by Greg Lincoln
The Association of Village Council Presidents presented the 2024 AVCP Awards at the Annual Convention, August 28-29, 2024 in Bethel. A total of seven awards were given. Health Award: Conan Murat of Bethel, Education Awards: D. Audrey Johnson of Chuloonawick Native Village, and Savannah Strongheart of Nunam Iqua Tribe, Hunter Fisher Award: The Kuskokwim Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, Small Business Award: Pete and Bethany Kaiser of Orutsararmiut Tribe, Youth Leadership Awards: Benjamin Panuk Agimuk of Chevak Traditional Council, and the Ray Daniel of Tuntutuliak Traditional Council.
Below are the awardees and a brief bio.
2024 AVCP Awards
Health: Conan Murat, Orutsararmiut Native Council
Conan Murat was born and raised in Bethel, Alaska to Steven and Diana Murat. Mr. Murat is married to Carmen and they have two children, Gabriella and Liam. They also have two dogs Riddick and Luna.
Conan graduated from the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand in 2004 with a diploma in dental therapy. Since graduating, he has been working for the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation for the past 21 years. He is one of the first four dental therapists to practice dentistry in the United States.
After working in Bethel for the first year, he moved to Aniak, Alaska to work and run the dental clinic at the Subregional Clinic. He served 12 villages surrounding Aniak. He served the people of the Upper Kuskokwim and middle Yukon villages for 15 years which was very fun and rewarding for Conan.
In 2020 he and his family made the choice to leave the great little town of Aniak and move to his home in Bethel. Conan loves working with his fun and talented coworkers in their brand new 33 chair dental clinic. He sees himself as serving his people of the YK Delta for a long time because he really enjoys his job as a Dental Health Aide Therapist.
Education: D. Audrey Johnson, Chuloonawick Native Village
Audrey Johnson is the daughter of Nick and Dorothy Tucker of Emmonak and she is the oldest of 12. Audrey is married to Howie and they have three children, David, Danica and Kiara. They also have five grandchildren: Brock Richard, Lucy, Kaila, and Arthur III.
In 2003 Audrey received her A.A. in General Studies from UAF, KuC. She later graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Psychology from UAF. In 2012 she graduated with an Elementary Post-Baccalaureate License. In 2012 she was hired by the Lower Yukon School District where she taught her first year at Marshall School. She attained her lifelong goal when her transfer was approved to move home to teach in 2013. In 2014, Audrey obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Child Development and Family studies.
As of June 2024, Audrey completed her 12th year teaching in the LYSD, with 11 years dedicated to teaching in Emmonak as a pre-K and kindergarten teacher. In 2023-24, she earned an endorsement that fulfills requirements to teach reading under the Alaska Reads Act.
As a primary teacher, Audrey continues to focus on child development domains that will allow her students to prosper physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially in a learning environment that supports her community of learners goals and objectives.
Throughout her life, Audrey’s parents instilled Yup’ik values and traditions that she implements into her teaching. Children are provided with daily modeling of mutual respect, sharing, cooperation and working hard. Her ultimate goal is for her students to become their own role model for their peers within a learning environment that supports unique, individual growth and learning styles.
She reminds her students that as a community of learners, their goal is to model the meaning of mutual respect, kindness, and perseverance throughout the year.
Education: Savanna Strongheart, Nunam Iqua Tribe
Savanna Strongheart is the daughter of the late Joseph and Mary Strongheart and is from Nunam Iqua. Ms. Strongheart works as a Para Professional Teacher Aide at the Nunam Iqua School. She learned to speak the Yup’ik language from her parents and went on to teach Yup’ik for grades K-12. Savanna Strongheart started as a volunteer to run the local Yup’ik Spelling Bee and spent a lot of time fundraising to help students attend the State Yup’ik Spelling Bee competition in Anchorage.
In 2012, the State Yup’ik Spelling Bee for Beginners began and Savanna has been very involved since. Nunam Iqua students have been competing in the State Yup’ik Spelling Bee since 2015. Students ranging from 3rd to 8th grade have been State Yup’ik Spelling Bee champions each year since 2016. Her hard work and dedication has led to the expansion of the Yup’ik Spelling Bee. In the beginning, there were only 2 villages included in the Bee, now in 2024 5 villages are competing and she hopes many more will join to ensure that the Yup’ik language is not lost. They not only compete at the State level but have Schoolwide and Districtwide competitions for students to qualify to compete in the State competition.
Ms. Strongheart cares passionately for the students, the language, and culture. She is involved in cultural activities and events. Students young and old have learned to speak Yup’ik and share their knowledge with their family at home and outside the school environment. Savanna’s commitment and dedication to not only teaching her Yup’ik language but also teaching and continuing her Yup’ik traditions, culture, and subsistence lifestyle provide current and future generations the opportunity to learn and carry on these important lessons. These lessons help maintain and protect the important Yup’ik teachings that elders once provided before becoming part of the required teaching of the modern school system.
Savanna looks forward to continuing her Yup’ik and cultural teachings/lessons and expanding these important teachings to others, keeping the Yup’ik language, culture, and traditions alive for future generations.
Hunter/Fisher: Kuskokwim River Intertribal Fish Commission
The Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (KRITFC) was established in 2015 as part of the long-standing desire of Kuskokwim River tribes and rural residents of the Kuskokwim River drainage to engage as co-managers of Kuskokwim salmon and fisheries. This goal became especially important after the decline of Chinook salmon in 2009.
KRITFC was formed as a response to this decline and for the purpose of developing a unified management system on the Kuskokwim River led by the voices of Kuskokwim Tribes. The goal is to rebuild the salmon resources to support and preserve a way of life that is vital for people’s nutritional, economical, cultural, and spiritual needs.
KRITFC is committed to conserving, restoring, and providing for tribal use of fisheries based on Indigenous knowledge systems and scientific principles.
In 2016, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was adopted between the KRITFC and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) as one part of the Kuskokwim River Partnership Project, an effort to meaningfully integrate Kuskokwim River tribes and rural residents into federal fisheries management on the Kuskokwim River. The goal was to cooperatively manage Kuskokwim River Chinook salmon stocks and pursue a self-determined management structure.
In recent years, king, chum, and coho salmon species have been in rapid decline due to a wide range of variables, including climate change, competition in the marine environment, multi-jurisdictional boundaries, differing approaches between state and federally-managed waters, and increased competition between user groups. Because of these declines KRITFC’s Tribally-elected In-Season Managers and the USFWS fisheries management team now cooperatively manage multi-species salmon fisheries on the Kuskokwim. Their partnership is in its ninth year at the end of the 2024 salmon season.
Small Business: Pete and Bethany Kaiser, Orutsararmiut Native Council
Pete Kaiser and Bethany Kaiser were both born and raised in Bethel. Both graduated from Bethel Regional Highschool.
Pete Kaiser is the son of Ron and Janet Kaiser. His grandparents are the late Don and Chrissie Shantz and Lillian Davidson who lives in Kansas. Pete has one sister, Tillie Powers.
Bethany is the daughter of Gonders and May Hoffman. Her grandparents are the late Charlie and Hattie Hoffman and the late Joe and Helen Venes. Bethany’s brother is the late Ben Hoffman.
Pete and Bethany married July 30, 2016 and are the proud parents of two children, son Ari and daughter Aylee.
Pete and Bethany bought Kuskokwim Wilderness Adventures in 2020. A successful boat charter business, operating river trips to nearby villages, birding excursions and picking up rafters off the Kisaralik and Kwethluk rivers which has been in operation for 20 years.
Pete had acquired his coastguard Captains license and had worked for KWA for a summer. Bethany is one of just a few women on the Kuskokwim who have their Coast Guard Captains licenses. The Kuskokwim Wilderness Adventures has employed people who have received Coastguard six pack licenses.
Both Pete and Bethany have demonstrated their desire to invest in the local community by raising their family and establishing a business in addition to keeping dog mushing on the YK Delta and State alive and strong.
Youth Leadership: Benjamin Panuk Agimuk, Chevak Traditional Council
Benjamin Panuk Agimuk was adopted to Mark and Mary Agimuk and he has 14 siblings. He was born in Bethel and grew up in his hometown of Chevak. Mr. Agimuk resides in Bethel where he works at the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation. He has five children. Mr. Agimuk has three sons, Evan, Trey (adopted out), Luke, and their most recent addition, Sara with Vicki Wiseman.
Benjamin Panuk Agimuk is the leader for the Eskimo dance group, “The Qasgirmiut Dancers.” The group has attended Cama-i Dance Festival the last three years. The group has also been to Chevak Tundra Fest, Fairbanks for Festival of Native Arts, 2 consecutive now going onto 3 consecutive Alaska Federation of Natives Quyana Night performances. The group has also been to Wainwright for the annual jamboree in 2023 and was on their way to go to the Jamboree in 2024 before unforeseen circumstances have led the trip to cancel. Qasgirmiut has been to Michigan for a pow wow in 2023.
This group started right before Covid-19 hit and he wanted to keep the tradition alive and keep singing and dancing for his group and they are still standing strong.
Mr. Agimuk likes to say, “Don’t be piciatun” when he and his siblings are having fun “being piciatun.”
Youth Leadership: Ray Daniel, Tuntutuliak Traditional Council
Ray Daniel was born and raised in Bethel, his parents are Clarence and Julia Daniel from Tuntutuliak and has 5 siblings. He is married to Cassidy Daniel from Kotzebue.
Ray has been in a leadership role since his elementary at Ayaprun Elitnaurvik and into Jr. High and High school. He was Captain of the Bethel Regional High School JV basketball team and one of the captains of the varsity basketball team.
He attended student government events and his classmates relied on him for advice and support.
Ray has been and is a product of the ANSEP program, graduating with a bachelors degree in civil engineering. In college, he was involved with Chi Alpha and helped in organizing and leading activities and annual events.
Ray is a project engineer working at SANTOS. He has developed water and sewer systems in rural Alaska and provided translation when required while working with CRW Engineering Group.
Ray has been involved in The Dwelling Place AK, a non-denominational church seeking to reach of the world through sound Biblical teaching, community gatherings, and online ministry. Ray co-hosts a weekly Bible study podcast.
Ray is an Ayaprun Elitnaurvik Alumni and vividly remembers all the teachings, customs, and instructions that the elders would speak to when they visited the school. He also grew up spending summers in Tuntutuliak and listening to the instructions of his grandparents, and others that have helped prepare and shape him into a leadership role.
Ray loves outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing, camping, gathering and working with his hands.
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Congratulations to all the award winners. These recipients will be nominees for the Alaska Federation of Natives Presidents Awards at the AFN Convention, October 17-19, 2024.
