Aaron Poe
Northern Latitudes Partnerships Network Program Officer
Aaron has worked in Alaska for over 25 years specializing in natural resource management, partnership development and community engagement. He is focused on helping managers and communities understand and adapt to rapid environmental change. He is the Network Program Officer for the Northern Latitudes Partnerships, helping agency managers, tribes, researchers, industry, and community leaders who work together on large-scale conservation and stewardship efforts. He has B.S. degrees in Fisheries and Wildlife Management and Geography from Utah State University and a Master’s in Natural Resource Management from the University of Arizona. He is grateful to be able to live and work on the lands of the Dena’ina people in Anchorage with his wife and two children.
Leanna Heffner
Northwest Boreal Partnership Coordinator
Leanna holds a PhD from University of Rhode Island in Oceanography where she worked with other scientists, coastal managers, and community members to develop solutions to watershed pollution and climate change adaptation. For her post-doctoral work, Leanna was part of an interdisciplinary team of designers, engineers, and scientists at Louisiana State University’s Coastal Sustainability Studio tackling the land loss crisis on the Mississippi River Delta. Upon her arrival in Alaska in 2016, Leanna worked as the Science Communications Coordinator for the Western Alaska Partnership.
Leanna stepped into her leadership role with the Northwest Boreal Partnership in 2018, and has immensely enjoyed her work. She enjoys hiking, rock climbing, teaching and practicing yoga, and spending time with her husband Larry, two dogs and cats.
Nyssa Russell
Western Alaska Partnership Coordinator
Nyssa Russell was born and raised at the “end of the road” in Homer and currently lives on Alutiiq Sugpiaq lands in Kodiak. She is excited to join us as the Western Alaska Partnership Network Coordinator, where she will act as a liaison between a diverse network of partners to coordinate and facilitate work that promotes stewardship of lands, waters, and resources that sustain the life ways of Alaskans. Nyssa has previously worked with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game as a fishery biologist in many locations across Western Alaska, and most recently spent three years with a small climate adaptation consulting firm, Adaptation International, where she worked with municipalities and Tribes across the country to identify climate concerns and actions that could be taken to address them. Nyssa graduated from Duke University with a B.A. in Environmental Science and Policy and received her Master’s degree in Marine Policy and Science Communication from the University of Washington. Most of her professional work has focused on marine and coastal science and policy, broader climate resilience planning efforts, and science communication. Away from her computer, Nyssa loves exploring the outdoors with her husband, 3 dogs, and young son. You may also find her Googling the next dessert or bread recipe to make or on the softball diamond coaching high school girls or playing adult league herself.
Darcy Peter
Aleutian & Bering Sea Initiative Coordinator
Darcy L. Peter is our Aleutian & Bering Sea Initiative Partnership Coordinator. Darcy is Koyukon and Gwich’in Athabascan from Beaver, Alaska located along the Yukon River. She grew up living a subsistence way of life: fishing, hunting, and trapping in Beaver. Darcy received her BS from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. Following her graduation in 2017, Darcy worked for Alaska Native non-profits in environmental science, policy, and social science. She has an in-depth understanding of Arctic policy, including tribe, city, corporate, state, academic, federal, non-profit, etc. She is on six boards that range from state-wide (Alaska) to international. Darcy comes to us most recently from the Woodwell Climate Research Center where she served as a scientist for 2.5 years. While at Woodwell, Darcy helped other research scientists learn how to work in more equitable and productive partnerships with Indigenous communities. She is a firm believer that all research, if properly communicated to locals and policy-makers, has the power to induce change. Darcy has also been an important contributor to the Steering Committee of the Northwest Boreal Partnership and is helping to lead the Indigenous Knowledges working group of the Northern Connections Project that Northern Latitudes launched in 2020. In her free time, Darcy enjoys traveling, spending time with family, and subsistence hunting, fishing & trapping in Alaska.
Sijo Smith
Northern Latitudes Partnerships Communications Coordinator
Sijo has been at the Northern Latitudes Partnerships since January 2021. Raised in Alaska on Dena’ina lands, she is thrilled to be working with a broad range of individuals and organizations working together to sustain the landscapes where she spent her childhood. She received a B.S. in Earth Systems from Stanford University and is currently a graduate student at the University of Oregon under Dr. Mark Carey. Outside of work, Sijo enjoys backpacking with her partner, diving in the Pacific Ocean, and curling up with a good book, a cup of tea, and her two cats.
Analouise Hoseth
Alaska Pacific University Community Engagement and Stewardship Coordinator
Analouise was born and raised in rural Alaska in the region of Bristol Bay and is a member of the Curyung Tribe. She began working for Alaska Pacific University in the summer of 2023 and upholds the role of Community Engagement and Stewardship Coordinator. Her focus is to coordinate with 5 Tribal Conservation Districts (TCD), including those of the Ahtna Intertribal Resource Commission, Prince of Whales, T’ee Driin Jik, Tanana, Tuyuryaq, and Indigenous Sentinels. In her position, she ensures each TCD and Indigenous Sentinel has the connections and resources needed to achieve their organization’s goals as lined out in the grant. After high school, she achieved her post-secondary education from Clark College. She is currently a senior at the University of Alaska Anchorage, studying Anthropology. Outside of professional school and work settings, she enjoys spending her free time either fishing, cooking, or traveling.