Language and Education Services
Education, Employment, and Training (EET). Department director Kathy Hope Erickson manages Higher Education Scholarships, Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), a General Education Degree (GED) program and career preparedness. The EET coordinates cultural education programs with the Sitka School District, SNEP, Southeast Alaska Indian Cultural Center, and at the Southeast Alaska Career Center building at 205 Baranof Street. STA EET has collaborative relationships with many educational entities in Sitka and Southeast Alaska, including the Sitka School District (SSD), Tlingit & Haida Head Start, Sealaska Heritage Institute, and others. EET daily works closely with Sitka School District's Cultural Programming Director and STA's SSD liaison, Nancy Douglas, who may be reached at douglasn@sitkaschools.org, also available at 966-1242. Contact EET Director Kathy Hope Erickson by e-mail at kathyhope.ericksonl@sitkatribe-nsn.gov, 966-1357; and Youth Program Coordinator Chuck Miller at chuck.miller@sitkatribe-nsn.gov, 966-1356.
Legal Services
Allen Bell, Tribal Attorney, advises and provides legal advice and services to STA staff regarding tribal programs, and to the Tribal Council in support of its participation in government-to-government relationships with the local, state, federal, and other tribal governments and agencies. He provides support to the STA Tribal Court, and supervises Tribal Court staff.
The Tribal Attorney does not provide legal advice or services to Tribal Citizens, but may be able to help them find an attorney.
The STA realty office works closely with restricted property landowners within the Sheet'ka Kwáan. Services provided for restricted property landowners include realty transactions, probate and estate planning, rights protection, and allotment applications. Allen Bell, Tribal Attorney and Realty Officer, may be reached at 747-7163 and allen.bell@sitkatribe-nsn.gov.
Tribal Court
Tribal Court primarily hears three types of cases: Tribal Youth Diversion Effort (TYDE), domestic violence, and children's guardianship and adoption cases. Any enrolled citizen, as well as any non-tribal citizen married to or in a relationship with a tribal citizen, is eligible to access tribal court services. Messages may be left for Chief Judge Pete Esquiro at Tribal Court, contact Tribal Court Specialist Janine Canul at janine.canul@sitkatribe-nsn.gov, or 747-7357.
Realty Services
The STA Realty Officer works closely with restricted property landowners within the Sheet'ka Kwáan. Services for restricted property landowners include: realty transactions, probate and estate planning, rights protection, and pursuing pending allotment applications. Allen Bell, Realty Officer, may be reached at: 747-7163 or allen.bell@sitkatribe-nsn.gov.
Resource Protection Programs
The protection of subsistence resources is vital to the health and well-being of tribal citizens, and the Resource Protection Department (RPD) is STA's first line of defense in the long battle to maintain our traditional resources. The RPD provides continuing advocacy for maintaining tribal citizens' rights to harvest customary & traditional foods. For those who are unable to harvest for themselves, RPD Traditional Foods Program provides some of those foods.
Resource Protection staff includes:
Jeff Feldpausch, Resource Protection Director jeff.feldpausch@sitkatribe-nsn.gov and 747-7469;Mike Smith, Traditional Foods Specialist mike.smith@sitkatribe-nsn.gov, 747-7182
Kitty Sopow, DOD Lands Investigator and Kayaani Commission kitty.sopow@sitkatribe-nsn.gov, 747-7167
Jessica Gill, Weir Manager - Fisheries Biologist jessica.gill@sitkatribe-nsn.gov, 747-7168
Kyle Rosendale, Natural Resource Specialist kyle.rosendale@sitkatribe-nsn.gov, 747-7241
Michael Jamros, Environmental Lab Manager michael.jamros@sitkatribe-nsn.gov, 747-7356
Chris Whitehead, Environmental Program Manager chris.whitehead@sitkatribe-nsn.gov, 747-7395
The Social and Family Services Director ensures the department provides services to our Tribal families. The department's current focus is on building a prevention program and facilitating healing from domestic violence and sexual assault as well as Indian Child Welfare Case management.
Social Services staff includes:
Jean Swanson, Tribal Family Caseworker - jean.swanson@sitkatribe-nsn.govKrista Perala, ICWA Caseworker - krista.perala@sitkatribe-nsn.gov
Anna Bennett, Tribal Family Caseworker - anna.bennett@sitkatribe-nsn.gov
Davis Voluck, ICWA Attorney - represents STA Tribe in ICWA proceedings in State and Tribal Court
Doug Bartels, Intake Specialist, doug.bartels@sitkatribe-nsn.gov.
Social Services is located at 110 American Street - Phone: 747-7293 Fax: 747-7643
Tribal Transportation
"the RIDE"
Catch the RIDE for work, shopping, or to socialize! With our convenient covered bus stops and our timely routes, there's no reason not to catch the RIDE. Transportation Director Gerry Hope gerry.hope@sitkatribe-nsn.gov and Transportation Coordinator Sabrina Smith sabrina.smith@sitkatribe-nsn.gov may both be reached at 747-7103. Contact Sabrina for bus route, schedule, and fare information, and to purchase passes in various denominations.