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

Kaatssaawaa Della Cheney

Board Guiding Elder

Dáxkílatch Kolene James

Board President, HTL Coalition Co-Founder

Jennifer Pemberton

Board Vice President

Kaal Yawei Natasha Baumgartner

Board Treasurer

T’óok’ Xoo Háni Alicia Maryott

Board Secretary

Jalen Walker (he/him)

Board Member at Large

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 (she/they)

Finance and Admin Manager

Hana'ackm Ggoadm 'Tsoal Naomi Leask (she/her)

Regional Healing Catalyst

T’óok’ Xoo Háni Alicia Maryott, Board Secretary

T’óok’ Xoo Háni is Stó꞉lō Coast Salish and Tlingit; Kaagwaantaan – Heenka Hít and Déix X’awool Hít, a child and a grandchild of the Lukaax.ádi. She was born and raised in Dzantik’i Héeni (Juneau). She is the sister of Andrea Gordon. Her parents are Tina Maryott-Gordon and Chuck Gordon and grandparents are Madeline Vavalis-Morris, Bill Morris and the late Irene Mathison. She is an educator, auntie, advocate and lifelong learner of Haa Kusteeyí (Our Tlingit Way of Life) inspired by her family’s love of the outdoors and being with nature. Her work is centered around youth empowerment, cultural connection and holistic wellbeing.

Kaatssaawaa Della Cheney, Board Guiding Elder

Full Bio Coming Soon!

Dáxkílatch Kolene James, Board President and Coalition Co-founder

My English name is Kolene Elizabeth James, my Tlingit name is Dax̱Kílatch. My name comes from the Head of the Nass River. My parent is Francis and was Norma Jean Dunne. I am the child of the Tsimshian through my father’s tribe. I am Tlingit Gaanax.adi ~ Raven Starfish from the Taantakwaan ~ people of Tongass and I am also (Tsimshian) Ggan haa da of Metlakatla on my mother’s side. I was raised in the village of Saxman, the better half of my childhood and spent most of my summers in Metlakatla with my beloved grandmother Jessie Ridley. I am also the grandchild of the Teikweidi ~ Brown Bear People, Haida, Tsimshian People, English, and Irish. My In-laws are the Filipino, Hawaiian, and Kaagwaantaan. We are the proud parents of 3 (4 including the mother of our 2 precious grand babies). Finally, I am honored to be in relation with the precious black community through our son’s father’s people. Gunalchéesh for reading my words.

Jennifer Pemberton, Board Vice President

Jennifer Pemberton is the daughter of a Mexicana/Tejana mother and is the granddaughter of Greek immigrants. She’s a gracious guest in the unceded territory of the Áakʼw Ḵwáan, where she lives with her partner and son. She came to Alaska to work in local news and public radio and now works on policy and podcasts for the University of Alaska Fairbanks. She holds an MFA in creative writing and is the founder of the storytelling consulting company Vega LLC, named for her grandmother. In addition to her board service for Haa Tóoch Lichéesh, she also serves on the City and Borough of Juneau’s Systemic Racism Review Committee.

Kaal Yawei Natasha Baumgartner EA, Board Treasurer

I am Kaal Yawei, an Aak’w Kwáan Wooshkeetan of the Shark House, carrying the name of my ancestors and the values of Tlingit Aaní. As an IRS Enrolled Agent and the founder of Haa Aaní Vantage, LLC, I bridge high-level financial expertise with a deep dedication to helping Indigenous communities thrive. My professional journey includes serving as a K-12 Principal and a General Manager overseeing complex operations and large teams, but my spirit is most grounded in the rhythmic discipline of Ravenstail and Chilkat weaving. By integrating my skills in proactive tax strategy and operational leadership with a commitment to our cultural heritage, I am honored to serve the HTL Coalition and help transform the threads of our history into a resilient and bountiful future.

Jalen Walker, Board Member at Large

Jalen is a recent graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, where he studied Chinese and Environmental Policy. Originally from Boston, he is now based in New York City where he works at Ernst & Young in the Climate Change and Sustainability Services (CCaSS) consulting practice. Jalen is passionate about environmental justice, cultural exchange, and community building. Previously, Jalen served as Director of Operations at EMA Foundation where he began his journey in working to center relationships and shared impact in philanthropy.

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.