Alaska Speaker of the House Bryce Edgmon to deliver 2020 AFN Keynote address

by AFN Staff

The Alaska Federation of Natives is pleased to announce that Alaska Speaker of the House Bryce Edgmon will deliver the keynote address at the 54th Annual AFN Convention, to be held on October 15-17, 2020 at the Dena’ina Center in Anchorage, Alaska.

As a member of the Alaska Legislature since 2007, Representative Edgmon is a highly accomplished leader who will bring insights and perspectives on the convention theme of “Good Government, Alaskans Decide.” This year’s theme highlights the challenges and opportunities the Native community and all Alaskans face, including responding to and recovering from the pandemic and resulting economic downturn.

Speaker Edgmon is serving his second term as Speaker of the State House. He is the first Alaska Native in state history to hold that position. During his tenure in the legislature, he has served on numerous committees and budget subcommittees. His work is characterized by an emphasis on commitment to the community. Throughout his tenure in public service, Speaker Edgmon has continued to be an effective advocate for rural Alaska and Alaska Native people.

Prior to his public service, he was employed as the CDQ Manager for the State of Alaska and Chief Operating Officer for Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation. He fished commercially for salmon and herring and was a longtime board chairman of Choggiung Ltd. Speaker Edgmon was born and raised in Dillingham, Alaska and graduated from the University of Alaska Anchorage with a degree in Finance. He resides in Dillingham with his wife Melody and their children Evan and Emma.

The largest representative gathering of Indigenous people in the United States, the AFN Convention serves as the annual meeting of AFN delegates, setting guidelines for the organization in the coming year. The Convention is also a broad public forum for leading minds in policy and government to share information and discuss the key issues affecting all Alaskans. Live coverage is available statewide on television and radio, as well as streaming online.

As planning for the 2020 AFN Convention proceeds, AFN will be meeting with officials from the facility and state and municipal health professionals to design an event that makes the safety and health of our delegates, presenters, and the public the top priority. This is a big part of what we do every year, but in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s critically important. This year’s convention certainly will be different in significant ways than it’s ever been.

Whether in-person or virtual is a decision pending before the AFN Board in early August.

AFN’s annual convention serves as the principal forum and voice for the Alaska Native community in addressing critical issues of public policy and government. The convention convenes thousands of official delegates and participants from Tribes and member organizations across the state. The resolutions passed by the voting delegates set the priorities for the year and guide AFN’s efforts. The Convention is the largest representative annual gathering of Native peoples in the United States.