Arctic Encounter Anchorage — March 29 - 31, 2023

ANCHORAGE, AK, USA | PROUDLY CO-HOSTED BY ALASKA AIRLINES, THE UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA, mckinley management, CONOCOPHILLIPS ALASKA, and citizens for responsible energy solutions forum

PRODUCED AND DIRECTED AT THE DENA’INA CONVENTION CENTER & THE ANCHORAGE MUSEUM




- 2023 CONFIRMED SPEAKERS -

  • U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, United States Senate – Alaska (United States)

  • U.S. Congressman John Curtis, United States House of Representatives — Utah (United States)

  • U.S. Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, United States House of Representatives — Maine (United States) 

  • U.S. Congresswoman Mary Sattler Peltola, United States House of Representatives — Alaska (United States)

  • Ambassador Emily Haber, Ambassador of Germany to the United States (Germany)

  • Ambassador Pétur Ásgeirsson, Ambassador of Arctic Affairs, Senior Arctic Official, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Iceland)

  • Ambassador Thomas Winkler, Ambassador of Arctic Affairs, Senior Arctic Official, Head of Department of Arctic and North America, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kingdom of Denmark) 

  • Ambassador Petteri Vuorimäki, Ambassador of Arctic Affairs, Senior Arctic Official, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Finland) 

  • Ambassador Louise Calais, Ambassador of Arctic Affairs, Senior Arctic Official, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Sweden) 

  • Ambassador Morten Høglund, Ambassador of Arctic Affairs, Senior Arctic Official, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Norway)

  • Ambassador Keizo Takewaka, Ambassador for International Economic Affairs and Arctic Affairs (Japan)

  • Ambassador David Balton, Executive Director, Arctic Executive Steering Committee, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President (United States)

  • Ambassador Mark Green, President and CEO of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; Former Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development & U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania (United States)

  • Ambassador Balz Abplanalp, Consul General of Switzerland in San Francisco (Switzerland)

  • The Honorable Melissa Dalton, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs, Department of Defense (United States)

  • Dr. Michael Sfraga, Chair, U.S. Arctic Research Commission; Chair & Distinguished Fellow, Polar Institute, Wilson Center (United States)

  • Mr. Sam Tan, Special Envoy for Arctic Affairs & Non-Resident High Commissioner to Canada, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Singapore)

  • Deputy Ambassador Michael Curtis, Deputy Ambassador, Delegation of the European Union to the United States of America (European Union)

  • Deputy Secretary Tommy Beaudreau, Deputy Secretary, Department of the Interior (United States)

  • Mr. Adam Krzywosądzki, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of the Republic of Poland in the United States (Poland)

  • Mr. Margus Särglepp, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Estonia in the United States (Estonia) 

  • Ms. Sara Cohen, Deputy Head of Mission, Foreign Policy & National Security, Embassy of Canada in the United States (Canada)

  • Ms. Heidi Kutz, Senior Arctic Official, Government of Canada (Canada) 

  • Minister Vivian Motzfeldt, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Business and Trade, Government of Greenland (Greenland)

  • Minister Erik Jensen, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, Government of Greenland (Greenland)

  • Mr. Kenneth Høegh, Head of Greenland Representation to the United States and Canada (Greenland)

  • The Honorable Micheál Smith, Consul General of Ireland, Western United States (Ireland)

  • Mr. Nick Williams, Minister Counsellor Foreign Security Development, British Embassy in Washington, D.C. (United Kingdom)

  • Mr. Chris Thomson, Counsellor, Scottish Government America (Scotland)

  • Lieutenant Governor Nancy Dahlstrom, Lieutenant Governor, State of Alaska (United States)

  • Ms. Sue Biniaz, Deputy Envoy for Climate, Department of State (United States)

  • Dr. Geraldine Richmond, Under Secretary for Science and Innovation, Department of Energy (United States)

  • Mr. Douglas Jones, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of European & Eurasian Affairs, Department of State (United States)

  • Dr. Tasha Hippolyte, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Trade and Economic Security, Department of Homeland Security (United States)

  • Mr. Manuel Carmona Yebra, Counsellor for Environment and Oceans, Delegation of the European Union to the United States (European Union)

  • Mr. Louis Crishock, Senior Arctic Official, Department of State (United States)

  • Vice Admiral Andrew Tiongson, Commander, Pacific Area; Commander, Defense Force West, U.S. Coast Guard (United States)

  • Major General Randy “Church” Kee, USAF (Ret)., Senior Advisor, Arctic Security Affairs, Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies. U.S. Department of Defense (United States)

  • Dr. John P. Holdren, Co-Director, Arctic Initiative, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs & Emeritus Professor of Environmental Science and Policy, Harvard University; Former Science Advisor to President Obama and Director, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (United States)

  • Dr. Zachary Penney, Senior Advisor, Office of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, Department of Commerce (United States)

  • Dr. Jackie Richter-Menge, Commissioner, US Arctic Research Commission (United States)

  • Dr. Nikoosh Carlo, Commissioner, US Arctic Research Commission (United States)

  • Ms. Deborah Vo, Commissioner, US Arctic Research Commission (United States)

  • Dr. Mark Myers, Commissioner, US Arctic Research Commission (United States)

  • Mr. David Kennedy, Commissioner, US Arctic Research Commission (United States)

  • Ms. Emily Edenshaw, President & CEO, Alaska Native Heritage Center

  • Mr. Rex A. Rock Sr., President and CEO, Arctic Slope Regional Corporation (United States)

  • Mr. Joe Sprague, President, Horizon Air; Board of Directors, Arctic Encounter (United States)

  • Mr. Kyle Hill, President, Alaska Commercial Company (United States) 

  • Mr. Nagruk Harcharek, President, The Voice of the Arctic Iñupiat (United States)

  • Dr. Hajo Eicken, Director, International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks (United States)

  • Ms. Kati Capozzi, President and CEO, Alaska Chamber (United States)

  • Ms. Justina Wilhelm, President, Ilisaġvik College (United States)

  • Ms. Alana Peterson, Executive Director, Spruce Root (United States)

  • Ms. Leila Kimbrell, Executive Director, Resources Development Council (United States)

  • Ms. Colleen Dushkin, Executive Director, Association of Alaska Housing Authorities (United States)

  • Ms. Mindy O’Neall, Executive Director, Cold Climate Housing Research Center (United States)

  • Ms. Athena Copenhaver, Executive Director, SEARCH (United States)

  • Ms. Vera Kingeekuk Metcalf, Executive Director, Eskimo Walrus Commission; Co-Principal Investigator, Study of Environmental Arctic Change (United States)

  • Dr. Larry Hinzman, Executive Director, Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee; Assistant Director for Polar Sciences, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President (United States)

  • Mr. Haven Harris, Senior Director Strategic Business Development, Bering Straits Native Corporation (United States) 


  • Mr. Scott Coughlan, Director of Sustainability, Alaska Airlines (United States)

  • Dr. Bill Schnabel, Dean, University of Alaska Fairbanks (United States) 

  • Mr. Brian Hirsch, Founding Partner and CEO, DeerStone Consulting, LLC (United States)

  • Commander John Z. Downing, Chief of Prevention Sector Anchorage, U.S. Coast Guard (United States)

  • Mr. Jay Byam, Founder and CEO, Kartorium (United States)

  • Dr. Brett Watson, Institute for Social and Economic Research, University of Alaska Anchorage (United States) 

  • Dr. Greg Poelzer, Co-Lead, Energy and Mineral Resources for a Sustainable Future, University of Saskatchewan (Canada)

  • Mr. Steve Douglas, Vice President, Alliance for Auto Innovation (United States)  

  • Ms. Bridget Anderson, Vice President of External Affairs, Arctic Slope Regional Corporation (United States)

  • Mr. Art Dahlin, Vice President and Alaska General Manager, TOTE Maritime Alaska (United States)

  • Mr. Paul Friese, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Lynden Transport (United States) 


  • Ms. Karla Brollier, Partner, Goldenrod Ventures; Director of Operations, Patagonia, Home Planet Fund (United States)

  • Mr. Matt Bell, Dean, School of Arctic and Climate Studies, Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies (United States)

  • Mr. Kevin Ivanoff, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Bering Straits Native Corporation (United States)

  • Ms. Lucille Sands, Vice President of Shareholder Development, Bering Straits Native Corporation (United States)

  • Mr. Larry Pederson, Vice President of Nome Operations, Bering Straits Native Corporation (United States)

  • Ms. Mary Miner, Vice President, Community Development, McKinley Alaska Growth Capital (United States)

  • Mr. Barry Romberg, Vice President, Strategy and Commercial Transportation, ConocoPhillips (United States)

  • Mr. Ben Meng, Executive Vice President and Chairman, Asia Pacific (United States)

  • Mr. Matt Hickey, Director of Engagements, Ted Stevens Center, U.S. Department of Defense (United States)

  • Mr. Chad Stovall, Alaska Field Office Director, Department of Housing and Urban Development (United States)

  • Ms. Meghan Gavin, Attorney, Cascadia Law Group; Board of Directors, Arctic Encounter (United States)

  • Mr. Griffin Haggle-Forster, Chief Financial Officer, Taġiuġmiullu Nunamiullu Housing Authority (United States)

  • Dr. Nettie La Belle-Hamer, Vice Chancellor, Research, University of Alaska Fairbanks (United States)  

  • Ms. Raina Thiele, Senior Advisor to the Secretary for Alaska Affairs and Strategic Priorities, U.S. Department of the Interior (United States)

  • Representative Josiah Aullaqsruaq Patkotak, State Representative, Alaska State Legislature (United States)

  • Mayor Bryce Ward, Mayor, Fairbanks North Star Borough (United States)

  • Mayor Harry Brower Jr., Mayor, North Slope Borough, Alaska (United States)

  • Mayor Dave Bronson, Mayor, Municipality of Anchorage (United States)

  • Mayor John Handeland, Mayor, City of Nome (United States)

  • Mr. Paul Fuhs, Goodwill Ambassador, The Northern Forum; Former Mayor of Unalaska (United States)

  • Mr. Torsten Kjølby Nielsen, Senior Chief Counsellor for Arctic affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark (Denmark)

  • Ms. Shauna Hegna, President, Koniag (United States)

  • Mr. Aaron Schutt, President & CEO, Doyon, Limited (United States)

  • Ms. Gail Schubert, President & CEO, Bering Straits Native Corporation (United States)

  • Mr. Isaac Vanderburg, CEO, Launch Alaska (United States)

    Mr. Thomas Mack, CEO, The Eyak Corporation; Vice-Chair, Arctic Economic Council

  • Ms. Bonnie Gestring, Program Director, Earthworks (United States)

  • Ms. Jenna Krohn, General Counsel, Bering Straits Native Corporation (United States)

  • Ms. Ann Robertson, Policy Director, AKWA-DC (United States)

  • Mr. Chris Kolerok, Director of Public Policy, Cook Inlet Housing Authority (United States)

  • Dr. Lauren Divine, Director of Ecosystem Conservation Office, Aleut Community of St. Paul (United States)

  • Mr. Ephraim Froehlich, Managing Partner, AKWA-DC (United States)

  • Chief Gary Harrison, Chickaloon Native Village; Arctic Athabaskan Council (United States)

  • Mr. Edward Alexander, Co-Chair, Gwich’in Council International (United States)

  • Chief Bill Erasmus, Chief, Dene Nation, Turtle Island (Canada)

  • Mr. Aaron Leggett, President & Chair, Native Village of Eklutna (United States)

  • Ms. Nicole Wojciechowski, Alaska Vice President, Inuit Circumpolar Council (United States)

  • Ms. Gunn-Britt Retter, Head of the Arctic and Environmental Unit, Saami Council (Norway)

  • Dr. Brendan Kelly, Science Director, Study of Environmental Arctic Change; Board of Directors, Arctic Encounter (United States)

  • Brigadier General William Radiff, Royal Canadian Air Force; Deputy Commander, Alaska NORAD Region (Canada)

  • Rear Admiral Nathan Moore, Commander, Seventeenth District, U.S. Coast Guard (United States)

  • Commissioner Douglas Vincent-Lang, Commissioner, Department of Alaska Fish and Game, State of Alaska (United States)

  • Commissioner Julie Sande, Commissioner, Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development (United States)

  • Mr. Mads Qvist Frederiksen, Director, Arctic Economic Council (Norway)

  • The Honorable Tara Sweeney, Former Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior; President & CEO, Tack-71 (United States)

  • The Honorable Mead Treadwell, Chairman/CEO, QilakLNG; Chair, Arctic Circle Mission Council on Shipping and Ports; Owner, Treadwell Development; Former Lieutenant Governor of Alaska; Chair, U.S. Arctic Research Commission 2006-2010; Co-Chair, Polar Institute, Woodrow Wilson Center Polar Initiative (United States)

  • Ms. Heather Reams, President, Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions Forum (United States)

  • Mr. Michael Conathan, Senior Policy Fellow, Aspen Institute (United States)

  • Ms. Elizabeth “Liz” Qaulluq Cravalho, Vice President of Lands, NANA Regional Corporation; Commissioner, U.S. Arctic Research Commission (United States) 

  • Dr. Pearl Brower, President & CEO, Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corporation (United States)

  • Ms. Ana Hoffman, President/CEO, Bethel Native Corporation (United States)

  • Mr. Hugh Short, President & CEO, Pt Capital (United States)

  • Ms. Jackie Qataliña Schaeffer, Director of Climate Initiatives, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium; Board of Directors, Arctic Encounter (United States)

  • Ms. Jenifer Nelson, Chairperson, The Aleut Corporation (United States)

  • Ms. Margaret Salazar, Regional Administrator, Department of Housing and Urban Development (United States)

  • Professor Christina Viskum Lytken Larsen, Head of Research, Center for Public Health in Greenland, University of Southern Denmark and University of Greenland (Denmark)

  • Dr. Anne Zink, Chief Medical Officer, State of Alaska (United States)

  • Ms. Libby Casey, Senior News Anchor, The Washington Post (United States)

  • President Pat Pitney, President, University of Alaska (United States)

  • Mr. Robert Gillam, Chief Executive and Chief Investment Officer, McKinley Management (United States)

  • Ms. Stacia Gillam, Chief Managing Officer, McKinley Management (United States)

  • Ms. Marilyn Romano, Regional Vice President, Alaska Airlines (United States)

  • Dr. Dwayne Ryan Menezes, Founder and Managing Director, Polar Research and Policy Initiative (PRPI); Director, All-Party Parliamentary Group for Greenland, UK Parliament (United Kingdom)

  • Dr. Jennifer Spence, Senior Fellow, Arctic Initiative, Belfer Center, Harvard Kennedy School 

  • Ms. Rachel Kallander, Founder & Executive Director, Arctic Encounter; Chief Executive Officer, Kallander & Associates; Owner & Publisher, The Cordova Times; Honorary Consul of Iceland for Alaska (United States)

  • Ms. Penny Gage, Managing Director, Launch Alaska (United States)

  • Ms. Alice Glenn, Founder & Host, Coffee & Quaq; Alaska Native Iñupiaq, Utqiagvik (United States)

  • Ms. Kara Moriarty, President/CEO, Alaska Oil and Gas Association (United States)

  • Ms. Sheyna Wisdom, Director, Alaska Ocean Observing System (United States)

  • Mr. Garrett Evridge, Director, Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation Startup Accelerator (United States)

  • Mr. Logan Birch, President, McKinley Alaska Growth Capital (United States)

  • Ms. Anu Fredrikson, Executive Director, Arctic Frontiers (Norway)

  • Mr. Matt Hickey, Director of Engagements, Ted Stevens Center, U.S. Department of Defense (United States)

  • Mr. Justin Poulsen, Vice President of Itinerary Planning & Destination Development, SilverSea Cruises (United States) 

  • Mr. Matt Perkins, President/CEO, Alaska Renewables (United States)

  • Ms. Kiera O'Brien, Public Policy Representative, TOTAL Energies (United States)

  • Ms. Dana Diehl, Wellness and Prevention Director, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (United States)

  • Ms. Lori Townsend, News Director, Alaska Public Media (United States)

  • Mr. Joe Sarcone, Assistant Professor, Director of Environmental Public Health, Alaska Pacific University (United States)

  • Dr. Julie Decker, CEO, The Anchorage Museum (United States)

  • Dr. Tuija Turunena, Dean of Education, University of Lapland (Finland) 

  • Dr. Michele Yatchmeneff, Executive Director for Alaska Native Education & Outreach, University of Alaska Anchorage (United States) 

  • Dr. Charlene Stern, Vice Chancellor, University of Alaska, Fairbanks (United States)

  • Dr. Diane Hirshberg, Director & Professor of Education Policy, Institute of Social and Economic Research, University of Alaska Anchorage (United States)

  • Ms. Megan Webb, Director of Corporate Communications, GCI (United States)

  • Ms. Heather Handyside, Chief Communications Officer, GCI (United States) 

  • Mr. Justin Sternberg, Director, Alaska Blue Economy Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks (United States)

  • Ms. Benedikt Gíslason, CEO, Arion Banki (Iceland)

  • Mr. Doug Bernauer, CEO, Radiant (United States)

  • Dr. Erin Whitney, Director, Arctic Energy Office, Department of Energy, (United States)

  • Ms. Tami Fordham, Operations Director Alaska, Environmental Protection Agency, (United States)

  • Ms. Gwen Holdmann, Associate Vice Chancellor, Research for Innovation and Industry Partnerships, University of Alaska Fairbanks (United States)

  • Mr. Alex Friedman, CEO, Novata; Board of Directors, Franklin Resources (Franklin Templeton) (United States)

  • Ms. Jocelyn Fenton, Director of Programs, Denali Commission, (United States)

  • Ms. Julia Hnilicka, State Director, USDA-Rural Development, Anchorage, AK, (United States)

  • Ms. Amy Holman, Alaska Regional Coordinator, NOAA, (United States)

  • Ms. Dustin Madden, Rural Energy Program Manager, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (United States)

  • Ms. Katie Conway, Energy Program Manager, Denali Commission (United States)

  • Ms. Kristina Tirman, Alaska Marine Debris Manager, Ocean Conservancy (United States)

  • Ms. Kristina Woolston, External Affairs Director, Donlin Gold (United States)

  • Dr. Andreas Raspotnik, Senior Researcher, Fridtjof Nansen Institute; High North Center for Business and Governance, Nord University (Norway)

  • Dr. Marika Holland, Senior Scientist, National Center for Atmospheric Research (United States)

  • Mr. Miles Baker, Principal, MB Alaska (United States)

  • Ms. Erika Ammann, Fisheries Biologist, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (United States)

  • Mr. Benjamin Jacuk, Indigenous Researcher, Alaska Native Heritage Center (United States)

  • Mr. Andrew Smith, Intergovernmental Relations Officer, Government of Yukon (Canada)

  • Mr. Francis Wiese, Technical leader for Marine Science, Stantec (United States)

  • Mr. Cyrus Harris, Natural Resource Advocate, Maniilaq Association (United States)

  • Mr. Fred Jay Ivanoff, Senior Crew Leader, Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation (United States)

  • Mr. Jackson Blackwell, Managing Director, Arctic Encounter; Senior Associate, Kallander & Associates (United States)

  • Ms. Mercedes Blancaflor, Board Treasurer, Arctic Youth Network; Program Director, Arctic Encounter (United States)

  • Ms. Lisa Charles, Tribal Workforce & Benefits Navigator, Association of Village Council Presidents, Newtok (United States)

  • Ms. Doreen Leavitt, Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope (United States)

  • Ms. Taqulik Hepa, North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management (United States)

  • Ms. Della Carl, Resident, Mertarvik (United States)

  • Ms. Carolyn George, Lower Kuskokwim School District; Resident, Newtok (United States)

  • Ms. Harmony Jade Sugaq Wayner, Commercial Fisher, Alaska Sea Grant Fellow (United States)

  • Ms. Kikiktagruk Aŋnuk Macy Rae Kenworthy, Staff, Alaska Conservation Foundation; Alumni, Arctic Youth Ambassador (United States)

  • Mr. Nolan Qamanirq, Board member, Arctic Youth Network (United States)

  • Ms. Zoe Okleasik, Board member, Arctic Youth Network; Arctic Youth Ambassador (United States)

  • Ms. Tayler Tanginiq Higgins, Arctic Youth Ambassador; Undergraduate Student, University of Alaska Anchorage (United States)

  • Mr. Sam Schimmel, Director, Operation Fish Drop (United States)

  • Mr. Joshua Cannon, Fellow, Arctic Resilient Communities Youth Fellowship (United States)

  • Mr. Eben Hopson, Fellow, Arctic Resilience Communities Youth Fellowship (United States)

  • Ms. Kristi Nguyen, Alaska Fellow, Arctic Encounter (United States)

  • Ms. Madeleine Redfern, Co-CEO, CanArctic Inuit Networks Inc.; Former Mayor, Iqaluit, Nunavut (Canada)

  • Ms. Cordelia Kellie, Special Assistant for Rural Affairs, Office of U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (United States)

  • Dr. Liza Mack, Head of Delegation, Sustainable Development Working Group; Former Executive Director, Aleut International Association (United States)

  • Ms. Joy Huntington, President & CEO, Uqaqti Consulting (United States)

  • Ms. Nivi Rosing, Fellow, Arctic Youth Resilient Communities (Greenland)

  • Mr. Chris Henderson, Deputy Commissioner, Operations, Canadian Coast Guard (Canada)

  • Ms. Julie Decker, PhD, CEO, Anchorage Museum (United States)

  • Ms. Betsy Baker, Global Fellow, Wilson Center Polar Institute (United States)

  • Ms. Deantha Skibinski, Executive Director, Alaska Mining Association (United States)

  • Ms. Carol Fraser, Vice President, Aspen Hotels of Alaska (United States)

  • Mr. Randy Ruaro, Executive Director, Alaska Industrial Development & Export Authority (United States)

  • Mr. Chris Rose, Executive Director, Renewable Energy Alaska Project (United States)

  • Mr. Lance Miller, Vice President of Natural Resources, NANA (United States)

  • Mr. John Espindola, Special Assistant to the Governor of Alaska (United States)

  • Mr. Rolf Lau Nancke, Head of Maritime Affairs, Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure, Government of Greenland (Greenland)

  • Mr. Lee Lipton, Senior Vice President, Aviation Strategy, Airport Strategy and Marketing, Aviation Week Network (Canada)

  • Ms. Patuk Glenn, Executive Director, Arctic Slope Community Foundation (United States)


2023 platinum sponsors & strategic co-hosts

2023 gold sponsors

2023 SILVER sponsors

2023 BRONZE sponsors


2023 Educational PARTNERS

 

2023 COMMUNITY PARTNERS