About Us
Kusilvak Rising is an Alaska Native–led nonprofit dedicated to strengthening the 13 communities of the Kusilvak Census Area through unity, economic growth, and cultural revitalization. Rooted in the values of our Yup’ik and Cup’ik homelands, we work to expand opportunity while honoring the traditions, knowledge, and resilience that define our region.
Founded to address long-standing socioeconomic challenges, Kusilvak Rising serves as an intermediary organization—connecting member villages with funders, partnerships, and professional support that build local capacity and create lasting impact. Our work includes job creation, strategic planning, education and youth development, housing and infrastructure initiatives, language and arts revitalization, climate adaptation, and community-driven advocacy.
Meet the Board
About the Founder Loren Peterson, Founder and Executive Director of Kusilvak Rising, Inc., is an Alaska Native leader recognized statewide for his commitment to strengthening rural communities and building economic opportunity across the Kusilvak Census Area. Peterson is a recipient of the Alaska Journal of Commerce’s Top 40 Under 40 Award, honoring his leadership, service, and impact in advancing Indigenous-driven development throughout the region.
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 villages of the Kusilvak region for the first economic development and advocacy summit in memory—an effort that helped spark the creation of Kusilvak Rising. His leadership has consistently focused on unity, regional collaboration, and creating opportunities for families to thrive close to home.
Peterson previously served as President & CEO of Azachorok Incorporated, where he strengthened corporate governance, expanded community programs, advanced key policy priorities at the state and federal levels, and successfully guided the company through the SBA 8(a) certification process to launch its government contracting portfolio. He has provided strategic planning, grant development, and legislative advocacy services to tribal governments, nonprofits, and Alaska Native organizations across Alaska.
Peterson founded Kusilvak Rising to build a sustainable, Alaska Native–led institution grounded in cultural values, self-determination, and long-term economic empowerment. His work reflects a deep belief that the Kusilvak region holds tremendous strength—and that with unity and investment, its communities can rise together.
Loren Peterson, Secretary & Treasurer / Executive Director
Sylvia Nerby, Board Chair
Susie Makaily, Vice Chair
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.
Rising, Inc. is proud to welcome Elsie Boudreau to our Board of Directors!
She will also serve on our LLC, helping expand our professional services and community impact.
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.
Elsie 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
A trusted voice in Alaska, Elsie Boudreau provides thoughtful leadership rooted in compassion, cultural strength, and decades of service to Native communities.
Elsie Boudreau, Director
Dora Christine Moore-Harrel
Leadership looks like Dora. Her vision, reliability, and deep respect for community values make her a powerhouse for Kusilvak Rising. We’re lucky to have her guiding this work and helping shape what’s next.
Kusilvak Rising is honored to introduce Dora Christine Moore-Harrel, 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.
Meet our Leadership Team
Kusilvak Rising is guided by leaders who bring deep experience in Alaska Native governance, community development, and professional services. Our founding team reflects both regional knowledge and statewide expertise, ensuring that our work is grounded, strategic, and aligned with the priorities of the communities we serve.
Founding Executive Director – Loren Missaq Peterson
Loren Missaq Peterson is the founding Executive Director of Kusilvak Rising and the visionary behind its multi-entity structure. With years of leadership experience across Alaska Native organizations, village corporations, and statewide policy initiatives, Loren brings a strong foundation in community development, executive management, government relations, and regional advocacy. His work centers on building economic opportunity, strengthening cultural identity, and creating sustainable pathways for youth, families, and communities across the Kusilvak region. Loren also serves as the General Manager for the Professional Services LLC.
Director of Professional Services – Laurie Luke
Director of Development – Vacant
The Director of Development will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Kusilvak Rising. This position will lead all fundraising, grant development, donor relations, and strategic partnership efforts to support the growth of our programs and services across the Kusilvak region. As a key member of the leadership team, the Director of Development will help build long-term financial stability, strengthen relationships with funders, and expand the organization’s ability to deliver high-impact, community-driven initiatives. This role is essential to advancing our mission and ensuring we have the resources needed to uplift and empower the villages we serve.
Laurie Luke leads Kusilvak Rising Professional Services LLC, the organization’s statewide consulting and recruitment arm. With extensive experience supporting Alaska nonprofits, tribal organizations, and statewide professional service projects, Laurie provides strategic oversight of recruiting, talent acquisition, project development, and organizational support services. Her work helps generate earned income that strengthens Kusilvak Rising’s long-term sustainability while delivering high-quality services to partners across Alaska.
Laurie Luke, Director of
Professional Services