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Sealaska 2018 Summer Internships: Applying Cultural Knowledge Toward Innovation
Friday, August 24, 2018

This is the first story in a series featuring the 2018 Sealaska summer interns. See the businesses through their eyes, understand their impact on Sealaska and experience the reconnection with their Alaska Native roots.

Since the early 1980s, Sealaska’s internship program has been offering shareholders and shareholder descendants paid professional work experience and on-the-job training throughout Sealaska and its businesses.

This summer, interns worked in numerous departments across Sealaska such as environmental monitoring, natural resource stewardship, communications, construction management and cultural non-profit.

“I’ve grown up knowing that as Tlingit people we are the stewards of the air, land and sea, but this internship has given me the opportunity to experience it firsthand and strengthen my connection to our homelands.” – Talia Davis, Natural Resources Intern

Along with gaining professional experience, the group attended an intern development week designed to connect them with their Alaska Native roots, Sealaska and each other. Interns experienced Southeast Alaska and Sealaska through hiking together in Juneau, attending workshops and sharing a meal of their traditional, ancestral foods.

“The intern development week in Juneau was really informative. The best part was being able to meet everyone involved with Sealaska and gain a deeper understanding of who they are and what they do.”– Andrew Wysocki, Communications Intern

Applications open the first week of January 2019. Learn more about the program here.

front row, left to right: Breylan Martin, Janae Vieira, Miranda Worl, Andrew Wysocki; second row, left to right: Lyndsey Brollini, Cody Aceveda, Leanna Owen, Elizabeth Castillo, Claudia Castillo, Talia Davis, Leah Urbanski; back row: Mckenna Hunt

Andrew Wysocki
Heritage: Tsimshian
Internship: Communications Department l Seattle, WA
Projects: Content production for quarterly newsletter and other various communications responsibilities
School: Junior at the University of Washington

Breylan Martin
Heritage: Tlingit, Yeil, D’akdeintaan, Sockeye House
Internship: Sealaska Heritage Institute Archives l Juneau, AK
Projects: Writing and filing object reports on donation items, relocating items to storage, working to create a master list of items for grant application
School: Senior at Emory University l Majoring in Religion and Anthropology, Dance and Movement Studies

Claudia Castillo
Heritage: Haida, Eagle Beaver clan, family from Hydaburg
Internship: Sealaska Construction Solutions Project Engineer l Seattle, WA
Projects: Assisting in auto balloon launch construction for the National Weather Service, bid requests for new projects, and making subcontractor contracts
School: Junior at University of Alaska Fairbanks l Majoring in Mechanical Engineering

Cody Aceveda
Heritage: Tlingit, Ch’aak, Killer Whale clan<
Internship: Sealaska Environmental Services l Poulsbo, WA and Adak, AK
Projects: Naval base site water monitoring and maintenance
School: Senior at the University of Washington l Majoring in Environmental Science

Elizabeth Castillo
Heritage: Haida, Eagle Beaver clan, family from Hydaburg
Internship: Sealaska Timber l Prince of Wales Island, AK
Projects: In-field tree measurement studies, sea otter analysis, fish sampling, and stream mapping surveying
School: Sophomore at the University of Alaska Fairbanks l Majoring in Mathematics

Janae Vieira
Heritage: Tsimshian, Double-Finned Killer Whale clan
Internship: Odyssey Foods l Seattle, WA
Projects: Creating a system to record the settings of machinery used in the production lines at the seafood packaging facility Northwest Seafood Processors
School: Sophomore at the University of Puget Sound l Majoring in Exercise Science

Leanna Owen
Heritage: Aleut
Internship: Sealaska Heritage Institute Education Department l Juneau, AK
Projects: Assisting in Baby Raven Reads Program, summer culture camps and the culturally responsive education conference
School: Senior at University of Alaska Southeast l Majoring in Elementary Education and History

Leah Urbanski
Heritage: White Mountain Apache, northeast Arizona
Internship: Sealaska Heritage Institute Education Department l Juneau, AK
Projects: Native language revitalization, assisting in Math Academies for middle schoolers around Southeast as well as the Baby Raven Reads program and helping with the culturally responsive education conference
School: Senior at Dartmouth College l Majoring in Linguistics modified with Spanish, minoring in studio art

Lyndsey Brollini
Heritage: Haida, family from Hydaburg
Internship: Sealaska Heritage Institute Media Intern l Juneau, AK
Projects: Producing social media and digital content for SHI
School: Graduate of University of Washington l Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Political Science

Mckenna Hunt
Heritage: Tlingit, Tlingit name Keil ke, Ch’aak’, Galyax kaagwaantaan, family from Yakutat
Internship: Communications Department l Seattle, WA
Projects: Developing continuous social media and quarterly newsletter content as well as aiding Damen Bell-Holter, Sealaska Director of Community and Youth Development, in his events and programs with native youth.
School: Senior at Western Washington University l Majoring in Journalism with a minor in Psychology

Miranda Worl
Heritage: Tlingit, Kaagwaantaan
Internship: SHI Archives l Juneau, AK
Projects: Tony Strong Subsistence Files Documentation; Literature/Collections Research for Traditional Use of Tináa
School: Senior at Dartmouth College l Majoring in Anthropology with a minor in Linguistics

Talia Davis
Heritage: Tlingit, Tlingit name Kaajeesoox, Yeil, Dakdeintaan from Keex’ Kwaan, family from Kake
Internship: Natural Resources Department l Klawock, AK and Hoonah, AK
Projects: Working with a sockeye predation study in Klawock, sea otter research in Craig, and a coho salmon study in Hoonah
School: Junior at the University of Alaska Fairbanks l Majoring in Fisheries with a concentration in Ocean Sciences

News Search


38 results found

Quarterly Board Meeting Recap – Third Quarter 2024 

Posted 8/13/2024
Posted 8/13/2024
The Sealaska board of directors met on Friday, July 26 to welcome new board members and receive updates from the management team. The board focused on efforts for long-term strategic planning, led by the management team, with a goal of strengthening Sealaska’s internal team, vision for the future and community partnerships. This strategic planning will continue at the September meeting… Source

Community Meeting Information

Posted 5/1/2024
Posted 5/1/2024

Sealaska shareholders are invited to join us at our upcoming in-person and virtual community meetings to learn more about Sealaska business operations, upcoming opportunities and connect with fellow shareholders and descendants.

End-of-year message from President and CEO Anthony Mallott

Posted 12/21/2023
Posted 12/21/2023
Dear Shareholders, Serving Sealaska has been one of my life’s great honors, and I am filled with gratitude for the years we have spent together, through my nine years of service as president and CEO and the eight years prior as your chief investment officer. In the weeks since my departure was announced, I have been humbled by your kindness and resolve to keep working together toward our… Source

Sealaska’s 2023 community meetings offered culture, connection and answers to common questions

Posted 6/13/2023
Posted 6/13/2023
At Sealaska, shareholders are at the center of everything we do. We cherish every opportunity we have to meet with each of you, learning more about your values, priorities and vision for our shared future. This May, we were grateful to host meetings in 10 communities — the first time we have been able to host a full community meeting rotation since 2019. Sealaska shareholders were invited… Source

April 14 Board Meeting Report to Shareholders

Posted 4/19/2023
Posted 4/19/2023
The Sealaska Board supports the LGBTQIA2S+ community, language grants and community donations through board action at the April board meeting. The Sealaska Board of Directors approved several important resolutions at a board meeting on Friday, April 14. The meeting was held on Sheet’ka Kwaan (Sitka) in a gesture of support for the critical work being done by the Herring Protectors to… Source

Traditional Lands of A’akw and Taku Kwáan to host global launch of Moananuiākea Voyage

Posted 3/24/2023
Posted 3/24/2023
Sealaska is proud to welcome the Moananuiākea Voyage to the traditional lands of the A’akw and Taku Kwaan people this summer. The Moananuiākea Voyage is a four-year journey by the Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS) to circumnavigate the Pacific. The voyage’s leaders hope to inspire future navigators while bringing awareness to our changing climate and the impact climate change is having on our… Source

2022 Year in Review

Posted 1/9/2023
Posted 1/9/2023
Happy New Year! As we greet 2023, we at Sealaska also invite you to join us in reflecting on the 2022 year. In 2022, we celebrated 50 years; made strides toward our goal of ocean health; and continued on the path of financial stability despite continued investment market challenges. There is much to be thankful for: our hardworking employees, our creative, collaborative partners and our… Source

Seacoast Trust Reaches First Major Fundraising Milestone of $20 Million

Posted 7/21/2022
Posted 7/21/2022
Sealaska and its partners in the Seacoast Trust gathered last week in Juneau to celebrate meeting the first major fundraising milestone — $20 million — for the newly created trust. In September of 2021, Sealaska and its partners in the Sustainable Southeast Partnership announced the creation of the trust as a long-term, sustainable and sovereign funding vehicle for SSP. Sealaska’s initial $10… Source

Sealaska Native Rights Advocacy Update

Posted 1/21/2022
Posted 1/21/2022
Every two years, Sealaska conducts a shareholder survey to identify your priorities. Those priorities are the road map to our public policy work and help guide the shareholder benefits we are grateful to be able to provide through the success of our businesses. In 2021, Sealaska’s board and executive leadership launched what will be a multiyear effort to hold leadership meetings in… Source

Sealaska 2021 Year in Review

Posted 12/28/2021
Posted 12/28/2021
As we welcome 2022, we at Sealaska have much to be grateful for. We end the year safe and successful, despite facing continued challenges and disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic. Sealaska continues to prioritize the health of our employees and deeply appreciates their tireless efforts to maintain COVID precautions while working to achieve business growth and enhance shareholder benefits. Source

Foundations Direct $2 Million to Southeast Alaska Collaboration

Posted 12/13/2021
Posted 12/13/2021
A new fund that aims to support a prosperous, post-timber economy in Southeast Alaska has gotten a boost with twin $1 million investments from two private family foundations: Rasmuson Foundation in Alaska and the Edgerton Foundation, based in Los Angeles. The foundations are delighted to announce their partnership in support of the Seacoast Trust endowment, which will be led by Indigenous values… Source

Sealaska Joins Partners in Announcing New Funding Source for Community Economic Development in Southeast

Posted 9/15/2021
Posted 9/15/2021
Today, Sealaska joins with several other organizations committed to the long-term health and success of our region in announcing a new vision and funding model for community economic development in Southeast Alaska. Sealaska is proud to commit $10 million to the establishment of the Seacoast Trust. Our $10 million is being matched with $7 million from The Nature Conservancy… Source

Sealaska Welcomes USDA Funding for Local Priorities In, Around the Tongass

Posted 7/21/2021
Posted 7/21/2021
Sealaska welcomes the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s announcement last week that it is dedicating $25 million toward sustainable opportunities for economic growth and community well-being in and around the Tongass National Forest – the traditional homelands of the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian people. The announcement of the Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy… Source

Q&A on the Supreme Court’s CARES Act Ruling

Posted 6/25/2021
Posted 6/25/2021
Sealaska issued a statement expressing its position on the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on Friday, June 25 that settled litigation over whether Alaska Native Corporations qualify for federal CARES Act funding. Click here to read Sealaska’s statement. Answers to additional questions shareholders and tribal citizens may have on the decision and Sealaska’s role are below. Source

Sealaska Wants Your Feedback

Posted 4/25/2021
Posted 4/25/2021
Every few years, Sealaska reaches out to shareholders as part of an ongoing effort to gather shareholder opinions and feedback. Sealaska is launching the most recent shareholder survey the week of April 19. We look forward to hearing from shareholders through the work. Why commission the surveys? Surveys are a great way to engage with shareholders. Since 1981, we’ve been reaching out to… Source

Path to Prosperity Business Development Competition 2021 Winners Announced

Posted 3/17/2021
Posted 3/17/2021
Sealaska invests in Southeast Alaska businesses through a yearly commitment to Spruce Root, Inc. Spruce Root supports businesses through loan capital and support services to promote economic, social, cultural and environmental resiliency. Sealaska economic development partner Spruce Root just announced the winners of its annual Path to Prosperity business competition… Source

Advocating for Environmental Justice through Legislative Action

Posted 2/9/2021
Posted 2/9/2021
During the month of February, we are highlighting shareholders who are contributing to policy and advocacy efforts and who positively impact people and communities. Washington State Representative Debra Lekanoff is a champion for environmental policy and protections. She has given her time at the tribal, village, state and national level. Her efforts and professional background led some… Source

Shop Native-Owned

Posted 12/20/2020
Posted 12/20/2020
It is the holiday season, and a great opportunity to support local, Native-owned businesses, artists and entrepreneurs. Sealaska invited its shareholders, descendants and others in the Alaska Native community to share their businesses and artistry with our audiences so we can help promote them during an otherwise very difficult year. We were flooded with submissions from all sorts of artists… Source

Investment in Language Leads to Cultural Revitalization in Hydaburg

Posted 10/19/2020
Posted 10/19/2020
Sealaska established a $10 million language endowment to focus on the revitalization of Tlingit (Lingít), Haida (X̱aad Kíl) and Tsimshian (Sm’algya̠x) languages. In Alaska, very few birth speakers of these traditional languages remain. All are older than 70, and a majority are 80 or older. The group includes four birth speakers of Sm’algya̠x, three birth speakers of X̱aad Kíl… Source

Sealaska Nominates Joe Nelson as AFN Co-Chair

Posted 10/13/2020
Posted 10/13/2020
Sealaska is pleased to announce the nomination of Joe Nelson as the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) board co-chair. Nelson has served as a Sealaska director since 2003 and has been board chair since 2014. Nelson has a long and distinguished career working as a practicing attorney and advocating for youth while working for the University of Alaska Southeast. Nelson is a tribal member of the… Source

Collaboration Between Sealaska and Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association Fills Freezers for Subsistence-Based Sealaska Shareholders

Posted 9/28/2020
Posted 9/28/2020
(September 25, 2020) – Shareholders from around Southeast Alaska filled their smokehouses, pantries and freezers with the rich red of sockeye salmon this week, courtesy of a unique partnership between Sealaska and the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association (ALFA), in conjunction with tribal leadership in each community. The first of its kind, this salmon distribution netted a total of 51,000… Source

Southeast Families Receive 49,000 Pounds of Salmon to Help with Difficult Season

Posted 9/18/2020
Posted 9/18/2020
This month, a partnership between Sealaska and the Alaska Longline Fisheries Association (ALFA) will result in the distribution of 49,000 pounds of salmon to families reliant on subsistence fishing from Yakutat to Hydaburg. ALFA received a $250,000 grant from the Alaska Community Foundation and Catch Together, a Massachusetts-based nonprofit that helps small-scale fishing communities ensure… Source

Sealaska Support Brings Joy, Growth and Connection Through Yakutat Surf Camp

Posted 9/15/2020
Posted 9/15/2020
Late this summer, a series of happy coincidences led 40 Yakutat kids out of the doldrums of the pandemic and into the icy waters of the North Pacific for a series of surf camps in Yakutat’s legendary waves. Their time in the water brought welcome joy, healthy connection to the ocean, and an opportunity to open minds and overcome fears. “I’ve been so used to everything being sad this year… Source

Inspiration and Action: Part 2 with Sealaska Board Youth Advisor Maka Monture

Posted 6/22/2020
Posted 6/22/2020
After discussing where Maka came from and how she was taking on her current projects on climate change and social injustice, we asked her flat out, “why?” Why youth, why now? Her answer… “My people are resilient people. I remember, as a child, sitting at our old wooden kitchen table after dinner while my grandfather spoke about how the Tlingit people trained to stay strong and healthy. Source

Inspiration in Action: Part 1 with Sealaska Board Youth Advisor Maka Monture

Posted 6/19/2020
Posted 6/19/2020
We had a chance to connect with Sealaska Board Youth Advisor Maka Monture, a Tlingit and Mohawk from Yakutat, Alaska. She currently resides in Anchorage, Alaska, and is working on a few different projects at the time of this interview. We wanted to catch up on what she has been doing and, more importantly, learn more about why she is so dedicated to leading a youth charge on climate change and… Source

Candidate Profile: Morgan Howard

Posted 6/4/2020
Posted 6/4/2020
It is natural that Morgan Howard sees the future of Sealaska – as well as its challenges – through the lens of communications. As founder of Morgan Howard Productions, a communications company specializing in video, web, and social media, he has been telling the stories of Alaska Native people and Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs) since the mid-1990s. Howard said he believes that… Source

Sealaska community mourns the passing of Tlingit leader Byron Mallott

Posted 5/8/2020
Posted 5/8/2020
The sudden passing of Byron Mallott — Elder, leader, mentor and tireless advocate for indigenous people across the globe — is a devastating loss for our people and our communities. Byron brought a profound belief in fairness and inclusion to our communities, our corporation, our state and the world. As a business executive, public servant and elected leader, Byron fought every day for unity… Source

Sealaska helps Southeast Alaska Independent Living to get Alaskans the care they need

Posted 5/6/2020
Posted 5/6/2020
As we strive to heed the words of our Elders, we also strive to ensure their health and well-being, even more so during these unprecedented times. With the help of Sealaska’s COVID-19 relief and recovery package, a nonprofit organization is using its funding to continue supporting our most vulnerable populations. Southeast Alaska Independent Living (SAIL) is a nonprofit organization… Source

Food Bank of Alaska tackles food security in the region with help from Sealaska

Posted 5/4/2020
Posted 5/4/2020
In light of COVID-19, food banks all over the country have seen an onslaught of demand as store shelves have gone bare, and unemployment rates have climbed. Mike Reusser, director of operations for the Food Bank of Alaska , says it hasn’t been any different in Alaska, with distribution numbers up 50 percent since the crisis ensued in mid-March, totaling in at approximately 1 million pounds of… Source

Sealaska Supports Crime Victim Shelter Safe House in Yakutat

Posted 4/21/2020
Posted 4/21/2020
In early April 2020, Sealaska’s board of directors approved a $55,000 donation to the Yakutat Tlingit Tribe (YTT) to support the construction of a crime victim shelter in Yakutat. The funding builds on a 2019 Safe Shelter grant from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), which allowed YTT to utilize $691,768 of grant funds set aside for tribal entities from the DOJ Office for Victims of Crime (OVC). Source

Sealaska Invests in Future Alaska Native Scientists and Engineers Through ANSEP

Posted 3/9/2020
Posted 3/9/2020
Sealaska is increasing its involvement in the education of shareholders and descendants long before they are eligible for a college scholarship. One example is our sponsorship of the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP) Middle School Academy. ANSEP, as the program is known, is based at the University of Alaska. Over the past 20-plus years, the program has evolved into a… Source

Sealaska Invests in Southeast Regenerative Tourism

Posted 3/3/2020
Posted 3/3/2020
Sealaska is partnering with the Sustainable Southeast Partnership (SSP) and Allen Marine to support a new position within SSP, a regional catalyst for regenerative tourism, which will focus on: Sealaska looks at the uniqueness of Southeast Alaska as an opportunity to educate and inspire. Sealaska supports Sealaska Heritage Institute’s newest endeavor to establish Heritage Square in… Source

Sealaska Seeks Board Youth Advisor

Posted 1/2/2020
Posted 1/2/2020
Sealaska seeks the next Board Youth Advisor and is accepting applications for 2019-2020 term. Each year, Sealaska directors select a non-voting youth advisor to the board to provide input, gain board membership training and gain knowledge of Sealaska’s operations. Key eligibility requirements: The deadline to submit completed applications, supporting documents… Source

Sealaska Partners with Southeast Alaska Independent Living Organization

Posted 8/16/2019
Posted 8/16/2019
Southeast Alaska Independent Living (SAIL) has been administering a demonstration project over the last three years to increase culturally appropriate independent living services in the region. The project is called Independent Living Services for Alaska Natives with Disabilities (IL STAND) and serves about 100 people, including elders and people with disabilities. Each year SAIL serves… Source

Everyone Deserves Love and Compassion: Sealaska Collaborates with Southeast Senior Services

Posted 3/19/2019
Posted 3/19/2019
Sealaska is growing, and that growth is rooted in core businesses that are working to manage healthy lands, create exponential value and demonstrate sustainable stewardship. Our recent financial stability has enabled us to increase investments in what we care most about: our people and communities. This October, Sealaska invested in a local community program that directly betters elders in rural… Source

Shaping Sealaska’s Future through Increased Shareholder Engagement

Posted 1/18/2019
Posted 1/18/2019
In January, Sealaska made the board chair position full-time to foster a stronger connection and communication between the board and Sealaska shareholders. Current Board Chair Joe Nelson is now leading an effort to increase opportunities to listen, engage, and inspire participation among Sealaska and shareholders. Dear Sealaska Shareholder, We need you — your perspective… Source

Sealaska Builds Launch Pads for Data Gathering Balloons in Remote Alaska

Posted 12/7/2018
Posted 12/7/2018
All around the world at precisely the same time, weather balloons are released and rise to the top of the earth’s atmosphere. Sensors attached to the 5-feet wide balloons take snapshots of the weather every few seconds – temperature, humidity, pressure, and wind speed – as they rise up to 100,000 feet and drift as far as 125 miles depending on wind speeds. Source