Send a text

Willie Hensley is an Alaska statesman and Native Elder. He was instrumental in the creation of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, which became law in 1971. He is a co-founder and currently serves as Chair of the First Alaskans Institute. Willie served as Distinguished Visiting Professor in the Department of Business and Public Policy at UAA. He also helped found, and headed, both the Alaska Federation of Natives, and the Northwest Alaskan Natives Association (NANA), an ANCSA regional corporation encompassing his home community of Kotzebue. Willie received his high school diploma from a boarding school in Tennessee, attended the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, and graduated from George Washington University with a degree in Political Science. Months after he graduated, he was elected to the Alaska State House of Representatives, where he served from 1967 to 1970. He also served twice in the Alaska Senate. His book, Fifty Miles from Tomorrow: A Memoir of Alaska and the Real People, recounts his childhood growing up in rural Alaska and his journey as an Alaskan politician and native rights activist. Willie and his wife, Abbe, have six children and fourteen grandchildren.

Send a text

Anna Taylor is the Executive Director at the Alaska Institute for Justice. She started working with AIJ as a staff attorney in March 2014 at the Juneau office. In February of 2018, she moved to the Anchorage office. Since joining AIJ, Anna has helped clients get U visas, as victims of crime; T visas, as survivors of human trafficking; green cards, as survivors of domestic violence; and asylum, as survivors of persecution. She regularly does presentations on working with immigrant survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking. Anna graduated from the Washington College of Law at American University. She spent five months representing detained immigrants in Harlingen, Texas, at the South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project (ProBAR), then moved to Juneau to work for AIJ. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of Vermont, majoring in anthropology and history. She enjoys exploring the trails around Anchorage with her retired sled dog.

Slides - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/6ndjvz0b3fasovu9jaqm6/UU-3.8.2026.pdf?rlkey=y2h6w1df4c0io5i3wsu3a9cjs&dl=0

Send a text

Jenn Bluntach is AUUF's Director of Religious Exploration. Jenn moved to Anchorage with her husband, Ryan, leaving behind their Minnesota roots, when she accepted the DRE position in the Fall of 2024. She has previous experience as an activity director and youth director at a progressive Presbyterian church in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. She loves continuing to learn about Unitarian Universalism as it seems to be the faith she was searching for her entire life that she didnt know existed. She has a passion for working with youth and creating a fun, safe, inclusive environment for all. Jenn and Ryan have a blended family of five wonderful childrenfour of whom are now adults, and two adorable grandchildren.

Send a text

Bill Hill is a lifelong Alaskan. The son of two teachers, Bill spent nearly 25 years as a teacher, principal, and superintendent. In 2023, he was named Alaska Superintendent of the Year. A Dena’ina Athabascan, Bill grew up in a small village in Bristol Bay. His childhood was spent subsistence fishing and hunting, trapping, and raising and racing sled dog teams with his family. Bill started setnetting as a young kid, before joining his dad on the family drift boat when he was 12. He’s fished every fishing season in Bristol Bay since. He’s also worked union construction jobs in rural Alaska, from building houses to working on remote health clinics and canneries, and the sewer system in the Bristol Bay Borough. Bill and his wife started Bristol Bay Brailer, a textile manufacturing business that supplies custom-made brailers for the commercial fishing fleet. Bill is the father of four, and Chada (grandpa) to 7. His family has lived in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau, and he and his wife, Diane, are now back in Naknek, a population of 470.

website - https://billhillforalaskans.com

Send a text

Charlene has served in many spaces as an advocate for Indigenous Womxn, Indigenous Sovereignty, climate justice, and Indigenous rights to health and wellbeing. Charlene is a lifelong learner in both her cultural traditions and decolonizing academia. She is a mother to Evan Lukluan. She earned her B.A. in American Ethnic Studies with a minor in Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies, an M.A. in Alaska Native Studies and Rural Development, and a PhD from the Indigenous Studies program at UAF. Charlene gratefully resides in Anchorage on the territories of the Dena'ina peoples. Here she has taught the Iñupiaq language and is part of the Kingikmiut dance group with her son.

Slides - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ywzvx9wrnldx783jdj7h0/DIJ_AUUF_FEB2026.pdf?rlkey=w7sipisxn20bkcraz4cv5d0b3&dl=0

Website - https://www.dataforindigenousjustice.org/

Send a text

Asa Hohman earned his law degree and an M.B.A. from the University of Montana and an LL.M. from the University of Washington. Shortly after his admission to the bar, Asa began focusing his practice on immigration and small-business formation for immigrant-owned businesses (as well as other small businesses). He practices in the full breadth of immigration, including asylum and removal defense, but focuses his practice on family-based immigration and business/employment immigration. He is an active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the Alaska Bar Immigration Section, and the Ukraine Immigration Task Force.

Send a text

Mayor Suzanne LaFrance grew up in Palmer, Alaska, and is a proud graduate of Alaska’s public schools. She lives in South Anchorage with her husband Dave Hemstreet, their three kids, and their puppy. Mayor LaFrance served two terms on the Anchorage Assembly, including two years as Chair. She brings over 25 years of private sector experience, managing budgets, projects, and people. Mayor LaFrance received a bachelor's degree from the University of Portland and a master's degree from Purdue University. She has volunteered for Great Alaska Schools and has led local scout troops. Mayor LaFrance has lived in Anchorage for over 25 years. She and her husband, Dave Hemstreet, have three children.

Slides - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/b5q9c5te5pomm1yukf4zs/Unitarians02012026.pdf?rlkey=s2yi0y0x0atrmdd5hei2bp2a6&dl=0

Muni Web site - https://www.muni.org/Departments/Mayor/Pages/default.aspx

Send a text

From 1991-2024, Tlingit Joaqlin Estus spent her career primarily as a reporter for public radio and television, and for the national online news platform ICT (formerly Indian Country Today). She has a degree in history from UAA and first worked as a historian for the National Park Service, then moved into coastal management. She began volunteering at KTOO, the public radio station in Juneau, working on a half-hour talk show on Native issues, then did an internship with Alaska Public Radio Network. This experience turned into jobs at KTOO, Minnesota Public Radio, and KNBA in Anchorage. She covered a range of topics, specializing in Alaska Native history, culture, and issues. She also worked in public communications for the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. In addition to awards from the Indigenous Journalists Association and Alaska Press Club, Joaqlin was inducted into the Alaska Women’s Hall of Fame in October 2025 in recognition of her work as a cultural liaison. She continues to find interesting projects to work on during her retirement.

Slides - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ywpbc2n6qwm5a3uexryji/Subsistence.pdf?rlkey=8yyglkjmldvjvxkd0on51ntqz&dl=0