VIRTUAL MENTORING PROGRAM
CIRI’s virtual mentoring program provides mentorship in several areas—careers, culture and more—and cultivates a reciprocal relationship between mentor and mentee, where each participant develops his/her skills through a two-way transfer of experience and perspective.
The upcoming program will run for six months, December 2024 through June 2025. CIRI offers program orientation, workshops, monthly check-ins and support as needed.
The application deadline for mentors was Aug. 30, and the deadline for mentee applicants was Nov. 8, 2024. Check back in summer 2025 for information about the 2025-2026 program cohort!
Mentee Recruitment
Shareholders and confirmed Descendants ages 18+ are invited to apply as mentees for the next program cohort. Based on professional/personal goals and interests, mentees may choose who they would like to be paired with from a list of CIRI-selected mentors. The application deadline is 11:59 p.m. AKDT on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024.
Benefits for mentees:
- Gain valuable insight from subject matter experts in area(s) of desired mentorship
- Form lasting relationships
- Play to strengths and identify areas of growth and improvement
- Be exposed to a variety of viewpoints and perspectives
- Access professional-development resources and information
- Achieve goals and gain confidence
- Receive customized coaching and encouragement
- Remove barriers and celebrate successes!
2024-2025 COHORT MENTORS
Stephanie Aicher
Chief legal officer, CIRI
Areas of mentorship: professional development, business/corporate guidance
Activities and interests: parenting, outdoor activities, reading
Gerard Asselin (Kenaitze Indian Tribe)
Captain, Anchorage Police Department (retired)
Areas of mentorship: life skills, career navigation, leadership, education
Activities and interests: hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, youth scouting, home repair, travel
Kristin Barnett (Unangax/Aleut)
Assistant professor and Canada Research Chair, University of British Columbia
Areas of mentorship: Alaska Native youth leadership, youth education
Activities and interests: fishing, plant medicine, gardening, reading, cooking
Carrie Beck (Aleut)
Psychotherapist
Areas of mentorship: career exploration in counseling and social work
Activities and interests: hiking, reading, travel, health and wellness, yoga, spiritual growth and development
Shane Broome (Alaska Native)
Maintenance test pilot, U.S. Army
Areas of mentorship: college prep, career exploration, military
Activities and interests: hunting, mechanics, aviation, football, archery, camping
Chris Chord (Unangax/Aleut and Alutiiq/Sugpiaq)
Superintendent, Orcas Island Health Care District
Areas of mentorship: health careers, postgraduate education
Activities and interests: community health, career mentoring
Katharine Corcoran (Yup’ik and Athabascan)
Marketing associate, American College of Cardiology
Areas of mentorship: marketing, communications, personal development
Activities and interests: gardening, trivia, pop culture, volunteering, reading, history
Devin Cress (Salamatof Native Association)
Founder and owner, Cress Consulting Services
Areas of mentorship: leadership, business strategy
Activities and interests: healthy cooking, harvesting and foraging, travel
Pola Farve (Cup’ig)
Program director, Haskell LIGHT, Lutheran Indian Ministries
Areas of mentorship: career development, leadership, life coaching
Activities and interests: making friendship bracelets, sewing, beading, crochet
Jessica Greiner (Athabascan/Kenaitze Indian Tribe)
Chief financial officer, Talley Riggins Construction Group
Areas of mentorship: career development and management
Activities and interests: parenting, cheer coaching, outdoors, health and wellness
Patricia Hall
Faculty member, California State University San Marcos (retired)
Areas of mentorship: college exploration
Activities and interests: painting, dog training, spending time with grandchildren
Travis Helms (Sugpiaq/Seldovia Village Tribe)
Program director, Smithsonian Institution
Areas of mentorship: project management, college exploration
Activities and interests: walking, hiking and running, kayaking, video games, beading, reading, personal development
Morgan Howard (Tlingit)
Owner, Morgan Howard Communications
Areas of mentorship: business/entrepreneurship, leadership, communication
Activities and interests: family, Alaska Native culture, business and technology, Seattle Mariners baseball, travel
Shari Huhndorf (Yup’ik)
Professor of Native American studies, University of California Berkeley
Areas of mentorship: college prep, career exploration in education
Activities and interests: history, politics, culture
Shane Hunter (Athabascan/Kenaitze Indian Tribe/Salamatof Native Association)
President, Fix Work
Areas of mentorship: finance, administrative operations
Activities and interests: triathlons, business, civic engagement
Mary Kirisimasi (Yupik and Inupiaq)
Unguwat Program coordinator, Alaska Native Heritage Center
Areas of mentorship: Alaska Native cultures, qaspeq making
Activities and interests: sewing, beading, audiobooks, podcasts, camping, fishing
Laura Melbostad
Strategic engagement director, SALT Alaska
Areas of mentorship: leadership and personal development
Activities and interests: hiking, reading, travel, movies, spending time with grandchildren
Christopher Michlig (Aleut)
Professor of art, Clark Honors College faculty fellow, University of Oregon
Areas of mentorship: career development, art, networking, communication
Activities and interests: skiing and snowboarding, sailing, art, reading and writing
Meghan Moore
Human resources generalist, Gana-A’Yoo Limited
Areas of mentorship: human resources, career exploration
Activities and interests: travel, networking, dogs
Orion O’Malley
Senior program manager, Microsoft
Areas of mentorship: career development, computer systems/programming
Activities and interests: hiking, running, swimming, tennis
Damien Owens (Aleut)
Patient housing supervisor, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
Areas of mentorship: career development
Activities and interests: reading, movies, cooking, photography, crafting
Meghan Palmer (Yupik and Inupiaq)
Client service associate, Morgan Stanley
Areas of mentorship: accounting and finance
Activities and interests: hiking, travel, camping, taking care of animals, family
Shannon Rasic
Director of Real Estate, CIRI
Areas of mentorship: real estate, business development, project management
Activities and interests: hiking, running, volleyball, outdoor activities
Valerie Rodriguez (Alaska Native)
Insurance and billing, Greater Houston OB/GYN
Areas of mentorship: life coaching
Activities and interests: true crime, walking, podcasts, family, baking
Carly Stuart
Manager, Corporate Communications, CIRI
Areas of mentorship: writing and editing, journalism, marketing and communications
Activities and interests: yoga and Pilates, walking, baking, reading, podcasts, travel, fostering dogs
Ileen Sylvester (Aleut, Athabascan, Yup’ik/Native Village of Ekwok)
Executive vice president, Executive and Tribal Services, Southcentral Foundation
Areas of mentorship: college/career exploration, networking opportunities
Activities and interests: spending time outdoors, photography, beading, teambuilding, health and wellness
Mark Teresin (Aleut)
Director of Cybersecurity, Torch Technologies
Areas of mentorship: cybersecurity career paths
Activities and interests: hiking, kayaking
Sarah Warrington
Director of Business Development, CIRI
Areas of mentorship: professional development, finance, economics, real estate
Activities and interests: volunteering, sports, figure skating, soccer, running, travel, reading
Megan Williams (Dena’ina Athabascan)
Police officer, City of Kenai
Areas of mentorship: careers in law enforcement
Activities and interests: running, skiing, hiking, mountain biking, spending time with dogs and tending to chickens
