2023 Annual Meeting and Elections

Cover photo by Nikki Pollock/KRITFC. All photos by KRITFC staff (Nikki Pollock, Andrew Magel, Terese Schomogyi).

On April 5 and 6, 2023, we brought our entire KRITFC body together in Anchorage for our Annual Meeting and Elections. With 21 of our Commissioners, both Elder Advisors, and our team of staff and consultants gathered in one place, we had two days of robust dialogue about our work for our fish and our people.

KRITFC Commissioners, staff, consultants, and partners, 2023.

Our Tribally-appointed Commissioners elected our 2023 In-Season Managers, who will collaboratively manage Kuskokwim salmon fisheries with Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge this season. Commissioners representing Tribes in Units 2, 4, and 6 appointed new representatives to our Executive Council, and of this new Council, we elected a new Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary.

Nutan atam, Congratulations to our new leadership and salmon management team:

2023 Executive Council: Betty Magnuson (Unit 1), Jonathan Samuelson (Unit 2), Gerald Kameroff (Unit 3), Mike Williams Sr. (Unit 4), Henry Hunter Sr. (Unit 5), Ralph Nelson (Unit 6), Adolph Lupie (Unit 7).
2023-2025 Executive Officers: Jonathan Samuelson (Chair), Mike Williams Sr. (Vice-Chair), Adolph Lupie (Secretary)
2023 In-Season Managers: Betty Magnuson (Upper River / Headwaters), Megan Leary (Middle River), Mike Williams Sr. (Lower River), Henry Hunter Sr. (Bethel area), Paul Cleveland (Tundra / Coast)
Elder Advisors: Robert Lekander and James Nicori

On April 6, we held a banquet to recognize the important work our team, and especially our 2021-2023 Executive Officers and 2022 In-Season Managers, has accomplished in the past few years alongside our strongest partners. Quyanaqvaa, Tsen’ahn to the following people and organizations for their dedication to stewarding our Kuskokwim salmon and communities:

Mike Williams Sr. (2021-2023 Chair and 2022 In-Season Manager)
Jonathan Samuelson (2021-2023 Vice-Chair)
Avery Hoffman (2021-2023 Secretary and 2022 In-Season Manager)
Betty Magnuson (2022 In-Season Manager)
Megan Leary (2022 In-Season Manager)
Paul Cleveland (2022 In-Season Manager)
Association of Village Council Presidents
Tanana Chiefs Conference
Bering Sea Fishermen’s Association
Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim Tribal Consortium
Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge

We also want to thank Rep. Mary Peltola, our former executive director, for visiting and breaking bread with us at our banquet. Quyana cakneq, Mary!

We look forward to this upcoming year and wish everyone health and safety during breakup and the summer fishing season!