Alaska Native Policy Center Policy Director Announced

ANCHORAGE—First Alaskans Institute (FAI), a statewide Alaska Native nonprofit focused on advancing Alaska Natives for the next 10,000 years, is excited to share that Barbara ‘Wáahlaal Gíídaak Blake (Haida/Tlingit/Ahtna Athabascan) has recently been hired as its Alaska Native Policy Center Director. She will lead the development and operation of the Alaska Native Policy Center, which works to achieve FAI’s strategic priorities of Advancing Self-Determination, Advancing Our Ways of Life, Being Good Relatives, Shaping the Knowledge that Informs Alaskans and Knowing, Living, and Loving Who We Are. ‘Wáahlaal Gíídaak will promote 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 their communities.

‘Wáahlaal Gíídaak is from Prince of Wales Island and lives in Juneau where she will be based out of for this position. She belongs to the Káat nay-st/Yahkw Jáanaas (Shark House/Middle Town People) Clan. She is the daughter of Sandra Demmert (Yahkw Jáanaas) and Kenneth Johnson (Naltsiine) who is Ahtna Athabascan, and the granddaughter of Frances Demmert Peele (Yahkw Jáanaas), Franklin Demmert, Sr. (Teeyeeneidi), Irene Johnson (Naltsiine) and Walter Johnson (Norwegian). ‘Wáahlaal Gíídaak is a founding member of the Xaadaas Dagwii, a Haida dance group in Juneau, and is a lifelong member of the Heinyaa Kwaan dance group based in Klawock. She is also part of the Polynesian Voyaging Society where she crewed on a leg of Mālama Honua, a worldwide voyage completed in 2017.