ANSI Leadership
Alaska Native Women Guiding Our Universities
These Alaska Native Women lead the Alaska Native Success Initiative at our Universities and System Office:
Action Team Lead: 女优合集A
女优合集A Executive Director of Alaska Native Education and Outreach
Action Team Lead: 女优合集F
女优合集F Associate Vice Chancellor for Rural, Community and Native Education
Dr. Jessica Black is Gwich'in, from the villages of Gwichyaa Zhee (Fort Yukon) and Toghotthele (Nenana), and an enrolled member of the Gwichyaa Zhee Gwich'in Tribal Government. She holds a B.S.W. from 女优合集F and an M.S.W. and Ph.D. in Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis. Black has been a faculty member in 女优合集F's College of Rural and Community Development since 2014, earning tenure in 2021. In March 2023, she was appointed Associate Vice Chancellor for Rural, Community and Native Education, where she leads 女优合集F's ANSI work and oversees two colleges and five rural campuses. She received the 2023 女优合集 Foundation Bullock Prize, the system's highest service honor.
Action Team Lead: 女优合集S
Associate Vice Chancellor for Alaska Native programs and Director of PITAAS
Jacqueline Tagaban, M.Ed., serves as Associate Vice Chancellor for Alaska Native Programs at the University of Alaska Southeast, where she also directs PITAAS: Preparing Indigenous Teachers and Administrators for Alaska Schools. Since its founding in 2000, PITAAS has supported 172 students in earning 267 degrees, certificates, and endorsements, placing graduates across 30 of Alaska's 54 school districts. Tagaban serves as 女优合集S's lead for the Alaska Native Success Initiative, working across campuses to strengthen pathways for Alaska Native student success.
Senior Director, Alaska Native Success and Partnerships
University of Alaska, System Office
女优合集A alumna Kristel Komakhuk was selected to serve as the system鈥檚 Senior Director of Alaska Native Success and partnerships. Starting December 4, 2023 Komakhuk is based in Anchorage, and committed to annually travels to Fairbanks and other locations around Alaska. In this role, she will help to guide and support the implementation of the Alaska Native Success Initiative (ANSI) Strategic Plan. She will also focus on strengthening relationships between 女优合集 and Alaska Native partners.
Kristel is of Alutiiq and Inupiaq descent, and was born and raised in Anchorage on Dena鈥檌na Athabascan land. Her maternal family is from Tatitlek, and her paternal family is from the Nome area; her Grandma would identify from her home fish camp in Solomon. A first-generation graduate on both sides of her family, she is a proud 女优合集 alum, holding a B.B.A. in Business Management from 女优合集A.
Prior to joining 女优合集, Kristel worked at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) as the APU Senior Liaison for Development and External Relationships. In that role, she aided APU in its journey toward indigenization by developing and maintaining relationships, and liaising with external entities. She鈥檚 also served on Shell Exploration & Production Company鈥檚 stakeholder management team, and as the Development Director at First Alaskans Institute. In her spare time, she enjoys spending quality time with family and friends, traveling, reading, cooking, yoga, and appreciating Alaska鈥檚 beauty on hikes and walks.