Staff

John Brown, Tribal Education Director

John Brown is the Tribal Education Director and has worked with KIC for over fifteen years in a variety of administrative capacities.  As Director, John oversees all the Cultural Heritage Academic Service programs.  He is especially passionate about creating infrastructure and services that will help tribal members build careers.

Prior to serving as the Tribal Education Director, John worked as the Operations Manager and Housing Director for Ketchikan Indian Community Housing Authority, the Director of Ketchikan Gateway Borough Parks and Recreation, and the KIC General and Deputy General Manager.

He received an associates degree from Northwest College in 1968 and after a stint in the Army, he completed is bachelors with a major in physical education at Seattle Pacific University.  He worked for many years as a certified teacher in Ketchikan schools. John is also known as a basketball legend in our community and continues to give back by coaching and mentoring youth basketball.

Victoria Canul Dunne (Tsais Taan), Deputy Tribal Education Director

Victoria Canul Dunne has worked for KIC since 2007.  She is currently the Deputy Tribal Education Director and provides management for the entire Cultural Heritage Academic Services department.

Prior to serving in her current capacity, Victoria worked as the Tribal Education Specialist.  She also has professional experience working as a Cultural Interpreter for Huna Totem Corporation in Glacier Bay National Monument teaching visitors about the cultural heritage of the Huna Kwaan.    She also spent 12 years working for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game as an Accounting Supervisor.

Her grandmother is Gaach Goon-Bessie Visaya and her mother is Auk Ta Shaa-Grace Canul. She is of the Aaw’k Kwaan (Juneau) Tleeneedi’ (Dog Salmon) clan.  Victoria comes from Yakte’ Hit (Big Dipper House).  She is a child of  the Yacqui Tribe of Arizona.

She has a bachelors degree in Business Management from Haskell Indian Nations University and a masters degree in Conflict Resolution and Dispute Resolution from Baker University.  She contributes to our community by providing leadership as the President of  Alaska Native Sisterhood  Camp #14 and co-chair of Ketchikan Wellness Coalition.

Alexis Miller, Deputy Director of Planning and Development

Alexis Ross Miller is the Deputy Director of Planning and Development for the KIC’s Cultural Heritage Academic Services department. She is a lifelong Alaskan, who was born in Fairbanks and grew up in Juneau. Alexis has lived in 7 communities across the state, from Ketchikan to Barrow.

In Barrow, she worked as the Marketing and Development Coordinator for Ilisagvik College. In Fairbanks, Alexis was the Early College Coordinator at Effie Kokrine Charter School, a Native runschool for Grades 7-12.

She has taught Freshman Composition at the college level and both GED and English as a Second Language (ESL) courses through Adult Basic Education at Boise State University. Alexis has worked with the Sitka Tribe of Alaska and other tribal entities, as well as the Fairbanks North Star Borough, the Alaska State Legislature, and numerous non-profits across the state.

She holds bachelors degrees in English and Journalism from the University of Montana.

Tina Stephens, Vocational Coordinator

Tina has been working for Employment & Training since 2005 and she is currently the Vocational Coordinator. She received a National certification as an Instructor/Facilitator in 2007, completed her Career Development Facilitator certification in 2008, and will have obtained a degree in Business Management in May 2010.

Tina Stephens is married to Dante Stephens and is the daughter of Embert and Bonnie James. Granddaughter of Da gaa gooch, from the First House of the Wolf on Kuiu and X’een Ye ( Khen- yay) which means the mother of all Dogsalmon, Double-headed Raven from the First house of the Dogsalmon of Shakan. She was given at birth the Tlingit name Tu-Tu, and in her teens she was given another name of Kow’ da gaan means a bright light that can be seen from anyplace, after her great-great grandmother.

Jaime Scudero, Career Development Training Specialist

Jaime is the Career Development Training Specilalist and is responsible for facilitating KIC’s classroom training program.  She also helps tribal members with job searches.

Jaime’s parents are Jim and Toni Scudero and she belongs to the Tsimshian Wolf clan.  She was born in Mt. Edgecumbe, Alaska.  She participates in a variety of activities and says, “I enjoy all of the activities that I do, changing from one to the other keeps me entertained and fresh.”

Charles Edwardson, Vocational Partner

Charles Edwardson is currently the Project Manager for the construction/renovation of the 615 Stedman building, which will be developed into a vocational training facility for tribal members.  He is also an educator, providing training in Construction Technology in a variety of forums.  He shares his professional expertise and contributes to a number of additional educational ventures of KIC.

Charles has over 15 years experience as a general contractor for residential and commercial building.  He is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Alaska Southeast Ketchikan for Construction Technology and is the Ketchikan Construction Academy Instructor and Coordinator.  He is also the Ketchikan Homebuilders Association President.  Charles is an avid supporter of Ketchikan High School athletics and volunteers as a coach for youth basketball.

Cara Wallace (Kajuus), Tribal Education Specialist

Cara Wallace joined KIC’s CHAS department in August 2008 as the Tribal Education Specialist.  Her primary responsibility is to increase tribal members’ awareness and access to post-secondary educational opportunities.  She also manages the scholarship and ANEP grant programs, as well as regularly contributes to the language program.

Prior to working for KIC, Cara worked for Dartmouth College as Sr. Assistant Director of Admissions/Coordinator of Native American Recruitment and Acting Director of Native American Program.

She graduated from Dartmouth College in 2004 with a bachelors degree in Government and Native American Studies.  Her professional aspirations include working in indigenous law.  She is especially interested in the implications of oral histories on land title issues and international border issues between tribal nations.  She is currently studying to become a fluent speaker of the Haida language.

Martha Denny (Shawat x`e Gaa Kaa), Cultural Instructor/Language Apprentice

Martha has been employed with KIC’s cultural programs since 1990 and has worked as a language apprentice since January 2009. 

Martha’s training in the language and culture first began with her grandmother, Kakin, Alice Harris from the time she was five years old until she left the Ketchikan area to attend a boarding school in Skagway.  She graduated high school in Skagway and then left the state until 1978 when she returned to Ketchikan to take a job at Ketchikan Indian Corporation in the secretarial pool.

Her training with her mother, Taal yei, Esther Shea was ongoing throughout the rest of Esther’s life.  She worked with her from 1978 in all areas of tradition, culture, dance and language.

Linda Schrack (Skíl Jáadei), Cultural Instructor/Language Apprentice

Linda has worked for KIC cultural programs since the mid-70s.  She has served as a Cultural Instructor since 2004.

Linda was born and raised in Southeast Alaska. She is Haida from the Shark House and a member of the Yahkw ’Láanaas clan and Raven moiety. Her mother is Verna Skillie Edwardson.  Her grandparents are the late Dr. Robert Cogo and Nora (Edenshaw) Cogo.  Her Haida name is Skíl Jáadei which means Woman of Fortune.

Skíl Jáadei had the honor and privilege of learning to read and write Xaad Kíl (Haida language) from her Chanáa (grandfather) and Náan (grandmother) at an early age. Skíl Jáadei’s passion in reclaiming, preserving and perpetuating her Heritage language comes from their teachings and the hard work they did along with other fluent speakers in the early 1970’s. It was at that time she worked for KIC illustrating language workbooks that were being written by her Chanáa.

Phyllis Almquist has been Skíl Jáadei’s mentor on a volunteer basis since the early 1990’s. In 2000 they received a Master/Apprentice grant from Sealaska Heritage Institute and posted their work at www.haidalanguage.org.  Linda feels very fortunate and thankful to have Kwíigaay Í’waans as her language mentor.

Skíl Jáadei would like to acknowledge others that she has and continues to learn from, Alma Cook, Anna Peele, Charles Natkong, Sr. Claude Morrison, Erma Lawrence, Viola Burgess, the late Woodrow Morrison, Sr. and Yáahl K’ángkwdangaa.

Skíl Jáadei is also an advocate for Lingít and Shimalgyack languages.

Terri Burr (Ahl-li-daaw), Cultural Instructor/Language Apprentice

Terri is a descendant of the Ginackangeak Tribe of the Tsimshian Nation. Terri carries her grandmother’s child’s name, Ahllidaaw, which describes the first sign of winter. Her mother is Mrs. Norma (Fawcett) Wilson of Ketchikan and her father was the late Robert G. Burr. His parents emigrated from Ireland into Canada, eventually settling in Cut Bank, Montana. Terri’s maternal grandparents were the late Margaret Ridley (Killer Whale Clan) from the Ginackangeak Tribe and Matthew Fawcett (Raven Clan)a descendent from the Kilootsah Tribe near Terrace, BC. Both were among the 800 Tsimshian who came north in 1887.

Terri has been fortunate to have been surrounded by her rich Tsimshian Culture and Language all her life. Terri was taught by her mother Norma Wilson to sing Tsimshian songs, speak short phrases, and to count in Tsimshian as a child.Her mother also told her old Tsimshian stories and taught her how to show respect to others.

In 1991, Terri and her mother began to embark on the serious study Shimalgyack (Tsimshian Language). Terri has also been a student of Tsimshian Language Instructor, Donna May Roberts. Terri has worked on Tsimshian Cultural and Language preservation projects for Ketchikan Indian Community, Tsimshian Tribal Association, and for the traditional ceremonial Tsimshian dance group, Ggoadum Gigyadum `Tsimshian (Heart of the Tsimshian People). Terri has also provided cultural presentations for local schools and the University of Alaska Southeast.

Terri has 25 years experience working with the youth of Ketchikan and is dedicated to preserving and propagating all native culture.

Lorraine Gunyah, Cultural Technician

Lorraine Gunyah has worked as the language program’s Cultural Technician since January 2009, prior to that she served as a Cultural Assistant for the JOM program.  Her primary responsibility is to provided technical assistance to the three language apprentices through digital archiving and material preparation.

In the past, she was worked with and learned from Martha Denny and the late Esther Shea.  She enjoys learning all things that have to do with cultural traditions, dance and language.  Her hope is to one day begin training to learn the Tlingit language.

Lorraine was born and raised in Ketchikan.  Her mother is Phyllis Morris and her father is George Gunyah from Klawock.  She is Ganax.adi of the Taanta Kwaan Tlingit Tribe.

Jordan Lachler (Yáahl K’ángkwdangaa), Language Partner

Jordan Lachler is a sociolinguist and director of the Haida language project for Sealaska Heritage Institute. He received his PhD in Linguistics from the University of New Mexico in 2006 specializing in language documentation and revitalization. He has lived and worked in Ketchikan since 2003 and has been a frequent partner with KIC in their efforts toward language revival.

Andy Lee, Educational Partner

Andy Lee has been partnering with KIC for xx years.  He brings over thirty years of experience in youth and community activism to his work with KIC.  Through his work with Positive Choices, Andy has had the opportunity to visit over 25 rural Alaskan communities providing training, camps and clinics.

Throughout his professional career he has worked as Director of Juneau’s Johnson O’Malley program, the Executive Director of the Zach Gordon Youth Center, as Special Assistant to the Mayor of Angoon, the Superintendent/Manager of Youth Corrections at the Johnson Youth Center, and Director of Admissions at Sheldon Jackson College.  He is the Founder and Lead Consultant for Positive Choices.

Andy attended the George Williams College of the YMCA and has a bachelors degree from Mt. Vernon Nazarene University.

Andy is the father of 2 boys, Logan and Hunter.  He also is the head coach for the Sitka High School Boys Basketball team.