Ben Mallott to become next Alaska Federation of Natives president

Ben Mallott, incoming President and CEO for nan Alaska Federation of Natives. (Courtesy AFN)

The Alaska Federation of Natives took its first measurement towards a awesome activity alteration past week. The AFN Board of Directors has hired Ben Mallott arsenic its adjacent president.

The changeover originates successful August, erstwhile Mallott will commencement his caller job. AFN’s existent president, Julie Kitka, will stay astatine nan federation done October to guarantee a soft transition.

Ben Mallott’s emergence to nan presidency whitethorn travel arsenic a astonishment to some, because he’s nan type to support a debased floor plan and activity down nan scenes, overmuch for illustration his soon-to-be predecessor.

But move backmost nan timepiece 40 years, erstwhile Kitka first went to activity for AFN, nan aforesaid twelvemonth that Ben Mallott was born. Kitka went connected to service arsenic president for 33 years, and Mallott spent 11 of those moving for Kitka. His astir caller occupation title: vice president of outer affairs.

Soon Mallott will person nan aforesaid domiciled arsenic his begetter Byron, who became AFN president successful 1976. But Mallott is very different from his precocious father, known for his charisma and fiery oratory.

Mallott is nan youngest of 5 children and says, from nan clip he was a mini child, he sat successful connected kitchen-table discussions astir AFN and its ngo to protect subsistence and nan Native measurement of life.

“The values of my parents and my family, particularly really adjacent we are, that’s thing I profoundly want to protect,” Mallott said. “At AFN I’m capable to advocator for each those issues.”

Mallott says AFN became a earthy hold of family life, but AFN wasn’t his first profession choice. In college, he earned a commercialized pilot’s licence and planned to prosecute a profession successful aerospace engineering — but a part-time occupation astatine AFN changed that trajectory. It was location that he discovered he was a earthy argumentation wonk and astatine heart, a governmental strategist.

“Some group mightiness deliberation it’s crazy aliases dirty,” he said. “I really do bask it.”

Mallott recognizes that his action marks a modulation to a caller procreation of leadership.

“I conscionable turned 40 truthful I’m youngish, I guess. I conjecture 1 of nan things I emotion astir AFN — and that I really, really appreciated it astatine AFN — was that I was capable to beryllium astir nan boardroom arsenic a unit member,” he said.

Mallott said it was a awesome opportunity to study from truthful galore different generations of leadership.

Mallott’s organization knowledge and acquisition successful authorities and national nationalist argumentation were factors successful his selection.

Joe Nelson, co-chair of AFN’s board, said successful a connection that Mallott was chosen aft an extended statewide hunt pinch galore beardown candidates.

“Ben understands AFN’s diverseness and has demonstrated dependable activity wrong nan statement for galore years,” Nelson said successful nan statement.

He besides cited Mallott’s acquisition arsenic a legislative adjunct to Sen. Lisa Murkowksi.

Historically, ties to Washington D.C. person been important to AFN. Kitka has cultivated adjacent moving relationships pinch Murkowski, Sen. Dan Sullivan and Rep. Mary Peltola, arsenic good arsenic nan precocious Sen. Ted Stevens and Congressman Don Young. AFN’s yearly “Alaska Day” successful Washington D.C. draws generals and leaders from nan highest levels of government, including nan White House.

Mallott seems prepared to travel Kitka’s way pinch galore of his ain connections, including family ties to Sen. Dan Sullivan’s woman Julie done his mother Toni, an Athabascan from Rampart. They are first cousins, who Mallott says grew up for illustration sisters. Sullivan’s mother was Mary Jane Fate, 1 of nan founders of AFN.

Through his father, Mallott has Lingít heritage. His begetter was from Yakutat and a salient tribal leader, who besides served arsenic lieutenant politician nether Gov. Bill Walker.

Beyond his family connections, Mallott holds seats connected a assortment of boards that see nan Baan O Yeel Kon Corporation, Northern Taiga Ventures, Inc., The Nature Conservancy Alaska, nan Alaska Humanities Forum, and nan Alaska Native Heritage Center.

Although Mallott is soft-spoken and has seemed much comfortable successful support roles, his wide web of relationships will apt proceed to beryllium an undercurrent successful his work.

Mallott says AFN’s top instrumentality is its yearly autumn gathering, nan states largest convention. And arsenic personification who embraces caller technology, he hopes to bring delegates person together, year-round, done societal media and different platforms. He says AFN must beryllium fresh to look this generation’s biggest challenges — ambiance alteration and threats to subsistence.

“As you spot imaginable changes successful Congress, imaginable changes successful nan administration, it’s going to beryllium important for AFN to proceed to stock our voices connected nan table,” Mallott said. “It’s paramount.”

AFN besides has its ain challenges. There’s a caller procreation of Alaska Natives who are restless pinch nan position quo, and are a imaginable facet successful respective location corporations and ample tribal organizations precocious pulling retired of AFN.

But Mallott hopes he tin mend these fences by being some transparent and collaborative, activity skills he says he honed increasing up successful his large family, basal to support nan bid but besides find support.

“To beryllium honorable pinch you, I americium perfectly excited but perfectly terrified of nan domiciled I’m stepping into,” he said. “But I’m much excited conscionable because I cognize I person an astonishing support web that I tin trust connected for feedback and advice.”

Mallott says nan first personification he’ll move to for thief will beryllium his existent boss, Julie Kitka, who he says has near him a bully instauration to build upon. Kitka has been tapped to beryllium nan national co-chair of nan Denali Commission.

Mallott says he’s humbled and honored to return nan reins. And that clip is coming soon, erstwhile Kitka delivers nan keynote reside astatine this year’s AFN normal and officially passes connected nan torch to him.