Dear fellow shareholders,

It was wonderful to see many of you at the Annual Meeting this year! I really appreciate those who made the trip to Glennallen to attend our meeting. We are so thankful to everyone who participated, whether in person or virtually through the livestream.

This year’s Annual Meeting was memorable. A standout was the opportunity to recognize outgoing Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) President Julie Kitka. Through her leadership at AFN, Julie has been instrumental in expanding the Alaska Native health care system, advocating for and securing millions of dollars of COVID funds for our Tribes and Regional Tribal Health organizations, protecting children through the Indian Child Welfare Act, and defending our customary and traditional hunting and fishing rights. Time and again Julie has shown her immense heart and passion for the Ahtna people and has earned the respect and admiration of Ahtna’s Board, management, and Elders. You may have seen that the AFN Board has selected Ben Mallott as its next president. Ben has been with AFN for over 11 years and most recently served as vice president of external affairs. I look forward to many years of productive collaboration with Ben in his new role.

At the Annual Meeting, we also recognized two champions of the Ahtna people, Chris McNeil, Jr. and John “Sky” Starkey. Chris has spent nearly a decade advocating for our shareholders’ customary and traditional hunting and fishing rights, crafting Ahtna’s legislative strategies with great political insight. Sky, a partner at Landye Bennett Blumstein, has fiercely protected Indigenous hunting and fishing rights under ANILCA for over 15 years, staunchly defending and upholding the Katie John decisions.

We welcome Aaron Miller (Seat A, At-Large) and Felicia L. Ewan (Seat I, Gulkana) to the Ahtna Board of Directors. You can read more about them on page 15. We would also like to congratulate returning directors Karen Linnell (Seat A, At-Large), Lucille A. Lincoln (Seat G2, Kluti-Kaah) and Cecil G. Sanford (Seat H, Mentasta). Newly elected directors will serve 3-year terms, until the 2027 Annual Meeting. We expressed our huge appreciation to outgoing directors Genevieve John and John Dye for their dedication and service to the Ahtna people. Cecil Sanford was selected as Board Member of the Year by fellow Board members. You can read more about Director Sanford’s commitment to the Ahtna people here.

Our Shareholder Records department held the first of our Testamentary Disposition prize drawings this year. There will be two annual drawings, each with a combined prize pool of $1,000. Each drawing will include a prize of $300, a prize of $200, and five prizes of $100 each. These drawings are scheduled to take place each June and December, providing our shareholders with regular opportunities to participate and potentially win! You can read more about the drawings here.

A Testamentary Disposition form provides clear and concise instructions to Ahtna for determining the heirs of your Ahtna shares. This process is different from gifting shares when a shareholder is still living. A Testamentary Disposition is not a complete personal will, but directs us on your wishes for your Ahtna shares. The Testamentary Disposition form also allows you to appoint a representative to handle any memorial fund donations you are eligible for from Ahtna after your passing.

It is extremely important for shareholders to have a valid Testamentary Disposition on file with Ahtna. When a shareholder passes on and they do not have a Testamentary Disposition on file with Ahtna, the transfer of shares becomes more complicated and could take months, or even years, delaying what could be a relatively quick and simple process. Without a Testamentary Disposition or a formal will, when you pass your shares will be transferred according to Alaska intestate law, which may not match your wishes.

Voting is a right that we, as Alaska Natives and Americans, should never take for granted. With the presidential election taking place this year, I encourage everyone to make sure they can exercise this precious right by registering to vote, if needed, and then voting when the time comes. Many states offer the convenience of online registration; you can find out more details by visiting www.usa.gov/register-to-vote.

Congratulations to our class of 2024 shareholder graduates and their families! Graduates – this is your time to shine, and we are delighted to be able to share your accomplishments in this issue. Every chance I get, I read Ahtna history and interviews from past Ahtna leaders. Providing education resources for our people was always a priority for future Ahtna generations, along with securing our traditional hunting and fishing rights. Your commitment to furthering your education is exactly what our ancestors wanted for you, and you are making not only your family proud, but everyone here at Ahtna.

Tsin’aen,

Michelle Anderson, President
Ahtna, Incorporated