Storyknife, September/October 2024 edition
The Calista Land and Natural Resources Department was created and tasked by our Board of Directors in 1972 to work on a monumental task—assisting villages with their land selections.
But that was just the beginning of the department’s work.
Today, the department manages approximately 6.5 million acres of Calista’s land entitlement—roughly 25 percent of the subsurface estate land in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Region.
This includes managing gravel extraction and mineral exploration, authorizing the use of Calista land for projects like water and sewer, and protecting designated cultural sites. Calista’s ANCSA 14(h)(1) lands, which include cemetery sites, are not open to development.
Through consultation and public comment letters, the department also provides technical input and traditional ecological knowledge to state and federal agencies when they are considering actions in the Y-K Region that impact Calista and its Shareholders.
If you work for a village corporation, Tribe or a local government, chances are good that you’ve had phone calls and emails with our Land Department. With some recent staff additions, we’d like to introduce the department staff. If you have questions, you can reach them at Calista_Land@calistacorp.com.
Tisha Kuhns is Calista’s vice president of land and natural resources, responsible for advising the company on economic minerals, land issues, and coordination with industry and government agencies. She previously served for three years as a geologist in the department, and before that, spent 12 years with the Donlin Gold Project in geology and water quality baseline management.
Personal Trivia: Tisha is a Calista Shareholder and Tribal citizen of the Akiachak Native Community, born and raised in Bethel and Homer. In 2021, Tisha was named a Native American 40 Under 40 by the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development.
Mary Martinez is the department’s land planner. She works with contractors and communities to secure agreements for use of gravel, an important commodity for maintaining and developing local infrastructure such as roads, runways, foundations and house pads. Mary also develops material site maps in ArcGIS, a computer-based geographic information program, and helps prepare correspondence with government agencies. She’s motivated by the continued and future need for gravel for erosion control projects and rising renewable energy projects in the Region.
Personal Trivia: Mary is a Calista Shareholder with ties to Kotlik. For her master’s degree in environmental science, she researched trace metals in sediment and vegetation in the Y-K Region, providing a biogeochemical baseline for the region. Her thesis is available on Calista’s website, under ‘Maps and Reports.’
Paul Anderson is the department’s Geographic Information System (GIS) Specialist. He collects, analyzes and displays spatial data such as land ownership and environmental data in maps. Paul loves GIS work because it blends science, data, and design in the service of a deeper understanding of the world.
Personal Trivia: Paul is a NANA Shareholder who lives in the Anchorage area with his wife and two dogs, and he enjoys the outdoors and competitive driving.
Rose Bennett is the department’s administrative assistant who provides general support to the department on a variety of tasks. During the salmon crisis in western Alaska, she has supported the department’s efforts to monitor and participate in the interagency meetings related to Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim salmon.
Personal Trivia: Rose is a Bristol Bay Native Corp. Shareholder who grew up commercial fishing for salmon in Bristol Bay. Her father was born and raised on the Yukon River, and she enjoys learning about the culture and people of the Calista Region.
Varina Zinno is the department’s senior geologist, working on understanding and further developing the mineral resources of Calista lands. That involves spending large parts of her summer doing field work in the Region. Varina is motivated to help attract investment in projects that can provide economic opportunities and jobs for our Shareholders and help reduce reliance on other countries for metals and minerals that are necessary to everyday living.
Personal Trivia: Among other hobbies, Varina enjoys playing hockey, Nordic skiing and playing music with her family and friends. In 2021, she was recognized as an Alaska Top 40 Under 40.
Mike Bethe, Jr. is the department’s exploration geologist. He is interested in innovative methods for mineral exploration that may be more effective than traditional industrial methods. He does this by integrating past data with field work, new techniques and remote-sensed data.
Personal Trivia: Mike loves raising his children, photography, cooking, fishing and trying to improve his guitar playing.