ENVIRONMENTAL cOORDINATOR

Environmental Coordinator

My name is Ashley Payenna, wife of "Adat" Benjamin Payenna, mother to Elijah, De'Angelo, Azaleigha and bonus-mom to Hunter, Caleb, Elizabeth, Brittney, and Bethany. I also have the privilege of being mom to many others including Rochelle, Adrian, Jaelynn, Shauntai, and Blanche. I am the grandmother of two beautiful boys, Kyson and Christopher and one beautiful granddaughter, Alyscia with another grannie, gender unknown, on the way. 

My life revolves around my family, subsistence gathering and harvesting, youth extracurricular activities, and community involvement/engagement. I am a proud Koyukon Athabascan woman with roots from Tanana/Ruby/Nulato/Galena as well as an Inupiaq woman hailing from Qikiktagruk (Kotzebue). 

I am blessed too be able to work and serve my people is multiple capacities meanwhile wearing multiple hats simultaneously, currently as your Environmental Coordinator here at the Village of Solomon as well as the Executive Director of IPCoMM, the Indigenous Peoples Council of Marine Mammals. I have a vast background of experience in all aspects of serving my community ranging from DV/SA shelter management/services, program management and development, numerous hours of volunteer time spent coordinating community events, management in the banking industry as well as human resources to name a few. I have a passion to serve the people around me and to embrace who I am as an Indigenous Leader in all the work that I put forth. Tribal sovereignty, tribal empowerment, tribal unity is how, we, together will have a lasting positive impact on the environment and circumstances around us meanwhile standing forthright and true to who we are as Indigenous People.   

Quyana for the opportunity to serve the people of Solomon and for making me feel like family. 

Quyana | Taikuu | Baasee'