Recent Staff Changes in Government Relations & Workforce Development
Storyknife, September/October 2026 edition
Calista has recently filled several positions that support Shareholder hire and workforce development as well as stakeholder engagement with Tribes, state and federal officials and other Alaska Native organizations.
We are happy to introduce these team members who are all Calista Shareholders. They are based in Anchorage and travel to the Y-K Region on a regular basis to participate in community and regional gatherings, job fairs or other events.
STAFF UPDATES: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (GOVERNMENT RELATIONS)
The Calista External Affairs Department leads government relations and Calista’s participation in regional and statewide partnerships on topics including Arctic policy, subsistence rights, disaster response, and regional infrastructure, economic and energy development. The department’s recent projects include Shareholder Relations Committee coordination, Typhoon Halong recovery, and Get Out the Native Vote advocacy through the Y-K Coalition.
Tonia Jimmie was recently promoted to Regional Affairs Manager after serving as Senior Tribal Liaison. Jimmie has village ties to Toksook Bay. In her spare time, she enjoys gathering and working on subsistence, arts and crafts, traveling and yuraq dancing.
Ivalu Kaagyuaq Blanchett was hired in the External Affairs Administrator position. She is a former Calista intern (2024/2025) with ties to Nunapitchuk, Bethel and Maniitsoq, Greenland. In her spare time, she enjoys yuraq dancing, hiking and traveling.
Moses Marr’aq Wiseman was hired as Tribal Liaison. He is also a former Calista Education and Culture (2021/2022) and Calista Corp. intern (2023) with ties to Chefornak. In his spare time, Moses enjoys gathering in Southcentral Alaska, subsisting, and continuing to strengthen his community ties within Anchorage.
STAFF UPDATES: WORKFORCE & SHAREHOLDER DEVELOPMENT
To fulfill our corporate mission to improve the economic and social well-being of our Shareholders, Calista and its holding lines maintain a hiring preference for Shareholders, Descendants and their spouses, and provide workforce development programs like apprenticeships and internships. The two new positions below support Shareholder hire and workforce development for the Donlin Gold Project.
Iliodor Philemonoff III recently joined the Calista Brice LLC team as Shareholder Workforce Development Coordinator, after starting his career with Calista in 2018 and most recently working in External Affairs. He was raised in Anchorage and has ties to Mountain Village. Iliodor currently serves on the Alaska Renewable Energy Fund Advisory Committee.
Sammijo Qumangulria Smith has joined Calista’s Workforce and Shareholder Development (WFSD) team as WFSD Liaison. She was born and raised in Bethel and has family ties to Kalskag and Aniak. Outside of work, Sammijo enjoys spending time traveling and on the back porch with friends and family, especially her five children.
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