Barbara Blake currently serves as Senior Advisor to the Lt. Governor of the State of Alaska. 'Wáahlaal Gidáak (Barbara) is of Haida, Tlingit and Ahtna Athabascan descent and belongs to the Káat nay-st/Yahkw ’Láanaas (Shark House/Middle Town People). She is the mother of an inspiring young man, Nathaniel Blake. She received her Master’s degree from UAF in Rural Development focusing her thesis on Fisheries Development in Rural Alaska. She received her undergraduate degree(s) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks with a BA in Rural Economic Development and an AA in Tribal Management. She holds a certificate in Tribal Governmental Business Law from Seattle University. She formerly served as Government Affairs Liaison for The Central Council Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska and also Assistant Professor for the Department of Alaska Native Studies and Rural Development at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. In addition, Barbara has worked as the Technical Assistant Specialist for Intertribal Agriculture Council and Program Assistant in the Office of the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Office of Tribal Relations. She has held internships/fellowships as an Obama Organizing Fellow; First Alaskans Institute Public Policy Legislative Fellow; Washington Internship for Native Students Intern; Sealaska Corporation; Alyeska Pipeline; and Ahtna Incorporated. She also served as Board Youth Advisor for Sealaska Corporation. She is a member of the Alaska Native Sisterhood, Native Emerging Leaders Forum, Polynesian Voyage Society and the Heinyaa Kwaan Dancers.

My name is Roselie Carroll. I am Athabascan from Circle, Alaska. I love spending time with family and helping in any way I can to better the community. One lesson I learned was not to let addiction control my life by going to treatment. After treatment, I made a decision to move forward in my life and go back to college. It was by far the best idea I had for my son and me. 

Some skills I learned in the Tribal Governance program were history about Alaska, treaties, different governments, and the history of Natives all around the Lower 48. I learned to understand the Alaska State government and its ways of running Alaska. I learned how the Tribal Governance program works and its role in the government system. 

What I hope to do with my knowledge from the Tribal Governance program is to help guide others my age that are also struggling to seek help and find college classes to get through their life struggles. I would like to thank all the people I meet in Tribal Governance for helping me look at life differently. One piece of advice I have is to keep pursuing the educational dream until you are content with where you want to go in life.