For Immediate Release
May 24, 2018
Contact: Angela Gonzalez, [email protected], (907) 677-1700
Anchorage, Alaska – First Alaskans Institute (FAI), a statewide Native non-profit focused on advancing Alaska Natives for the next 10,000 years, is excited to share news about our team with our community.
NEW HIRES
Inuuteq Stotts (Iñupiaq) has been hired as our Indigenous and Governmental Affairs Strategist and Kacey Purruq Qunmiġu Hopson (Iñupiaq) as our Indigenous Knowledge Advocate to advance the work of FAI’s Alaska Native Policy Center, and Jacqui Igļuġuq Lambert (Iñupiaq) is joining our team as Assistant to the President/CEO.
Inuuteq Stotts
Inuuteq is the son of Jimmy and Karoline Stotts, and he grew up in Anchorage, Utqiaġvik and Greenland. He and his wife, Topaz, recently celebrated the birth of their first child. Prior to FAI, Inuuteq worked with the Voice of the Arctic Iñupiat (VOICE) in the role of Research & Project Assistant. Prior to this role, he worked as an Anthropologist for ASRC Energy Services doing archaeology research and documentation and stakeholder engagement in the North Slope area. Inuuteq holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Applied Anthropology withexperience in project management, qualitative research, and advancing cross-cultural communications through facilitating public information sessions. As the Indigenous and Governmental Affairs Strategist, Inuuteq will be focused on building relationships, connections, and unity to amplify the self-determination of our peoples through advancing and protecting our Alaska Native ways of living, being and knowing.
Kacey Purruq Qunmiġu Hopson
Qunmiġu is the daughter of Muriel Qutuk Hopson from Ulġniq (Wainwright) and Safdar Hussain from Kashmir, Pakistan. She was born and raised in Utqiaġvik and Anchorage and graduated from Pomona College with a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy Analysis. Qunmiġu recently served as an AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer at FAI where she was focused on helping to diversify and increase the long-term sustainability of the organization. Prior to FAI, she was a Summer Policy Associate with the Environmental Equity team at the Greenlining Institute, where she developed her skills in race equity advocacy and public policy research. Qunmiġu is dedicated to advancing political, social and economic frameworks grounded in indigenous ways of knowing as a pathway for a more regenerative, equitable society. As the Indigenous Knowledge Advocate, she will identify and carry out critical knowledge sharing, research, analysis, and advocacy to produce technical and culturally relatable content that tells the true history of Alaska, and speaks to the hearts and minds of Alaska Native and broader Alaskan communities on issues that impact us.
Jacqui Igļuġuq Lambert
Jacqui is the daughter of Paulette Schuerch and Harold & Jaime (Schaeffer) Lambert. She grew up in Kotzebue and has roots in Kiana and Noorvik. She studied Psychology at the University of Idaho and is the owner of EsquiMedia which runs The Qargizine, a quarterly print publication aimed to promote knowledge and pride of Alaska Native cultures within today’s generations. Prior work experience includes working as a Production Artist with Northwest Strategies, Language Nest Assistant in the Native Village of Kotzebue and Arctic Youth Representative for the Indigenous Peoples’ Center for Documentation. In her role as Assistant to the President/CEO, Jacqui will contribute to our effectiveness and administrative excellence by serving as the primary point of contact for the President/CEO and carrying out various projects for FAI.
PROMOTION
Elizabeth David
Elizabeth Uyurucian David (Yup’ik) has been promoted to Finance Director. Born and raised in Bethel with an extensive career within the financial institution industry, Elizabeth recently joined FAI as our Finance Manager. She graduated from University of Alaska Fairbanks this month with an MBA focused on general management. We areexcited for the contributions Elizabeth has already made to advancing our financial strategies for long-term sustainability, and look forward to the potential we can achieve together with her new role.
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About First Alaskans Institute
At First Alaskans Institute, we know we are responsible for carrying more than 10,000 years
of ancestral knowledge into the future with rigor, humor, resilience, vigilance, and love.
To learn more about us and what we do, please visit our website at www.firstalaskans.org,
contact us at 907-677-1700 or via email at [email protected].
Download a PDF version of this release.
