AVÀÇÂÛ̳

Gabrielle has been working with UAF for the last 30 years and as an Advisor with RSS for 20. She is happy that longtime friend and mentor Sue McHenry encouraged her to apply at RSS and has found it to be her perfect niche. Gabrielle came to UAF as a freshman by way of Upstate NY and used to tag-along with her friends who had advisors at RSS. She earned her bachelors degree from UAF and a M.Ed. with a license in Community Counseling. She loves river travel, meeting new people, speaking French and creating art with her daughter. Most importantly, she enjoys problem solving and helping others, skills that have hopefully assisted the students she has come to know over her years at UAF.

Jake grew up on the shores of Lake Michigan at Black River Point in Wisconsin. After honing in on his passion for language with a Bachelor of Arts in English from UW-Eau Claire, Jake earned his Master of Fine Arts in Poetry here at UAF. He loves to hunt, play basketball, and adventure with his Akita, Kitsune. 

Donald has been working at UAF as a staff member for 12 years, 8 of which have been spent as a comprehensive academic advisor. He has previously worked at the Academic Advising Center and Student Support Services. Donald has also taught public speaking courses at UAF as an adjunct professor for 10 years. He originally came from Southern California to UAF 18 years ago as an undergraduate only planning on staying for a year. But as with so many others, he immediately fell in love with the UAF and Fairbanks communities and has never once regretted his decision to move. Donald graduated with a Bachelor’s in English and History, 7th-12th grade teaching credential, and an MA in Professional Communication. In his free time Donald serves on the Board of Directors for Bread Line, Inc. and the Fairbanks Children’s Museum. He also is a ring announcer and color commentator for 907 Wrestling Academy. Donald is very excited to be a part of the RSS staff and the continued opportunities to support students in higher education.

Hello! My name is Shaelene, and I come from Naknek, AK. I grew up commercial fishing and the last couple of years I have been focusing more on subsistence and gathering. I graduated from UAF in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in Rural Development focusing on Community Health and Wellness. I enjoy hiking, biking, and camping outdoors when I can with my three dogs and partner. I have a background in advocating for gender justice, environmental justice, and protecting AVÀÇÂÛ̳ Native ways of life. I am so excited to be working with students and supporting them in their college experience. 

Qimalleq Teter is Yup'ik and Cup'ik from St. Mary's, with family ties to Chevak, Emmonak, Bethel, and Minto. They are a proud alum of Mt. Edgecumbe High School and the University of AVÀÇÂÛ̳ Fairbanks with a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies, combining Education and AVÀÇÂÛ̳ Native Studies. Qimalleq has taught the AVÀÇÂÛ̳ Native Dance class for the College of Indigenous Studies since 2022 and has a strong passion for sharing and learning cultural knowledge. They love beading, traditional drumming and dancing, being on the land, and spending time with their family. 

Amy grew up in Vermont but has been living in Fairbanks for more than 20 years. She earned undergraduate degrees in Comparative Cultures and Environmental Science, which reflect her love of both people and places. More recently, she earned a MFA from UAF in Creative Writing. She worked as a fisheries technician for many years, during which she was lucky enough to travel across much of AVÀÇÂÛ̳ and visit many villages. She loves being outside (especially berry picking), gardening, and traveling.

An alumna of the Rural AVÀÇÂÛ̳ Honors Institute and Dot Lake High School, Deanna Fitzgerald earned her Bachelor of Science degree in biological sciences at UAF and most recently graduated from the Doyon Leadership Training program.

Deanna has worked the last 15 years in the Office of Human Resources, Biology and Wildlife Department, College of Natural Science and Mathematics Division of Research, and most recently in the Signers' Business Office. Before UAF, she worked for Tanana Chiefs Conference for seven years.

She enjoys outdoor activities such as: hiking, skiing, floating and boating. She also enjoys traditional activities: picking berries and wild rhubarb, fishing, hunting, beading, singing Athabascan songs and attending potlatches.