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What Makes Us Unique
Kusilvak Rising is building a multi-entity structure designed for long-term sustainability and regional impact.
Kusilvak Rising, Inc. (501(c)(3))
Leads community development initiatives including infrastructure and housing efforts, language revitalization, gardening programs, arts and apprenticeship programs, food security, and climate adaptation. Kusilvak Rising, Inc. is a charitable nonprofit corporation organized under Alaska Statutes (AS 10.20) and pursuing 501(c)(3) status. Headquartered in Anchorage with regional presence in Western Alaska, the organization is dedicated to increasing economic opportunities, supporting community-driven development, and creating jobs across the 13 communities of the Kusilvak region. Our work focuses on strengthening local capacity through grantmaking partnerships, program development, and services that promote long-term regional resilience.
Kusilvak Rising Professional Services LLC
A wholly owned subsidiary that provides recruiting, strategic planning, grant writing and grant management, and other professional services. Revenue generated through the LLC is reinvested into regional programs that support job creation and community capacity.
Civic Engagement at Kusilvak Rising
Civic engagement is a core initiative of Kusilvak Rising, Inc., focused on strengthening community voice and participation across the region. We support non-partisan civic engagement, community education, and involvement in local and regional decision-making. This work helps ensure that the priorities of the region’s 13 communities are understood and supported through collaboration, informed participation, and increased access to civic processes that impact daily life.
Kusilvak Rising Professional Services LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kusilvak Rising, Inc. and provides a broad range of professional services, including executive recruitment and talent acquisition, statewide strategic planning, and logistics and event planning. Earnings are reinvested into philanthropic partnerships, grantmaking, and job creation across the 13 communities of the Kusilvak region.
Organizations and agencies seeking to advance sustainable rural development are encouraged to contract Kusilvak Rising Professional Services LLC or become a member organization to support this growing regional movement.
Leadership
Our leadership is supported by key staff from the region and based in Anchorage, including:
-
Loren Peterson, Founding Executive Director
-
Laurie Luke, Director of Professional Services / Operations
-
Vacant, Director of Policy and Community Engagement
Rooted in Alaska Native values and guided by local leadership, Kusilvak Rising exists to create opportunity that lasts—jobs that sustain culture, partnerships built on trust, and a future where every community in the region can thrive.
About Us
Kusilvak Rising is an Alaska Native led organization founded by leaders from the Kusilvak region who are committed to creating economic opportunity and strengthening culture across our 13 communities. Our founding board brings deep regional knowledge, supported by staff in both the Kusilvak region and Anchorage to provide year-round capacity and connection.
We serve as a connector—linking funders, partners, and local organizations to the resources needed to create jobs, build capacity, and expand community-driven projects across Western Alaska, particularly the Kusilvak region.
Board of Directors
Kusilvak Rising was founded by regional leaders committed to expanding economic opportunity and strengthening culture across the 13 communities of the Kusilvak region. Our Founding Board of Directors includes:
Sylvia Nerby, Chair (St. Mary’s) serves on the St. Mary’s City School Board and participates actively in the Yupiit of Andreafski Tribal Government. She brings experience in education, village governance, and youth engagement and is committed to advancing collaboration across communities in the Lower Yukon.
Susie Makaily, Vice Chair (Pilot Station) brings decades of leadership in education and rural governance. Fluent in Yup’ik, she has served on the Lower Yukon School Board and is a dedicated advocate for culturally relevant education and economic development. Her experience and deep regional ties make her an invaluable founding director.
Founding Directors Sylvia Nerby, Susie Makaily, and Loren Peterson
Loren Peterson,
Founding Executive Director
About the Founder Loren Peterson, founder and Executive Director of Kusilvak Rising, Inc., is an Alaska Native executive with more than two decades of leadership in corporate management, public policy, and nonprofit development. He has served as President & CEO of an ANCSA Village Corporation and as a legislative aide in the Alaska State Senate, where he helped pass legislation establishing what is now the Council for Alaska Native Languages.
In 2017, Peterson was recognized as one of Alaska’s Top 40 Under 40 by the Alaska Journal of Commerce for his leadership and contributions to advancing economic opportunity and Indigenous empowerment across the state. In addition to his nonprofit and corporate leadership, Peterson is the owner of Arctic Nature Properties LLC, a real estate and investment firm based in Anchorage that manages residential and vacation rental properties. His entrepreneurial work reflects his commitment to sustainable economic development, cultural preservation, and building intergenerational wealth in Alaska’s rural and urban communities.
Peterson is recognized for championing economic equity, rural infrastructure, and Indigenous governance. His work emphasizes building self-sustaining models that blend philanthropy, entrepreneurship, and community-driven leadership.
What Makes Us Unique
Kusilvak Rising is building a multi-entity structure designed for long-term sustainability and regional impact.
Kusilvak Rising, Inc. (501(c)(3))
Leads community development initiatives including infrastructure and housing efforts, language revitalization, gardening programs, arts and apprenticeship programs, food security, and climate adaptation.
Kusilvak Rising Professional Services LLC
A wholly owned subsidiary that provides recruiting, strategic planning, grant writing and grant management, and other professional services. Revenue generated through the LLC is reinvested into regional programs that support job creation and community capacity.
Future civic engagement expansion
Kusilvak Rising plans to expand into non-partisan civic engagement and community participation activities as the organization grows, ensuring that regional priorities are represented through collaboration and informed involvement in public processes.
Together, our board and staff work to build opportunities that honor culture and create lasting impact for future generations.
About Kusilvak Rising, Inc.
Kusilvak Rising, Inc. is a charitable nonprofit corporation organized under Alaska Statutes (AS 10.20) and pursuing 501(c)(3) status. Headquartered in Anchorage with regional presence in Western Alaska, the organization is dedicated to increasing economic opportunities, supporting community-driven development, and creating jobs across the 13 communities of the Kusilvak region. Our work focuses on strengthening local capacity through grantmaking partnerships, program development, and services that promote long-term regional resilience.
Civic Engagement at Kusilvak Rising
Civic engagement is a core initiative of Kusilvak Rising, Inc., focused on strengthening community voice and participation across the region. We support non-partisan civic engagement, community education, and involvement in local and regional decision-making. This work helps ensure that the priorities of the region’s 13 communities are understood and supported through collaboration, informed participation, and increased access to civic processes that impact daily life.
Kusilvak Rising Professional Services LLC
Kusilvak Rising Professional Services LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kusilvak Rising, Inc. and provides a broad range of professional services, including executive recruitment and talent acquisition, statewide strategic planning, and logistics and event planning. Earnings are reinvested into philanthropic partnerships, grantmaking, and job creation across the 13 communities of the Kusilvak region.
Organizations and agencies seeking to advance sustainable rural development are encouraged to contract Kusilvak Rising Professional Services LLC or become a member organization to support this growing regional movement.
Leadership
Our leadership is supported by key staff from the region and based in Anchorage, including:
-
Loren Peterson, Founding Executive Director
-
Laurie Luke, Director of Professional Services / Operations
-
Vacant, Director of Policy and Community Engagement
Rooted in Alaska Native values and guided by local leadership, Kusilvak Rising exists to create opportunity that lasts—jobs that sustain culture, partnerships built on trust, and a future where every community in the region can thrive.
Chair Sylvia Nerby enjoying arts and crafts.
Vice Chair Susie Makaily preparing to cut and process salmon.
What Makes Us Unique
Kusilvak Rising is building a multi-entity structure designed for long-term sustainability and regional impact.
Kusilvak Rising, Inc. (501(c)(3))
Leads community development initiatives including infrastructure and housing efforts, language revitalization, gardening programs, arts and apprenticeship programs, food security, and climate adaptation. Kusilvak Rising, Inc. is a charitable nonprofit corporation organized under Alaska Statutes (AS 10.20) and pursuing 501(c)(3) status. Headquartered in Anchorage with regional presence in Western Alaska, the organization is dedicated to increasing economic opportunities, supporting community-driven development, and creating jobs across the 13 communities of the Kusilvak region. Our work focuses on strengthening local capacity through grantmaking partnerships, program development, and services that promote long-term regional resilience.
Kusilvak Rising Professional Services LLC
A wholly owned subsidiary that provides recruiting, strategic planning, grant writing and grant management, and other professional services. Revenue generated through the LLC is reinvested into regional programs that support job creation and community capacity.
Civic Engagement at Kusilvak Rising
Civic engagement is a core initiative of Kusilvak Rising, Inc., focused on strengthening community voice and participation across the region. We support non-partisan civic engagement, community education, and involvement in local and regional decision-making. This work helps ensure that the priorities of the region’s 13 communities are understood and supported through collaboration, informed participation, and increased access to civic processes that impact daily life.
Kusilvak Rising Professional Services LLC
Kusilvak Rising Professional Services LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kusilvak Rising, Inc. and provides a broad range of professional services, including executive recruitment and talent acquisition, statewide strategic planning, and logistics and event planning. Earnings are reinvested into philanthropic partnerships, grantmaking, and job creation across the 13 communities of the Kusilvak region.
Organizations and agencies seeking to advance sustainable rural development are encouraged to contract Kusilvak Rising Professional Services LLC or become a member organization to support this growing regional movement.
Leadership
Our leadership is supported by key staff from the region and based in Anchorage, including:
-
Loren Peterson, Founding Executive Director
-
Laurie Luke, Director of Professional Services / Operations
-
Vacant, Director of Policy and Community Engagement
Rooted in Alaska Native values and guided by local leadership, Kusilvak Rising exists to create opportunity that lasts—jobs that sustain culture, partnerships built on trust, and a future where every community in the region can thrive.
What Makes Us Unique
Kusilvak Rising is building a multi-entity structure designed for long-term sustainability and regional impact.
Kusilvak Rising, Inc. (501(c)(3))
Leads community development initiatives including infrastructure and housing efforts, language revitalization, gardening programs, arts and apprenticeship programs, food security, and climate adaptation. Kusilvak Rising, Inc. is a charitable nonprofit corporation organized under Alaska Statutes (AS 10.20) and pursuing 501(c)(3) status. Headquartered in Anchorage with regional presence in Western Alaska, the organization is dedicated to increasing economic opportunities, supporting community-driven development, and creating jobs across the 13 communities of the Kusilvak region. Our work focuses on strengthening local capacity through grantmaking partnerships, program development, and services that promote long-term regional resilience.
Kusilvak Rising Professional Services LLC
A wholly owned subsidiary that provides recruiting, strategic planning, grant writing and grant management, and other professional services. Revenue generated through the LLC is reinvested into regional programs that support job creation and community capacity.
Civic Engagement at Kusilvak Rising
Civic engagement is a core initiative of Kusilvak Rising, Inc., focused on strengthening community voice and participation across the region. We support non-partisan civic engagement, community education, and involvement in local and regional decision-making. This work helps ensure that the priorities of the region’s 13 communities are understood and supported through collaboration, informed participation, and increased access to civic processes that impact daily life.
Kusilvak Rising Professional Services LLC
Kusilvak Rising Professional Services LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kusilvak Rising, Inc. and provides a broad range of professional services, including executive recruitment and talent acquisition, statewide strategic planning, and logistics and event planning. Earnings are reinvested into philanthropic partnerships, grantmaking, and job creation across the 13 communities of the Kusilvak region.
Organizations and agencies seeking to advance sustainable rural development are encouraged to contract Kusilvak Rising Professional Services LLC or become a member organization to support this growing regional movement.
Leadership
Our leadership is supported by key staff from the region and based in Anchorage, including:
-
Loren Peterson, Founding Executive Director
-
Laurie Luke, Director of Professional Services / Operations
-
Vacant, Director of Policy and Community Engagement
Rooted in Alaska Native values and guided by local leadership, Kusilvak Rising exists to create opportunity that lasts—jobs that sustain culture, partnerships built on trust, and a future where every community in the region can thrive.
What Makes Us Unique
Kusilvak Rising is building a multi-entity structure designed for long-term sustainability and regional impact.
Kusilvak Rising, Inc. (501(c)(3))
Leads community development initiatives including infrastructure and housing efforts, language revitalization, gardening programs, arts and apprenticeship programs, food security, and climate adaptation.
Kusilvak Rising Professional Services LLC
A wholly owned subsidiary that provides recruiting, strategic planning, grant writing and grant management, and other professional services. Revenue generated through the LLC is reinvested into regional programs that support job creation and community capacity.
Future civic engagement expansion
Kusilvak Rising plans to expand into non-partisan civic engagement and community participation activities as the organization grows, ensuring that regional priorities are represented through collaboration and informed involvement in public processes.
Together, our board and staff work to build opportunities that honor culture and create lasting impact for future generations.
About Kusilvak Rising, Inc.
Kusilvak Rising, Inc. is a charitable nonprofit corporation organized under Alaska Statutes (AS 10.20) and pursuing 501(c)(3) status. Headquartered in Anchorage with regional presence in Western Alaska, the organization is dedicated to increasing economic opportunities, supporting community-driven development, and creating jobs across the 13 communities of the Kusilvak region. Our work focuses on strengthening local capacity through grantmaking partnerships, program development, and services that promote long-term regional resilience.
Civic Engagement at Kusilvak Rising
Civic engagement is a core initiative of Kusilvak Rising, Inc., focused on strengthening community voice and participation across the region. We support non-partisan civic engagement, community education, and involvement in local and regional decision-making. This work helps ensure that the priorities of the region’s 13 communities are understood and supported through collaboration, informed participation, and increased access to civic processes that impact daily life.
Kusilvak Rising Professional Services LLC
Kusilvak Rising Professional Services LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kusilvak Rising, Inc. and provides a broad range of professional services, including executive recruitment and talent acquisition, statewide strategic planning, and logistics and event planning. Earnings are reinvested into philanthropic partnerships, grantmaking, and job creation across the 13 communities of the Kusilvak region.
Organizations and agencies seeking to advance sustainable rural development are encouraged to contract Kusilvak Rising Professional Services LLC or become a member organization to support this growing regional movement.
Leadership
Our leadership is supported by key staff from the region and based in Anchorage, including:
-
Loren Peterson, Founding Executive Director
-
Laurie Luke, Director of Professional Services / Operations
-
Vacant, Director of Policy and Community Engagement
Rooted in Alaska Native values and guided by local leadership, Kusilvak Rising exists to create opportunity that lasts—jobs that sustain culture, partnerships built on trust, and a future where every community in the region can thrive.
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