ELIZABETH AHKIVGAK | Aqpaluk
ACCOUNTING & GRANTS MANAGER
Iñupiaq
Elizabeth Aqpaluk Ahkivgak, an Iñupiaq from Utqiagvik, Alaska, grew up in a whaling crew family. Her parents are Ethel Ahkivgak and Fernando Ortega, and her maternal grandparents are Jennie (Ekolook) and Herbert Ahkivgak. She also honors her foster parents, Rosie and Eben Hopson, Jr., for their lifelong mentorship. Now residing in Anchorage, Alaska, Elizabeth is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Energy and Sustainability Policy from Pennsylvania State University. She has gained diverse experience across public, private, and non-profit sectors, with a focus on Alaska Native issues. Her career includes roles at Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, as an Al Adams Young Political Leader Fellow in Washington, D.C., office of U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan, and as a legislative aide to Representative John Lincoln in the Alaska State Legislature. Inspired by her foster parents’ commitment to public health, Elizabeth has volunteered for organizations like Friends in Serving Humanity to deliver food to high risk neighborhoods, aiming to deliver the same sense of humanity as her foster parents. Elizabeth is passionate about food sovereignty, energy independence, and access to language. Aqpaluk enjoys hiking, fishing, gathering, practicing the Iñupiaq language, and lifelong learning.