Six Individuals Honored for Making an Impact in Their Communities
May 11, 2026
(Anchorage, Alaska) – Five Calista Corporation Shareholders and one Descendant are recipients of the 2026 Shareholder Awards for their exceptional efforts to uphold the cultural values of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Region and its communities. The winners were selected from a pool of candidates nominated by fellow Shareholders during Calista’s annual awards program.
“Our corporate values are a reflection of our traditional way of life,” says Willie Kasayulie, Calista Board Chair. “We want to honor those who adapt the lessons from our Elders to benefit our next generations.”
- Axel C. Johnson Distinguished Shareholder: Kelsey Ciugun Wallace (Bethel)
Kelsey Ciugun Wallace, from Bethel with ties to Nunapitchuk, was raised in a family deeply rooted in Yup’ik values of respect, generosity and community. She is daughter of John Wallace of Wisconsin/Bethel and Sheila Cingarkaq Mojin of Nunapitchuk, partner to Casey Quliyuilnguq Ferguson of Chevak, and a dedicated mother of four to her children Miisaq,Alaq’aq, Tsaliaq and Kautaq. Her upbringing emphasized the importance of cultural identity, language and connection to land and subsistence practices. Kelsey has dedicated her career to serving Alaska Native communities through her work at the Alaska Native Heritage Center. During the Typhoon Halong response, she worked with many organizations to organize a large-scale effort to collect, store and distribute traditional foods to displaced families. Her team collaborated with communities across Alaska, including donors, volunteers and cultural leaders, demonstrating her ability to mobilize collective action in times of crisis.
- Calista Culture Bearer: Cecilia Tacuk Martz (Chevak)
Cecilia Tacuk Martz taught at junior and high schools in Bethel and taught Alaska Native Studies at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Kuskokwim Campus in Bethel. She is now a tenured professor and has retired after teaching for thirty years. She wrote a book titled Cukegciyarat: Values to Be a Good Person in memory of her father Ulruan who told her to never forget her Cup’ik language and culture. She’s a strong advocate of our Yup’ik and Cup’ik culture and always encourages everyone to engage in their culture and language.
- Calista Elder of the Year: Andrew Kilanak (Chefornak)
Andrew Kilanak was born in Chefornak to Joseph and Maria Kilanak. He has been drumming and singing with numerous Yuraq groups in Chefornak and surrounding areas. Subsistence hunting and fishing, and eating Native food are his priorities to keep our traditions going through the next generations.
- Calista Youth/Educator of the Year: Ida Jasper (Akiak)
Ida Jasper has been a traditional Yup’ik language teacher for the Yupiit School District since the early 1980s in Akiak. She values the importance to pass on traditional knowledge so our cultural practices can live on through the younger generations. She teaches the youth by simply being a living example as her Elders before her.
- Calista Youth/Educator of the Year: Noah Attie (Kipnuk)
Noah Attie was an Elder mentor at Chief Paul Memorial School before Typhoon Halong displaced most of the community of Kipnuk. He was born and raised in Kipnuk, his parents are Walter and Mary Attie. Noah has been an Elder speaker at the school or other organizations. He talks to youth about our traditional values, subsistence way of life and knowledge passed down from past Elders. He has helped at school culture week using wood carpentry skills to show how to make wooden sleds for hunting and flat sleds for hauling.
- Raymond C. Christiansen Business of the Year: Jamal Alstrom, Moose Mobile Tire (Alakanuk)
Jamal Alstrom is a Calista Descendant with ties to Alakanuk. He was born in Anchorage and raised in Alakanuk by his grandparents Frank and Annie Alstrom. He earned a scholarship to Dickinson State University in North Dakota and gained hands-on experience to start his own business. Jamal returned to Alaska and founded Moose Mobile Tire, LLC in 2024, a mobile tire service company that brings service directly to customers throughout the Anchorage and Mat-Su area. Jamal continues to return to the Y-K Region each summer, where he works as a contractor supporting salmon research. He contributes to important efforts to help sustain both the environment and the subsistence way of life in the Region on the boat that he captains.
Shareholder Award recipients receive an award plaque and financial reward. Recipients will also be honored on June 5 during the 52nd Annual Meeting of Shareholders for their contributions in upholding our cultural values.
Calista Corporation has about 39,500 Shareholders and is the parent company of more than 40 subsidiaries in the following industries: defense contracting, construction, real estate, environmental services, natural resource development, marine transportation, oilfield services, and heavy equipment sales, service and rentals. Since inception, Calista has declared more than $180 million in dividends and distributions, including $13.7 million in Elders’ Benefit Program distributions to Shareholders. Since 1994, Calista Education and Culture has provided more than $7.7 million in scholarships to Calista Shareholders and Descendants. Calista can be found on Facebook (www.facebook.com/CalistaCorporation), YouTube (www.youtube.com/calistacorp) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/calistacorp).