Board & Steering Committee
Meet the guiding force that ensures our work is aligned with our values and mission.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Barbara ‘Wáahlaal Gíidaak Blake
President
Haida, Tlingit, Ahtna
‘Wáahlaal Gíidaak is from Prince of Wales Island and currently lives in Dzántik’i Héeni (Juneau) on Lingít Aaní. She belongs to the Káat nay-st/Yahkw Jáanaas (Shark House/Middle Town People) Clan. ‘Wáahlaal Gíidaak is the daughter of Sandra Demmert (Yahkw Jáanaas) and Kenneth Johnson (Naltsiina), and the granddaughter of Frances Demmert Peele (Yahkw Jáanaas), Franklin Demmert, Sr. (L’eeneidi), Irene Johnson (Naltsiina) Walter Johnson (Norwegian), and mother to two amazing kids. She currently serves as the Vice President of Arctic Conservation at Ocean Conservancy. ‘Wáahlaal Gíidaak previously served as the Director of the Alaska Native Policy Center with First Alaskans Institute, where she promotes the self-determination of Alaska Native peoples through strengthening opportunities for indigenous voices to be at the forefront of leading, solving, confronting, and advocating for Indigenous communities. She also sits on the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly as an elected city official and on the Sealaska Board of Directors. ‘Wáahlaal Gíidaak received her master’s degree from UAF in Rural Development focusing her thesis on Fisheries Development in Rural Alaska. She received her undergraduate degree(s) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks with a BA in Rural Economic Development and an AA in Tribal Management. She also holds Onaben’s Indianpreneurship and Sandford’s First Nations Futures Program certificates.
Jessica Black
Treasurer
Gwich’in Athabascan
Dr. Jessica Black is from the villages of Gwich’yaa Zhee [Ft. Yukon] and Toghotthele [Nenana], Alaska. In her current job as Assistant Professor for the Department of Alaska Native Studies and Rural Development and Tribal Management at UAF Jessica teaches, co-leads several research projects, and serves her Alaska Native community in various ways. Dr. Black received her PhD in Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis in August of 2017. The title of her dissertation is Participation in Governance and Well-Being in the Yukon Flats.
Carrie Stevens
Secretary
Carrie previously served the Council of Athabascan Tribal Government (CATG), an Alaska Native Tribal Consortium serving ten Gwich’in and Koyukon Tribes to promote Tribal Self-Governance. Mrs. Stevens served as the lead negotiator for CATG on their two Non-BIA self-governance agreements with the Bureau of Land Management and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. She began working with CATG in 1999, when she moved to Arctic Village to work with Indigenous rights activists for the protection of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. She now serves as faculty for the University of Alaska Tribal Management program. Carrie holds a Masters degree in International and Intercultural Management. She is a mother and warrior for sustaining Alaska Native ways of life.
Gayla Hoseth
Member
Yup’ik, Aleut
Steering Committee
Saagulik Elizabeth Hensley
Iñupiaq
Saagulik focuses her practice on meeting the unique legal needs of Alaska Native corporations, tribes and tribal nonprofit health and social service organizations. She maintains a general counsel practice providing advice in contract strategy, negotiation and enforcement; employment law; investigations and compliance; grants management; conflicts of interest and other ethics standards; and governance. Saagulik has been active in Alaska and Native American affairs for many years. Her experience includes working as a legislative aide with the Alaska State Legislature, as a staff attorney and public policy liaison with an Alaska Native (ANSCA) regional corporation, and as general counsel for a 600-employee regional tribal nonprofit corporation. She served as senior policy advisor at the United States Department of the Interior Office of the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs and has provided international human rights law support to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples through coursework and a fellowship.
Dustin Newman
Unangax̂, Deg Hit’an
Dustin is an artist, kayak builder, storyteller, and dancer with the Anchorage Unangax̂ Dancers. He grew up in King Cove, has roots in Anvik, and now lives in Anchorage. Dustin comes from a long line of fisherman and woodworkers and specializes in revitalizing Unangax̂ kayak (iqyax̂) traditions and intertwining community wellness throughout the process. He encourages rebuilding the relationship with our waters, taking care of them, and stewarding the lands and waters that have sustained us.
Diloola Erickson
Koyukon
Diloola grew up on Lingít Aaní in the village of Hoonah. In high school, she moved to Galena where she began to connect with her Athabascan culture, before moving to Fairbanks to attend UAF. Diloola is enrolled as a Kaltag Tribal member. Diloola serves as the Director of the Tribal Resource Stewardship Division at Tanana Chiefs Conference. She spends her work time focused on advancing Tribal-led co-stewardship of our lands, waters, and animals. In her free time she enjoys spending time on the land harvesting, working on cultural or language projects, and beadings/sewing.