Our Team

Our teams at the Alaska Native Language Center and Alaska Native Langugage Archive are dedicated to the revitalization of Alaska Native languages.

Our supportive faculty and staff, expert emeritus and affiliate faculty, and community of language champions are committed to supporting language learners and sharing our collective knowledge. Reach out today to learn more. 


Faculty

Samuel Alexander

Samuel Alexander

Department Chair and Associate Professor of Gwich'in

Brooks 107B

Anna Berge

Anna Berge

Professor of Linguistics and Alaska Native Language Archive Director

Alaska Native Language Center

Brooks 421

Anna Berge received her PhD in Linguistics from the University of California at Berkeley in 1997. She has specialized in West Greenlandic and Unangam Tunuu (Aleut) and does theoretical and descriptive work in syntax and discourse. She is currently working on comparative Eskimo-Aleut linguistics, Aleut language documentation, and Aleut language learning materials.

 

Walkie Charles

Walkie Charles

Associate Professor of Yup’ik and Faculty Fellow

Alaska Native Language Center

Brooks 107D

Walkie Charles received his PhD in Applied Linguistics in 2011. His interests include Dynamic Assessment, Sociocultural Theory, and Yugtun (Yup'ik Eskimo) Language teaching and learning. Since Walkie began teaching Yugtun at UAF, he has been involved in the Second Language Acquisition and Teacher Education (SLATE) Program, through which he earned his doctorate. His dissertation was titled Dynamic Assessment in a Yugtun L2 Intermediate Adult Classroom.

Qaġġun Chelsey Zibell

Qaġġun Chelsey Zibell

Assistant Professor of Iñupiaq Language

Alaska Native Language Center

Brooks 107C

Qaġġun Chelsey Zibell received an M. Ed. from the University of Alaska Fairbanks with a focus on Secondary Education in 2017. Her interests include Iñupiaq grammar, Iñupiaq language literature development, and online curriculum development. She is also the faculty advisor for the Iñu-Yupiaq Dance Group, a UAF student organization that practices traditional Iñupiaq and Yup'ik dances.

Bruce Ervin

Bruce Ervin

Assistant Professor of Language and Culture

Interior Alaska Campus, Tok Center

David Engles

David Engles

Adjunct Faculty

David Engles grew up in Minto, Alaska. He learned his language from his elders, and has many fond memories of speaking his language and listening to it every day growing up.

Sally Samson

Sally Samson

Associate Professor of Yup'ik and Culture

Kuskokwim Campus

 

Staff

John DiCandeloro

John DiCandeloro

Collections Manager

Alaska Native Language Archive

John DiCandeloro is the Collections Manager at the Alaska Native Language Archive. Originally from Oklahoma, John has a background in library science and less commonly taught languages. His interests include historical sociolinguistics, book history, and cultural heritage conservation.

Jason Harris

Jason Harris

Lillian Maassen

Lillian Maassen

Alaska Native Language Center Editor

 

Emeritus

Steve Jacobson

Steve Jacobson

Professor Emeritus

Alaska Native Languages

Lawrence Kaplan

Lawrence Kaplan

Professor Emeritus

Linguistics

Jeff Leer

Jeff Leer

Professor Emeritus

Alaska Native Languages

Hishinlai' Peter

Hishinlai' Peter

Professor Emeritus

Alaska Native Language Center

Hishinlai’ 2019 Ph.D. eenjit tr’agwah’yà’ diiginjik hàa tr’agwarah’in hàa. Jìi kwaii geenjit gineech’ałtthat -- nats’ahts’à’ diiginjìk geech’oorahtan, nats’ahts’à’ diiginjìk gooraa’ee, ginjik ch’izhii gooraa’ee, jùu tr’inlįį, ts’à’ nats’à’ diilak nąįį dèegee’yà’. Hishinlai’ Dinjii Zhuh nąįį Alaska ts’à’ Canada nahkat gwats’an goovàa tr’agwah’yà’.

Read thesis
 

Affiliates

André Bourcier

André Bourcier

Affiliate Faculty

Linguistics

Yukon Native Language Centre

Perry Gilmore

Perry Gilmore

Affiliate Faculty

Alaska Native Language Center

University of Arizona

Gary Holton

Gary Holton

Affiliate Faculty

Alaska Native Language Center

University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa

Alessandro Jaker

Alessandro Jaker

Affiliate Faculty

Linguistics

Goyatıkǫ̀ Language Society

John Ritter

John Ritter

Affiliate Faculty

Alaska Native Language Center

Yukon Native Language Centre

Alice Taff

Alice Taff

Affiliate Faculty

Alaska Native Language Center