Board & Team
Haa Tóoch Lichéesh is a 501c3 nonprofit governed by a board of directors. We have an overarching commitment for all our work to reflect the practice of getting callused hands and/or offering healing salve to our beloved partners based on both positionality and need, we choose to lead with love in all we do. As Valarie Davidson has taught us “when you lead with love, you are never alone”. We acknowledge that healing and transformation are hard work. We are dedicated to leaning into our growing edge to support this personal and community wide transformation effort.
Thank you to beloved Elders Kaatssaawaa Della Cheney and the late Kaaxkwhei Leona Santiago, as well as co-founder and mentor Dáxkílatch Kolene James for your ongoing support and wisdom.
For many years, Haa Tóoch Lichéesh was led by a Visionary Council. Gunalchéesh, Háw’aa, Quyana, Chin’an, Thank You to all who served on our Visionary Council: T’óok’ Xoo Háni Alicia Maryott, See.ei Cecelia Westman, Corlé LaForce, Kaatssaawaa Della Cheney, Dáxkílatch Kolene James, Meryl Connelly-Chew, Kaasei Naomi Michalsen, and Chooshdatláa Nicole Anderson.
Our Board
Dáxkílatch Kolene James
Board President, HTL Coalition Co-Founder
Kaatssaawaa Della Cheney
Guiding Elder
T’óok’ Xoo Háni Alicia Maryott
Secretary
Our Team
Ati Koon Ya Nagoodi Nasiah (she/her)
Executive Director, HTL Coalition Co-Founder
David A Dayeen Yan Haani Abad (he/they)
HTL Coalition Manager
Ḵaa Yahaayí Shkalneegi (he/they)
Storyteller
Melody Musick
Finance and Admin Manager
Hana'ackm Ggoadm 'Tsoal Naomi Leask
Regional Healing Catalyst
T’óok’ Xoo Háni Alicia Maryott, Board Secretary
Full Bio Coming Soon!
Kaatssaawaa Della Cheney, Guiding Elder
Full Bio Coming Soon!
Dáxkílatch Kolene James, Board President and Coalition Co-founder
Full bio coming soon….
Melody Musick, Finance and Admin Manager
Melody Musick (she/they) is a guest on the unceded territory of the Áakʼw Ḵwáan, born on the ancestral land of the Imatalamłáma. Melody was raised sailing connected to water; on the Shawpatin River colonially known as the Snake River in Washington and on her familys’ sailboat in the Pacific Ocean. Melody’s journey reflects a commitment to connecting to cultural healing through work with addiction rehabilitation, community food access, and language. Professionally, Melody’s has managed municipal entirprise funds, written grants, managed departmental human resources, and managed 1000’s of acres of public land. Melody is looking forward to continuing her personal learning and healing journey through financial and operational stewardship with Haa Tóoch Lichéesh.
Naomi Leask, Regional Healing Catalyst
Hana’ackm Ggoadm ‘Tsoal / Naomi Leask (she/her) is honored to be guest on the unceded territory of the Áakʼw Ḵwáan. She is Ts’msyen and was born and raised in Su Maxłaxaała where she was a cultural educator for 20+years. Naomi’s teaching methods are a reflection of her grandmother’s teachings that were passed down through the generations – land & strength based. Naomi also has a background in museum work but she is most proud of creating public harvesting classes and the ‘Nüüm Na Waalt culture camp as a way to meet the Duncan Cottage Museums mission, values, and goals. Naomi is looking forward to creating connections and partnerships that nourish the matriarchy and promote multi-generational healing.
Ati Nasiah, Executive Director and HTL Coalition Co-Founder
Koon Ya Nagoodi Ati Nasiah was brought in by the Gaanax.adi as Raven Starfish from the House that Drifted Ashore. Her ancestors are Ashkenazi Jewish and Northwestern European (Norse and Celtic) and is honored to be a guest on the unceded territory of the Áakʼw Ḵwáan and neighboring Takuu Ḵwáan for the past seventeen years. She has worked at the crossroads of Racial and Gender Violence Prevention for the past twenty years, and has been deeply committed to healing herself and participating in community transformation around issues and impacts of colonization, patriarchy, and inequity. Ati strives to live aligned with the seasonal calendar as a harvester and healer, dedicated to reckoning with and reimagining our world. She honors our grief as the soil we stand upon, and envisions co-creating our greatest dreams and transforming that into readiness for change. She describes herself as a dedicated community member and organizer, mother, sister, auntie, and friend.
David Abad, Coalition Manager
David Abad is Ilokano and Queer, born and raised on the unceded lands of the Áakʼw Ḵwáan and T’aaḵu Ḵwáan, colonially known as Juneau, AK. Their family comes from the Ilocos Region of La Union and Pangasinan, in the Philippines, before immigrating to Lingít Aaní. As the bunso (youngest) of the family, David has been on a journey to reconnect with her culture through language, dance, spirituality, and family stories, to name a few. His passion lies in building thriving communities centered in joy, authenticity, healing, and interconnectedness, which he does through many roles as a community organizer, trainer, facilitator, mentor, and advocate. David is adopted Gaanax.adi (Raven Starfish) of the Taant’a Ḵwáan from the Yanwulihashi Hít (Drifted Ashore House) and received the name, Adayeen yan haani.
Muriel Reid, Storyteller
Ḵaa Yahaayí Shkalneegi is Kiks.ádi of the X’aaka Hít. He grew up in Sitka, learning from his mother Clarice Johnson, a powerful activist, berry picker, and adventurer. He is the brother of Kushxeet (Sienna Reid), and a grandchild of the late Watla.aan Moses Sr. and Amy Johnson. His maternal grandmother was English and Polish-American and his maternal grandfather Ch’áak’ Kúdi Hít Kaagwaantaan. His fathers people are Irish American. Muriel learned to take photos from his mother, highschool teacher Bruce Christianson, mentor Bethany Goodrich, and alongside friends. Since 2019 he has worked as a communicator and storyteller. At home he is a weaver, poet, friend, and partner.