plains)

Heather Larsen, Research Specialist
Local Research Review Board
Education Department
Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation
P.O. Box 509 Agency Village, C.P.O.
Sisseton, SD 57262
Phone: 605-698-8411

OR Dr. Sherry Johnson, Education Director
Phone: (605) 698-8298
Website: SISSETON WAHPETON OYATE OF THE LAKE TRAVERSE RESERVATION RESEARCH OFFICE Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov 

Tribal Nations Research Group (TNRG) (Great Plains)

Anita Frederick
Tribal Nations Research Group
P.O. Box 1906
Belcourt, ND 58316
Phone: (701) 477-5526
Website: Tribal Nations Research Group Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov 

We hope that this list will always be growing. If your Tribal IRB is not listed here, please email the information about it to irb@ihs.gov.