My work weaves together prevention and education using Indigenous knowledge and value systems that are rooted in cultural and relationship-based practices. Through Kaasei Training & Consulting, I share the powerful connections between our traditions, the land, and community well-being.
 

I hold a certification in Ethnobotany from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and have had the privilege of teaching for tribes, culture camps, schools, and universities, and leading local plant walks. Additionally, I’m a safe food and home preservation instructor and Indigenous foods chef, and am passionate about teaching others about the healing power of traditional Native foods.
 

In 2019 I founded the Kayaaní Sisters Council, a group of Alaska Native women committed to increasing wellness and tribal food sovereignty throughout the State. We created the “Respectful Harvesting Guidelines,” which is now being used throughout Alaska. I also led the development of the Alaska edition of the Plant Teachings for Growing Social-Emotional Skills Toolkit, including a book, plant cards, posters, movement videos, activities, and coloring pages. In addition, I created resources currently being utilized in the state such as the Tlʼátk Káa Yoo Xʼatángi: Lingit Kayaaní Tlingit Plant Cards and the Traditional Protective Factors worksheet.

 

I have over thirty years of practical experience as a professional in the fields of domestic violence and substance abuse prevention, education and tribal economic development work. I formerly served as Executive Director at Women In Safe Homes, a shelter for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, as Marketing and Economic Development director for the Ketchikan Indian Community, and as an Adjunct Professor and Cultural Specialist at University of Alaska, Southeast Ketchikan. I currently serve on the Native Movement Advisory Board and the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault’s Pathways Statewide Steering Committee, where I advocate for community healing and empowerment through cultural education.

 

My deepest joy comes from spending time with Elders and plant enthusiasts, sharing my love for traditional foods and medicines, and gathering wild plants with my family and grandchildren in Alaska’s breathtaking outdoors. My husband and I live in Ketchikan, and we are blessed with five children and nine grandchildren, who inspire much of my work.
 

I believe that learning to gather, harvest, and prepare local, wild foods can empower individuals and communities alike. For centuries, Alaska Native peoples used these wild foods for medicinal, ceremonial, and family health purposes. It is my belief that Indigenous peoples can once again lead the way in health and wellness, drawing from the wisdom of our ancestors to inspire future generations. My mission is to help others reconnect with this knowledge, as we can all learn so much from each other and the land around us.