Educators recognized for distinguished service in schools, communities

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) awarded 10 educators from across Alaska and beyond for their distinguished service today at its 2025 culturally responsive education conference, Our Cultural Landscape.

Eight educators received SHI’s Distinguished Educator Award, which recognizes educators who intentionally weave cultural and Indigenous knowledge or worldviews throughout their lessons and in their classrooms and who use approaches and materials that reflect Native students’ identity and values through place-based and culturally relevant practices, while reinforcing students’ capacity for extraordinary academic achievements.

One person was given SHI’s Community-Based Learning Teaching Award, which recognizes that intellectual curiosity and the generation of knowledge are not limited to the classroom but can occur anywhere. The award celebrates achievements in teaching that honor SHI’s values of cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding through community engagement or public outreach.

One teacher won SHI’s Distinguished Leadership Award, which recognizes outstanding leadership at a school, district or community level that exemplifies collaboration and co-creation of environments that are safe, yet challenging, where success is defined through learning and meaningful mentorship.

Distinguished Educator Awardees

• Yakdushí Jamie Bradley
  Tlingit – Daḵl’aweidí
  
  
• Amanda Cox
  
  
• Tukshaak’éi Sarah Peele
  Haida – Sdast’aas
  
  
• Jasper Dan Nelson
  Tsimshian
  
  
• T’óok’ X̱oo Háni Alicia Maryott
  Coast Salish – Stó:lō, Tlingit – Kaagwaantaan
  
  
• Yéil X̱aagú John Lawrence Hanlon
  Tlingit – L’uknax̱.ádi
  
  
• Lyanwudag̱aat Julianne Renee Tumulak
  Tlingit – L’uknax̱.ádi, Yup’ik
  
  
• éesh Lyle James
  Tlingit – Kaagwaantaan, Filipino and Hawaiian

Community-Based Learning Teaching Awardee

• Ḵaax̱anla.átch Benjamin David Schleifman
  Tlingit – Ishkahittaan / Ishkeetaan

Distinguished Leadership Awardee

• Kaggos Ts’akae Sondra Shaginoff-Stuart
  Chickaloon Village – Taltsiine, Pyramid Lake Paiute – Kooyooe Tukadu

The conference was held Aug. 6–8 at Centennial Hall in downtown Juneau, with virtual elements available. The theme of this year’s event was Strength in Unity: Innovating Together for Culturally Responsive Education.

Sealaska Heritage Institute is a tribal organization founded in 1980 to perpetuate and enhance Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska. SHI also conducts scientific and public policy research that promotes Alaska Native arts, cultures, history and education statewide. The institute is governed by a Board of Trustees and guided by a Council of Traditional Scholars, a Native Artist Committee, a Southeast Regional Language Committee and a newly formed Education Committee.

CONTACT: Therese Pokorney, SHI Communications Officer, therese.pokorney@sealaska.com

Caption: Front, left to right: Tukshaak’éi Sarah Peele, Kaggos Ts’akae Sondra Shaginoff-Stuart, T’óok’ X̱oo Háni Alicia Maryott, Amanda Cox, Lyanwudag̱aat Julianne Renee Tumulak, Yéil X̱aagú John Lawrence Hanlon, Yakdushí Jamie Bradley.
Back, left to right: Ḵaax̱anla.átch Benjamin David Schleifman, Jasper Dan Nelson.
Not pictured: Xeetli.éesh Lyle James.
 Photo by Mircea Brown. Note: Media outlets are permitted to use this image for coverage of this story. For a higher-res image, contact therese.pokorney@sealaska.com