About the Founder 

Loren Peterson, Founding Executive Director of Kusilvak Rising, Inc., is an Alaska Native leader recognized statewide for his commitment to strengthening rural communities and expanding economic opportunity across the Kusilvak Census Area. He is a recipient of the Alaska Journal of Commerce Top 40 Under 40 Award for his leadership and impact in advancing Indigenous-driven development.

Raised in the Yukon River village of Mountain Village, Peterson brings both lived experience and more than a decade of executive, nonprofit, and advocacy work. In 2017, he convened leaders from all 13 Kusilvak communities for a regional economic development and advocacy summit, an effort that helped spark the creation of Kusilvak Rising and continues to guide its mission of unity and collaboration.

Peterson previously served as President & CEO of Azachorok Incorporated, where he strengthened governance, advanced community and policy initiatives, and guided the company through the SBA 8(a) certification process to launch its government contracting portfolio. He founded Kusilvak Rising to build a sustainable, Alaska Native–led institution grounded in cultural values, self-determination, and long-term economic empowerment for the region.

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Sylvia Nerby, Chair (St. Mary’s) serves on the St. Mary’s City School Board and is an active participant in the Yupiit of Andreafski Tribal Government, where she contributes to local decision-making and community initiatives. She brings strong experience in education, village governance, and youth engagement, with a particular focus on supporting student success and strengthening connections between schools, families, and tribal leadership. As Chair of the Kusilvak Rising Board, Sylvia is deeply committed to advancing collaboration across communities in the Lower Yukon region and to ensuring that local voices, especially those of youth and families, are reflected in regional advocacy and development efforts.

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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.

Elsie Boudreau (Yup’ik, Apugen) is a respected Alaska Native advocate, social worker, and survivor-leader dedicated to protecting and empowering children and families across Alaska. Originally from St. Mary’s, Alaska, Elsie brings deep cultural knowledge and professional expertise to her work, blending Yup’ik values with trauma-informed practice.

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Elsie Boudreau, (Saint Mary's) holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from Carroll College and a Master of Social Work from the University of Alaska Anchorage. She helped establish the Alaska Native Unit at Alaska CARES, where she has provided forensic interviewing, advocacy, and support for Alaska Native children who have experienced severe physical or sexual abuse. Her work has strengthened safety systems statewide and supported hundreds of families. Elsie is also a nationally recognized voice for survivors of clergy abuse, offering guidance, training, and culturally grounded healing practices to communities throughout Alaska and beyond. Her career reflects a lifelong commitment to justice, resilience, and the wellbeing of Alaska Native children. We are thrilled to have her join Kusilvak Rising, where her leadership, compassion, and expertise will help advance our mission of building opportunity, healing, and brighter futures for the Kusilvak region.

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JoAnn Jorgensen Werning is a respected leader from the Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta with extensive experience in Alaska Native corporate governance, community advocacy, and regional development. She previously served as a director for Calista Corporation, representing Administrative Unit 2, which includes the communities of Alakanuk, Nunam Iqua, Emmonak, and surrounding villages.

During her time on the Calista board, Werning participated in the oversight of a diversified regional corporation with subsidiaries operating in sectors such as construction, environmental services, and natural resource development. Through this role, she contributed to strategic decision-making, financial stewardship, and the advancement of economic opportunities for Alaska Native shareholders across the Yukon–Kuskokwim region.

Werning has also supported cultural and educational initiatives through involvement with the Calista Heritage Foundation, helping strengthen programs that preserve Yup’ik culture and expand opportunities for future generations.

As the Director representing the Delta Pair seat for Kusilvak Rising, Werning brings valuable governance experience and a deep commitment to rural Alaska. She works to ensure that the voices and priorities of Alakanuk and Nunam Iqua are represented while supporting Kusilvak Rising’s mission to strengthen leadership, opportunity, and prosperity across the Kusilvak region.​

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Dora Christine Moore-Harrel, (Emmonak) a Yup’ik leader from Emmonak whose life and work reflect deep commitment to the Yukon Delta and the people who call it home.  Grounded in family, culture, and Traditional values, Dora carries forward a legacy of service while shaping her own path as a thoughtful and principled leader. She brings lived experience from rural Alaska into every space she enters, along with professional training in business administration, grant management, community policing, and tourism.  Dora’s leadership journey spans for-profit, nonprofit, tribal, state, and federal roles. She has served on her local school board, village and regional corporation boards, and as a tribal council member, advocating for students, families, culturally grounded education, and the critical needs of the Lower Yukon. She has also represented her region in statewide and national spaces, ensuring rural voices are heard where decisions are made.  Having lived and worked in both rural and urban Alaska, Dora bridges worlds with humility, clarity, and purpose. Her leadership centers accountability, community self-determination, and solutions shaped by those most directly impacted.  Guided by responsibility to future generations, Dora continues to uplift rural voices, invest in people, and help build pathways for communities to thrive on their own terms. We are grateful to walk alongside her at Kusilvak Rising.

 

Sheila Minock is a respected tribal and community leader from Russian Mission in the Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta who has dedicated her life to serving her people and strengthening her community.

 

She has served as President of the Iqurmiut Traditional Council, the tribal government representing the people of Russian Mission, where she has worked to advance the wellbeing, safety, and self-governance of her community.

 

Minock has also served as Mayor of Russian Mission, Alaska, providing leadership on critical rural issues including public safety, community services, and coordination with regional and state partners. Through these roles, she has gained extensive experience in tribal governance, community advocacy, and navigating the challenges facing remote Alaska communities.

 

Sheila is the daughter of Okalena Polty and the late Nick Polty, and the granddaughter of the late Noel and Agnes Polty and Angela and Norman Housler Sr. She is the eldest of seven siblings and comes from a family deeply rooted in the Yukon River region.

 

As a Director of Kusilvak Rising, Sheila brings strong community ties and a lifelong commitment to strengthening rural leadership, protecting subsistence traditions, and ensuring that village voices are represented in decisions affecting the Kusilvak region.

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