BARBARA RENAYE KAHULA

Director of Finance & Accounting | Native Movement

Barbara Kahula is an enrolled citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, with Chahta and Irish heritage. Raised in Alaska on Dena'ina Lands, she earned a B.B.A. in Accounting and an MBA from the University of Alaska Anchorage, with a focus on Indigenous rights and values in business. As the Director of Finance & Accounting at Native Movement, she integrates Indigenous perspectives with financial stewardship to support long-term organizational sustainability. With a background in tax accounting, Barbara is passionate about financial literacy and wellness, emphasizing ethical business practices rooted in traditional Indigenous values. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors in our beautiful Alaskan landscape. As a first-generation college graduate and 2024 Spring UAA graduate student speaker, she is committed to fostering equity and empowerment through her expertise and advocacy.

DAVID MARSH

Founder, Space for Earth

David Marsh is a space industry executive dedicated to using technologies in orbit to improve life on Earth while understanding the geopolitical implications of space exploration. He previously served as the Director of Strategy for Voyager Technologies, where he helped plan for the future of human spaceflight onboard commercially-owned spacecraft. A member of The Explorers Club, he is a recipient of the Young Explorer 2024 award, where his research addressed the impact of space technology on remote Arctic communities. He was selected as a State Department Emerging Leader 2025 and invited to join a delegation in Norway. Prior to his time in the space industry, he supported the US government as a consultant, working on security cooperation projects in the Middle East and Latin America. He received his bachelor’s degree in international relations from the University of California, Los Angeles and is earning his master’s in security studies from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.

TRISTAN AGNAURAQ MORGAN

Community Grant Writer, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium

Tristan Agnauraq Morgan is a Community Grant Writer with the Center for Environmentally Threatened Communities (CETC), a program within the Climate Initiatives division at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC). CETC provides critical support to Alaska communities facing climate-related and environmental hazards, offering technical assistance to help develop and implement locally driven, resilient solutions.

Tristan is the daughter of Alice (Negovanna) Morgan and the granddaughter of Ethel Segevan and Burrell Negovanna of Wainwright, Alaska—an Iñupiat community located on the Chukchi Sea coast, 90 miles southwest of Utqiaġvik. Raised in Anchorage and an alumna of the University of Alaska Anchorage, Tristan brings a deep commitment to cultural preservation and environmental advocacy. Since joining CETC in August 2021, she has provided direct technical support to communities across the state, successfully assisting in the acquisition of more than $190 million in grant funding for capacity building and infrastructure protection.

Tristan emphasizes the importance of community-led decision-making, equitable engagement, and culturally responsive approaches in addressing the region’s complex environmental and infrastructure challenges. Her work underscores the necessity of collaboration between tribal communities, policymakers, and the private sector in forging sustainable, climate-resilient futures in the Arctic.

JILLIAN KATES

Administrative Assistant to the Dean, Adjunct Faculty, College of Business and Security Management - University of Alaska Fairbanks

Jillian "Qignax̂" Kates is a Ph.D. student in Indigenous Studies, focusing on education, leadership, and how communities can create their own pathways forward. She’s Unangax̂ and a tribal citizen of the Qagan Tayagungin Tribe, and she grew up in Sand Point, Alaska; an experience that shapes her work. Jillian’s research looks at how rural and Indigenous communities, especially in Alaska, can build stronger connections between education and local opportunity. She’s passionate about supporting young people, preserving Indigenous knowledge systems, and finding ways to help communities thrive in the face of changing industries and regulations. Through community-based research, she aims for her work to uplift local voices and create models that reflect the realities of places like the Aleutians. For her it's about creating lasting change that’s based in culture, history, and future generations.

JOHN ADAM SALLEE IV

Program Manager, The RIVR, Koahnic Broadcast Corporation

John Adam Sallee IV is an Iñupiaq and Mexican Public Relations professional whose work centers on Indigenous advocacy and culturally grounded storytelling. A graduate of USC Annenberg’s Master of Arts Strategic Public Relations program, John has led PR campaigns across entertainment, music, technology and travel—always with a focus on cultural integrity and sustainability. His deep-rooted interest in Arctic policy stems from his connection to subsistence living and the need to protect traditional ways of life threatened by climate change. He hopes to explore how strategic messaging and policy initiatives can work together to drive sustainable and equitable solutions for Arctic communities. John is honored to join the Northern Vision Fellowship and contribute to shaping an Arctic future that uplifts Indigenous knowledge and centers community-driven solutions.

KEENAN MILLER

Legislative Aide, Office of Representative Nellie Unangiq Jimmie (HD-38)

Keenan Miller was born and raised in Juneau, Alaska. He works in the Alaska State Legislature for Representative Nellie Unangiq Jimmie of Toksook Bay. Keenan previously interned with the Polar Institute at the Wilson Center and the office of former Representative Mary Peltola (AK-AL). These experiences cultivated a passion for the Arctic and Antarctic that likely took root during childhood stints as a volunteer ranger at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center -- and a few too many listens to the Grammy-nominated soundtrack from Happy Feet (2006).

Keenan is a recent graduate of Yale College, where his undergraduate thesis researched how group choice affects group behavior. Nowadays, he's thinking more about subsistence rights and sustainable fisheries management; tourism experiences that are proven to promote environmentally friendly behaviors; and counters to extractivist relationships with Earth's polar places and peoples. He's excited to make the most of his time as a Northern Vision Fellow.

HAVEN TOWNSEND

Housing Impact Evaluation Fellow, Cook Inlet Housing Authority

Haven Townsend is currently a Housing Impact Evaluation Fellow at Cook Inlet Housing Authority in Anchorage, Alaska, where she develops GIS mapping solutions that illuminate housing access patterns across communities. Her expertise lies at the intersection of Indigenous knowledge systems and spatial technologies, specializing in data sovereignty and community-led governance frameworks. Haven holds a degree in International Development and Geography from the University of Toronto, with advanced training in participatory GIS methodologies. Her technical repertoire includes the ArcGIS ecosystem, Python automation, and temporal analysis through Google Earth Engine. Over the past five years, she has applied these skills to projects ranging from Indigenous land reclamation to cultural resource vulnerability assessments along changing coastlines. Living and working on Dena'ina lands, Haven approaches each project with both technical precision and cultural humility. Looking ahead, she aims to incorporate queer ethnographies, feminist geographies, and Indigenous knowledge into collaborative efforts that decolonize modern constructions of care while advancing climate resilience for communities at the frontlines of environmental change.

JUSTIN LANGAN

Executive Director, O'KANATA

Justin R. Langan, a 26-year-old Métis leader from the rural community Swan River, Manitoba, is dedicated to empowering Indigenous youth and fostering community development. A graduate of the University of Manitoba with a degree in Political Studies and Philosophy, Justin founded O’KANATA, a federally incorporated non-profit led by Indigenous youth, providing educational, cultural, and career opportunities. His impactful leadership earned O’KANATA international recognition, including the 2024 Small Business Champions Award. Justin’s work includes launching the Indigenous Film Archive and an Indigenous youth-centric podcast, as well as founding Heartwarmers, a business contributing to community initiatives. He has received numerous accolades, including the Indspire Métis Youth Award and CBC’s Future 40 Under 40. A 2024-2025 Parliamentary Intern, Justin is preparing to pursue graduate school to advocate for Indigenous and human rights globally.