I was born and raised in Dillingham, Alaska, in a Yup’ik-speaking household. For over 20 years, I fished commercially for salmon and herring in Bristol Bay—work that grounded me in the values of community, resilience, and hard work. I also served as longtime chairman of the board for Choggiung Ltd., the Alaska Native village corporation representing Dillingham, Ekuk, and Portage Creek. I was proud to earn my Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Alaska Anchorage.

Since 2007, I’ve had the honor of serving in the Alaska State Legislature. From 2017 to 2021, I was elected Speaker of the House—the first Alaska Native to hold that position—where I led the only bipartisan governing coalition of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents in the country. Last session, I served as Co-Chair of the House Finance Committee, where I led work on the Capital Budget to invest in energy, education, public safety, housing, and essential infrastructure like broadband, fisheries, and water and sewer systems. This year, I was honored to be elected to a third term as Speaker of the House.

Throughout my career, I’ve remained focused on delivering real results for rural Alaska and ensuring that every community—no matter how remote—has a strong voice in Juneau.