Where I Come From

I was born and raised in Dillingham, Alaska, in a Yup’ik-speaking household. For more than twenty years, I fished commercially for salmon and herring in Bristol Bay, work that taught me the value of community, resilience, and hard work. I also served as the longtime chairman of the board for Choggiung Ltd., the Alaska Native village corporation for Dillingham, Ekuk, and Portage Creek. I am proud to have earned my Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Alaska Anchorage.

My Work in Juneau

I have had the honor of serving in the Alaska State Legislature since 2007. From 2017 to 2021, I served as Speaker of the House, becoming the first Alaska Native to hold that position, and 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 helped lead work on the Capital Budget and secured investments in energy, education, public safety, housing, broadband, fisheries, and critical water and sewer infrastructure across the state. This year, I was honored to be elected to a third term as Speaker of the House.

What I Am Focused On

Throughout my career, I have focused on delivering real results for rural Alaska and ensuring that every community, no matter how remote, has a strong voice in Juneau. Our region continues to face high costs, a direct threat to our subsistence rights, serious public safety challenges, and schools that are often stretched thin.

We are also working through the long-term recovery from the Halong storm and the continued fisheries disasters across Western Alaska, which have hit families and local economies hard. My priority is to continue advocating for the resources, investment, and support our communities need to stay strong.