2026 Annual Meeting Recap
Photo by Elyssa Loughlin/KRITFC.
From March 31 to April 2, KRITFC held our 2026 Annual Meeting and Elections in Anchorage, AK.
Our 2026 meeting theme was “Honoring Our Ancestors To Save Our Salmon.” This theme came to our Executive Council as they reflected on the legacies of Elders who have recently passed on – including James Charles of Tuntutuliak and Nick Alexia Sr. of Nikolai, both former KRITFC Elder Advisors and longtime Tribal leaders from our watershed – and on the work that KRITFC’s Tribes and team have accomplished over the last year to protect, restore, and save Kuskokwim salmon.
During our meeting, representatives from 23 of our Tribes as well as our partners and guests heard organizational, financial, project, and advocacy updates from our staff leads, including Kevin Whitworth (Executive Director), Justin Leon (Research Director), and Terese Vicente (Policy & Programs Director). We also received reports from the Association of Village Council Presidents and Yukon River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, who are key partners in our work. Before, between, and after reports, our Commissioners and staff spent time dialoguing with one another, and our Commissioners shared detailed updates from our communities and hopes for KRITFC’s work moving forward, including in the coming salmon season.
KRITFC Commissioners, staff, and guests at our 2026 Annual Meeting. Credit Elyssa Loughlin/KRITFC.
At this year’s meeting, KRITFC staff recognized two key leaders from our organization: Betty Magnuson of McGrath and Megan Leary of Napaimute, both of whom have served with KRITFC in some way for over a decade, whether as Commissioners, Executive Council members, or In-Season Managers (or all three at once!). Thank you, Betty and Megan, for your leadership and dedication to our people and our salmon.
Our team also recognized Jennifer Hooper as a key partner from the Association of Village Council Presidents who has always stood by our organization as we have grown. Our Commissioners also gave staff member Terese Vicente a special recognition for her work helping our Tribes advocate for salmon bycatch and intercept reductions in the Bering Sea and Area M.
This year, our Tribes elected new Executive Council members for Units 1, 3, 5, and 7, a Secretary, and our 2026 In-Season Management team:
Executive Council
Unit 1: Betty Magnuson (alternate: Joe Petruska)
Unit 2: Jonathan Samuelson, Vice-Chair (alternate: Denny Thomas Jr.)
Unit 3: Tracy Simeon, Secretary (alternate: Loreen Steeves)
Unit 4: Martin Andrew, Chair (alternate: Phillip Peter Sr.)
Unit 5: Henry Hunter Sr. (alternate: Walter Jim)
Unit 6: Noah Wise (alternate: Alice Maxie)
Unit 7: Robert Enoch (alternate: Jonathan Mark)
2026 In-Season Management Team
Upper River & Headwaters: Denny Thomas Jr. (alternate: Betty Magnuson)
Middle River: Tracy Simeon (alternate: Megan Leary)
Lower River: Mike Williams Sr. (alternate: Martin Andrew)
Bethel Area: Henry Hunter Sr. (alternate: Ralph Nelson)
Tundra & Coast: Sam Tinker Sr. (alternate: Stella Alexie)
Congratulations to our new leadership!
We look forward to continuing to support our Tribes in fisheries management, research, and monitoring as we gear up for the summer fishing season.
Quyana, Dogidinh, Chin’an, Tsen’anh, Thank you all for working with us to honor our ancestors and save our salmon.