Five candidates vying to lead Southeast Alaska’s largest tribal government spoke about their experience and platforms today during Tlingit and Haida’s 91st annual tribal assembly in Juneau.
Shkaadul.aat Lisa Gassman, the first candidate to speak, is currently a Sitka delegate, with roots in Angoon. Gassman is a licensed attorney and worked for Sitka Tribe of Alaska for two decades. She pointed to the work current tribal leadership has done.
“I’m confident, and we saw in the reports today that they have built a solid foundation for Tlingit and Haida that could be built upon,” Gassman said. “I did the same thing at STA. I built that solid foundation that I hope the next person would continue to build on.”
Jáx Kóoste Tasha Hotch is an Anchorage delegate with ties to Klukwan. She has served as a delegate for more than a decade, and says she authored close to 50 resolutions in that time.
“We should be willing to have difficult conversations,” Hotch said. “We should listen when people disagree with us, and when something isn’t working, we should have the courage to acknowledge it and work together to make it better. Because leadership isn’t knowing everything; leadership is knowing who you serve.”
Melissa Kookesh is a current Juneau delegate with ties to Angoon. She worked for the tribe for a decade in the president’s office. Kookesh said continuing tribal sovereignty would be a priority for her as a leader.
“As we look to the future, we should continue building on that legacy of self-determination, innovation, and tribal sovereignty,” Kookesh said. “We were raised with the understanding that everything has a place, a purpose, and a responsibility attached to it. Our ancestors taught us that stewardship is not about ownership; it’s about honoring what has been entrusted to us.”
First Vice President Ku.seen Jacqueline Pata has been second-in-command for the tribe since 2021 and runs the tribe’s housing programs. She said, as president, her first priority would be financial sustainability. Pata pointed to some programs and ventures that are struggling under the Trump administration.
“I know how to navigate scarce resources and radical policy changes,” Pata said. “I built relationships that our tribe needs to weather these times. My experience prepares me to take on the responsibilities of president from day one.”
President Chalyee Éesh Richard Peterson has headed Tlingit and Haida for the last 12years. He cited the tribe’s growing behavioral health programs and economic ventures.
“I want to say plainly, this campaign is not about me. It is about our people,” Peterson said. “It is about building a future where we are thriving as a culture and as a people, where our children know who they are, our families can get the help they need, and our communities have the power to shape their own futures.”
Pata is also in the running to continue her current role as first vice president. Hotch, Gassman and Kookesh are also all running for first vice president and the five vice president positions.
Craig delegate Ga’gwaath Clinton Cook is running for first vice president and the vice president position. Cook is Haida and is the president of the Craig Tribal Association. In his remarks, he spoke to the importance of tribal sovereignty over traditional sources of food.
“Subsistence and access to traditional foods aren’t simply policy issues; they are part of every one of us in this room,” Cook said. “We have a responsibility to protect what was passed down to us, and make sure that our children and our grandchildren have the same opportunity we do as a sovereign nation.”
There are 15 candidates running for the remaining 5 vice president roles. Delegates will vote to elect leadership positions Thursday at 1 p.m.
