Every year AFN honors those who have made outstanding contributions to their families and the Native community. Congratulations to recipient of the Roger Lang Youth Award – local youth leader and organizer Ben Anderson-Agimuk of Chevak, Tununak, and Bethel. Please read on for a list of this year’s AFN President’s Awards honorees.
Roger Lang Youth Leadership
Ben Anderson-Agimuk
Ben Nemqerralria Anderson-Agimuk, who is Yup’ik, grew up in Chevak, Tununak, Bethel, Anchorage and Napakiak, and is a tribal citizen of the Native Community of Chevak. His mother is Susie Anderson (Agimuk) from Tununak. After graduating from Chevak School in 2011, he studied Political Science and Alaska Native Law, Policy, and Government at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where he served as President of the Native Student Union and Chair of the Student Senate. He discovered his leadership calling at the University and in the surrounding Fairbanks area, mentored by the Interior’s university and community indigenous leaders. Ben was the Alaska Native Constituency Organizer in Anchorage for Mark Begich’s 2014 Senate race, and has stayed politically and civically engaged in Alaska Native, environmental and student issues since then, volunteer and paid. He interned with Calista Corporation Summer Internship Program in Government Relations in 2015, and participated in the 2016 First Alaskans Institute Summer Internship Program with the State of Alaska Division of Elections. In 2017, he moved to Bethel, and after interning with the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fisheries Commission, he served as a Legislative Aide to former Representative Zach Fansler in both Juneau and Bethel. At the beginning of 2017, he was elected as Chair of the District 38 Alaska Democratic Party, where he was tasked with leading the replacement process for the vacant State House seat representing the YK Delta. He is currently splitting his time between Bethel and Juneau as Legislative Aide to Representative Tiffany Zulkosky, as well as Campaign Manager for Elect Tiffany Zulkosky.
Hannah Paul Solomon “Woman of Courage”
Margaret Agnguarta Roberts
Margaret Agnguarta Roberts was born and raised in Kodiak, graduating from Kodiak High School in 1967. She was blessed with wonderful parents, Martha Patarochin of Kodiak and Ronald Fadaoff of Woody Island. Margaret has been married to the love of her life, Gary, for 45 years. They are blessed with four children, eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Margaret’s Alutiiq name, Agnguarta means, One Who Dances, reflecting her contribution to re-establishing Alutiiq dancing. Over 30 years ago, she founded the Kodiak Alutiiq Dancers. She still dances with them today.
Margaret has spent her life advocating for tribes and tribal rights, traditional culture and language preservation, and is dedicated to the health and wellness of the Sugpiaq (Alutiiq) people of the Kodiak Archipelago. Without her drive and passion, many of the programs and benefits our people have would not exist. Margaret has a quiet and compassionate presence, but when necessary, she is forceful voice for tribal rights, fearlessly promoting what is best for Native people.
Margaret serves on numerous boards, chairing the boards for the Alutiiq Museum, Alaska Sea Otter and Sea Lion Commission, and Kodiak Area Native Association’s Health Advisory Committee. She is a board member for Natives of Kodiak, Inc., and the Indigenous People’s Council on Marine Mammals. She is a council member for Tangirnaq (Woody Island) Tribal Council. As President of the Kodiak Tribal Council she helped Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak gain federal recognition. She co-founded United Tribes of Alaska and the Alaska Inter-Tribal Council. In her spare time, Margaret enjoys attending Women’s Wellness Retreats, Dig Afognak’s Language and Music camps, and she never misses the Elders and Youth Conference.
Everything Margaret does helps ensure that our youth know who they are, are proud of who they are and can, and will continue our Native ways of living.
Katie John Hunter-Fisher
Replogle Swan, Sr.
Raised in Kivalina, Replogle Swan, Sr. comes from a family of 19. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Swan Sr. had 11 children of their own, of which Replogle was the youngest. His parents had six more children by cultural adoption. Replogle is married to Dolly Helen. They have seven children, the youngest by adoption. They live in Kivalina and provide for their family through subsistence activities, hunting caribou, bearded seals, and seining for trout. They teach their children how to safely survive from the land, sea, and air. This way of life sustains them because jobs are still scarce in rural areas. Replogle and Dolly provide for their elderly parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Swan Sr. and Mr. and Mrs. Willard Adams Sr., and many other family members including brothers, sisters, and cousins. Replogle has been a surrogate father to many of his nephews, teaching them how to care for themselves and their families. Most importantly he has taught them about safety while out in the country and how to be a successful hunter. Nothing is more important to Replogle than safety while out gathering food or traveling. All his nephews provide for their families today using these lessons. Both Replogle and Dolly come from whaling families. Recently, their fathers passed the responsibility of the family whaling crews to them. With the changing climate, they must be even more aware of the dangers of being on the ice during whaling season.
Replogle serves as the president of the Kivalina Volunteer Search and Rescue program, is a Field Officer for the First Responders Team, is the Fire Chief of the Volunteer Fire Department, and is the property manager for the Episcopal Church Committee. He’s served on the Alaska Beluga Commission and is a member of the Kivalina IRA Council.
Small Business
Cindy and Tom Massie
Cindy Massie grew up in Unalakleet, the daughter of Clarence and Guerie Towarak. Her Inupiaq name is Agnaqhiq after her great-grandmother. Cindy graduated from Covenant High School in Unalakleet and attended Seattle Pacific University. Early on, she did work in the construction industry in Nome.
Tom Massie was born in East Los Angeles to George and Wilma Massie. His family moved frequently around the Pacific Northwest before he graduated high school in Fallbrook, California. He attended the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. In 1968, Tom’s father founded the Gold Prospectors Association of America (GPAA) – now the world’s largest recreational prospecting and small miner’s association. In 1982, GPAA started a recreational prospecting trip to Nome, which has brought over 15,000 participants to Alaska over the years.
Tom and Cindy met in Nome. Cindy was flagging and Tom kept driving by. Finally, Cindy turned her sign from ‘slow’ to ‘stop’ and the rest is history. In 1994, Cindy and Tom got married and founded The Outdoor Channel, a cable and satellite network with over 50 million subscribers. At first, the channel struggled. Tom and Cindy sold off just about everything they owned and mortgage their home. During this time they lived almost exclusively on salmon, but through hard work and perseverance, they eventually turned a corner, taking The Outdoor Channel public and listing it on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange. In 2013, the Massie’s sold The Outdoor Channel to Stan Kroenke.
In 2004, the Massies formed a charitable foundation to benefit the people of rural Alaska. They have given more than $12 million to number charities and causes in Alaska. They have awarded more than $400,000 in higher education scholarships. Today, the Massie’s are retired. Their five children manage GPAA and their other businesses.
Health
Dr. Donna Galbreath
Ahtna Athabascan, is the daughter of Don and Molly (John) Galbreath, sister of Larry and Mike Galbreath, and mother of Tikaan and Kate Galbreath, and Yatibaey Evans. She has worked in Alaska for Tribal organizations since completing her medical training 27 years ago. She has focused her career on both providing health care and partnering with other Alaska Native people to improve the quality of and access to services. Dr. Galbreath comes from a line of traditional healers and, as a primary care provider, uses both traditional Ahtna healing knowledge and Western medical knowledge in her practice. She also serves as the Senior Medical Director of Quality Assurance for Southcentral Foundation, and presents nationally and internationally on quality assurance, corporate compliance, and Southcentral Foundation’s relationship-based Nuka System of Care.
Eileen Panigeo MacLean Education
Frances Jackson
Ahtna Athabascan from the Tsisyu clan. Her parents are Nick and Lorraine Jackson. Her maternal grandparents are Hazel and the late Chief Ben Neeley of Gulkana. Her paternal grandparents are the late Tony and Mary Jackson of Kluti-Kaah. Ms. Jackson has spent the last 17 years teaching. She taught at June Nelson Elementary in Kotzebue for four years, and at Glennallen School for the last 13 years. Today, she serves as the principal of Glennallen School. She is the first local Alaska Native to graduate from Glennallen School and later return to serve as a teacher and then principal. Ms. Jackson is an elected member of the Gulkana Village Council. She has also served on the Haskell Indian Nations University Board of Regents. Ms. Jackson was brought up living a subsistence lifestyle with Christian based values. She imparts these values in her daily life. She enjoys fishing, hunting, and cutting wood. She also enjoys being a foster mother and “Auntie” to many. Her house has always been open for children. Whether it’s for a few days or a few years, Ms. Jackson’s home is a safe place to be for those who just need a little “Auntie” time and for those who are in need. Some of the children she watches over are still in school, while others have graduated. Even though they grow up, she never stops mentoring them. Her prayer is that she will inspire children to be lifelong learners and to become educators.
Glenn Godfrey Law Enforcement
Lieutenant Lonny Piscoya
Lieutenant Lonny Piscoya was born in Nome to Carol and Roy Piscoya. He was raised in Nome and has seven siblings. He has been married to his wife, Bridget for 24 years and they have six children. He is a member of Rotary International and is a board member for the Midnight Sun Boy Scout Council in Fairbanks.
In his 25-year career, Lt. Piscoya has served Alaskan communities from the Southeast panhandle to the northern Interior. His law enforcement career began in 1993 upon graduation from Sitka’s Public Safety Academy. His posts with the Alaska State Troopers include Fairbanks, Galena and the surrounding villages, Ketchikan, and then Fairbanks again. In Ketchikan, Lt. Piscoya was promoted to Sergeant, Ketchikan Post Supervisor and was awarded the Department of Public Safety Purple Heart for managing to subdue a suspect despite suffering a fractured leg during the altercation. In 2005, he was awarded the Police Unit Commendation from the Ketchikan Police Department. During his second post in Fairbanks, Lt. Piscoya was promoted to Lieutenant, Deputy Detachment Commander. He also served as Team Leader for the Special Emergency Reaction Team (SERT) from 2005 to 2011. In 2010, he was chosen to become the Rural Unit Supervisor and Supervisor of the Judicial Service Unit and Bureau of Highway Patrol Unit, an assignment that oversaw the Alaska State Troopers across much of interior Alaska. He also served as the D Detachment Search and Rescue Coordinator. In 2018, he was selected as Fairbanks District Attorney’s Officer of the Year.
The knowledge he gained as a youngster on the land, rivers and ice surrounding Nome has served him in his Search and Rescue assignments. His family and cultural backgrounds, which emphasize cooperation, compassion, humility, and community service have shaped and guided his development as a public safety officer.
Gin’tith (Richard Frank) Military Service
Master Sergeant Tanna Lee Carter
Master Sergeant Tanna Lee Carter serves part time in the Alaska Air National Guard and is the first Alaska Native woman to serve as an aircrew member and Boom Operator/Inflight Refueling Technician on the KC-135 Air Refueling aircraft in the 168th Air Refueling Wing at Eielson Air Force Base.
Carter is from Minto and is the daughter of Ron Carter of Nenana and the late Hanna Titus Carter of Minto. Her grandparents are the late Annie and Charlie Titus Sr. of Minto and Betty Weedon and the late Don Carter of Indiana. She resides in Fairbanks with her husband Chad Hammond and their 4 kids: Bailey, Alex, Jordan, and Peyton.
Carter has deployed several times to the Middle East to provide air refueling to U.S. and Coalition aircraft in support of missions Inherent Resolve, Operation Freedom Sentinel, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn. She has flown on missions for Operation Noble Eagle in support of the war on terrorism, humanitarian missions to transport doctors, nurses, engineers, and dentists to support countries in need, and has flown on medevac missions to transport wounded soldiers out of Afghanistan.
Carter has over 2500 flying hours which includes 286 hours of combat flying time over Afghanistan and Iraq. She has earned many awards throughout her career such as the Air Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, Combat Readiness Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and many others.
Carter received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alaska, serves as a board member for her village corporation Seth-De-Ya-Ah, is the vice president of Minto Development Corporation, and is employed at Tanana Chiefs Conference as the Executive Coordinator. Carter plans on retiring from the Alaska Air National Guard in 2019 after 23 years of service.
Award information is courtesy of the Alaska Federation of Natives.
