Vice President Government Relations, Chenega CorpORATION
Kristina Woolston Adam Elliott Photography
age 39 Education: Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a minor in Native American Studies from Dartmouth College. Community work: Breast Cancer Focus, Inc.; Fur Rondezvous; ChangePoint Cold Weather Emergency Shelter; Downtown Soup Kitchen; YoungLife; Junior Achievement Family: StudHub, Tim Woolston; Remarkable Children: Noah (7), Charlotte (6), Stepdaughters Savannah (18) and Shelby (14). Spastic dog, Hudson Hometown: Born in Anchorage, raised in Naknek Current city: Anchorage What is your favorite place in Alaska and why? My favorite place would have to be the beaches of the Naknek River in my hometown. I say this because of an observation my husband shared with me a few years ago. He said all the layers of work, travel and running a hectic household seemed to wash away with the ebb and flow of the Naknek River tide. That seems like a pretty great place if it can have such an effect on a person. What is your most memorable Alaska experience? Call me cheesy, but it truly is my first date with my husband. I will forever remember that day, which marked the beginning of our journey. The Beatles summed up our journey in their classic song “The Long and Winding Road.” Name the person you most respect and why. Ten years ago my oldest brother, Tom, died in a plane crash. Everyone in my family handled this tragedy with grace, love and faith. But my sister-in-law, Lucy, has inspired me as she has raised three incredible children, who at the time of my brother’s death were 8, 9, and 12. Lucy focused on instilling honesty, integrity, a great work ethic, and love and compassion, in my nieces and nephew, despite the loss they, and our entire family, struggled to cope with. Today, my nieces are in college and my nephew is in a master electrician’s apprenticeship with the IBEW. What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? Downhill skiing with my family. Favorite quote: “Generous to a fault? I don’t think that is possible.” — Tim Woolston What was your first job? As with everyone in my family, I worked in our family commercial fishing operation in Bristol Bay. I started by hauling one fish at a time up the beach, working my way up to running an operation. My scars and bad back are a daily reminder of what a hard day’s work really means. Who is your favorite superhero? Wonder Woman. (Disappointed Nordstrom still doesn’t carry the deflecting bangles).
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What was your biggest challenge in life and how have you overcome it? My biggest challenge is the struggle of being a working mom who travels a great deal. My job takes me regularly to Washington, DC, and many locations around the globe, which I love. But it also means I sometimes miss the finer points of my childrens’ experiences-nuances and details you cannot glean from Skype or FaceTime. At the end of the day, I can only hope my children see the enthusiasm and energy I invest in their hopes and dreams and education, as well as my work, and that they have something they are passionate about in their own lives. Please describe how your background growing up in an Alaska village has driven your career. My parents were/are a part of every facet of my community…like so many in a small village, they did everything; they started a church, served on the school board, hosted youth groups, volunteered as firefighters and foster parents, and my Dad served on dozens of statewide and federal boards on fisheries, economic development, subsistence, and the Bristol Bay Native Corp. Board of Directors. For many years I accepted professional opportunities, not realizing until I came to Chenega there was a common theme of working toward economically healthy communities. The focus of my career started with my parents and my community, and my goal going forward is to be more intentional and strategic about supporting economic independence in Alaska’s rural communities. What is the most memorable observation you’ve heard from a visitor from Outside who you have taken to a rural Alaska village? How have these visits helped change attitudes about the unique needs of Alaska? In my profession I am often given the opportunity to host Senate and Congressional Member and Staff delegations from Washington, D.C., to rural Alaska. On these fly-in trips to villages there is an unmistakable “aha” moment for Outsiders. It could be when they learn there is no grocery store, or the price tag of a round trip ticket to a hospital, or the barriers to economic development. In that See WOOLSTON, Page 50