Physician Bios
Charles Portera, MD, F.A.C.S
Board-Certified General Surgery
Fellowship-Trained in Surgical Oncology and Cancer Biology
Charles Portera, MD, a fellowship-trained surgeon with more than 20 years of experience in surgery, founded Alaska Surgical Oncology to provide Alaskans with a level of cancer care previously unavailable in the State.
Dr. Portera received his undergraduate degree and medical degree from the University of Tennessee. He completed his fellowship in surgical oncology and cancer biology at the prestigious MD Anderson Cancer Center — one of the top cancer referral centers in the world.
Dr. Portera has done more than 10,000 successful cancer surgeries over his career.
With this advanced training in surgical oncology, Dr. Portera is viewed by referring physicians as one of best physicians in Alaska to deal with the surgical removal of cancerous and noncancerous tumors. In 2017, Dr. Portera created The Breast Center at Alaska Surgical Oncology to address the complex issues facing those with breast cancer. The Breast Center provides minimally invasive surgical technology and is a leader in breast preservation surgery where all attempts are made during surgery to preserve the natural appearance of the breast. This can involve the expertise of plastic surgeons during surgery to remove breast cancer for the best possible result.
Dr. Portera spent most of his medical career in Chattanooga, Tennessee where he founded a very successful surgical oncology practice. Despite a busy surgical practice, Dr. Portera at age 49 had a true calling and desire to live and work in one of his favorite places in the world, Alaska. Dr. Portera relocated to Anchorage, Alaska in 2014 with his wife Melissa of over 20 years of marriage, and their three children Carol Ann, Mary, and Luke.
To learn more about Alaska Surgical Oncology and all of its capabilities related to treatment of cancer, visit our specialty center at AlaskaSurgicalOncology.com
Victoria Lee Murdock, MD, FACS
Board-Certified General Surgery
Victoria Lee Murdock, MD, is a board-certified general surgeon at Alaska Surgical Group and Alaska Hernia Center. She received her Medical Degree at Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia. She also has a Masters Degree in Bioengineering from Penn State University and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering from Texas Tech University. Dr. Victoria Lee Murdock completed her general surgery residency and internship at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh.
Dr. Victoria Lee Murdock is certified in the use of the Da Vinci robotic surgery system and proficient in laparoscopic surgery. Prior to joining Alaska Surgical Group and the Alaska Hernia Center in Anchorage, she had an active general surgery practice for several years in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Dr. Victoria Lee Murdock is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
Dr. Victoria Lee Murdock relocated to Alaska in 2018 with her husband, a cardio-thoracic surgeon. She is excited to be part of the Alaska medical community and welcomes other physicians to contact her directly related to general surgery issues, robotic surgery cases, laparoscopic surgery and surgical treatment of hernias.
Of special benefit to those patients in Alaska who speak Korean, Dr. Murdock is fluent in both English and Korean, which can be a great relief to those patients from Korea who live in Alaska and would otherwise have difficulty communicating in English.
Rebecca A. Libal
Nurse Practitioner
Doctor of Nursing, NP, AGNP-C
Alaska Breast Center is pleased to have on staff Becky Libal, an experienced nurse practitioner. Becky completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice at University of Alabama at Birmingham. Before going to University of Alabama to become a nurse practitioner, Becky graduated Cum Laude from the University of Alaska in Anchorage in 2004 with a Bachelors degree in Nursing.
Specific to breast cancer treatment, Becky authored a professional paper entitled “Screening Breast Cancer Survivors for Chronic Pain Syndromes,” which was presented at the Joint DNP Intensive for University of Alabama in Birmingham, AL. Becky has several years experience as a nurse practitioner and before that about 10 years experience as a registered nurse in a variety of healthcare settings, including two years in a radiation center caring for patients undergoing radiation therapy for cancer.
