Dunleavy Administration Announces Appointments for People First Initiative Councils

Press Release

The Dunleavy Administration today announced the appointment of Alaskans to various councils as part of his People First Initiative announced in December of 2021. The People First Initiative focuses on five intersecting public safety concerns: Domestic violence and sexual assault, human and sex trafficking, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons, foster care, and homelessness.

Governor's Council on Human and Sex Trafficking

Brittany Madros
Tanana Chiefs Conference Tribal Government and Justice Division Director
From the Village of Nulato in the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area
Staci Yates
My House Director of Human Trafficking Recovery Services
Alaska Stop Human Trafficking Alliance Chair
Survivor of sex trafficking at age 17
Gwen Adams
Founder and Executive Director of Priceless Alaska.
Denielle Hrovat
Lieutenant at Anchorage Police Department
Oversees Crimes Against Children Unit, Cyber Crimes Unit and Special Victims Unit
Dave Bronson
Mayor of City of Anchorage
Jim Matherly
Mayor of City of Fairbanks
Brenda Stanfill
Executive Director of Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

Governor has selected Col Brian Barlow (DPS Designee) as Chair and Brenda Stanfill as Vice Chair.

Governor's Council on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons

Malia Miller
Alaska Bureau of Investigations Missing Persons Clearing House Manager
Victoria Shanklin
Victims for Justice Executive Director
Kendra Kloster
Born in Wrangell
Native Peoples Action and Native Peoples Action Fund Executive Director
Tlingit -- Raven Moiety, Kiks.adi Clan (frog) of Sun House
Darrel Hildebrand
Tanana Chiefs Conference Public Safety Manager
From the Nulato Tribe
Retired 20+ years with Alaska State Troopers
Valerie Chadwick
RurALCAP Community Development supervisor
Member of the Anchorage Women's Commission
Originally from St. Mary's
From the Algaaciq Tribe in Saint Mary's
Worked in social services care for 30+ years, including Bethel, St. Mary's, Marshall, Emmonak, Sitka, Anchorage and most of the villages located in the Kusilvak Census Area
Sean Case
Deputy Chief at Anchorage Police Department
Heather Gottshall
From Anchorage
Born in Bethel
Member of Orutsararmiut Native Council
Calista Shareholder

Governor has selected Valerie Chadwick as Chair and Victoria Shanklin as Vice Chair.

Governor's Collaborative Council on Parent / Foster Parent

Sabrina Owsley
From Fairbanks
From the Agdaagux tribe of King Cove
Manages the Interior Alaska Foster Care Families group.
Kari Butler
From Kenai
Jeffrey Rentzel
From Fairbanks
Angel Gonzales
From Anchorage
Yupik from the Calista Region
President of Facing Foster care in Alaska
Sarah Redman
From Wasilla
Project Coordinator and Deputy Treasurer of Facing Foster care in Alaska
Mary Johnson
From Juneau
From the Native Village of Scammon Bay & Sitka Tribe of Alaska
Tribal Family and Youth Services Director for the Central Council of Tlingit & Haida
Cynthia Smith
From Wasilla
Family Contact Coordinate with Knik Tribe
Court Appointed Special Advocate with the Office of Public Advocacy
Alexia Noel
From Wasilla
Heather Elaine Schimanski-Lee
From Juneau
Elizabeth Toovak
From Utqiagvik
Member of Native Village of Barrow
Councilmember of the City Council of Utqiagvik for six years
Member of the Arctic Women in Crisis Advisory Board for the North Slope Borough for seven years
Candice Richardson
From Anchorage
Family Support Center Director at Beacon Hill

Governor has selected Elizabeth Toovak as Chair and Angel Gonzales as Vice Chair.

Alaska Council on the Homeless

Michelle Overstreet
From Wasilla
Executive Director at MyHouse
Dajonee Hale
From Wasilla
Project Manager at Alaska Coalition on Housing and Homeless
Athabaskan shareholder at Bristol Bay Native Corporation and Cook Inlet Regional Corporation
Chris Kolerok
From Anchorage
Chair of the Alaska Coalition on Housing and Homeless
Member of the Anchorage Coalition to End Homeless
Cup'ik Eskimo from the Native Village of Mekoryuk
Michele Brown
From Anchorage
Senior Fellow from the Rasmuson Foundation

The Governor has selected Michelle Overstreet as Chair and Chris Kolerok as Vice Chair.

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