The CIRI Foundation has hired CIRI shareholder Paneen Petersen as program officer to manage and administer scholarship and grant programs awarded by the Foundation.

Petersen has a bachelor's in anthropology from the University of Alaska Anchorage. Her past endeavors include peer counseling, serving as liaison to local tribal governments in northern and southwestern Alaska, grant writing, research activities and lobbying in Washington D.C.

"When I came across the job announcement it was serendipity. It's what I was looking for, at the right time, with the right people, and with intents and purposes I believe in," said Petersen, who is of Inupiaq descent.

The Ernie Turner Center, a drug and alcohol treatment program managed by Cook Inlet Tribal Council, has a new web site found at www.ernieturner.com. The web site contains information about the treatment center, including its history and philosophy, treatment programs and recovery.

Southcentral Foundation President & CEO Katherine Gottlieb was invited by Anchorage Mayor George Wuerch to chair the Department of Health and Human Services Transition Team Committee. Wuerch, who won a run-off election in May, took office July 1st. The transition teams reviewed all municipal departments to make recommendations about how to improve department functionality and to build relationships within the community. Cook Inlet Tribal Council President & CEO Gloria O'Neill also served on the committee.

"Our assignment was to share committee members' collective expertise with the Mayor as he built his administration," Gottlieb said. "It was an extremely informative experience. It helped me become more familiar with the municipal processes DHHS employs, which is very important given the fact that ­ with 65 programs both on and off campus ­ SCF deals extensively with the municipality. Perhaps more important, it gave us an opportunity to strengthen existing relationships between non-profit service organizations and municipal agencies and to identify areas where we can collaborate to improve our services."

Two Koahnic Broadcast Corporation productions are among the best in the nation according to the National Federation of Community Broadcasters (NFCB). NFCB announced the awards during its annual Golden Reel Awards Ceremony held in New Orleans this past spring.

Koahnic Reporting/Production Fellow Terri L. Schriner took top honors in the promotion category. A Golden Reel was awarded to Schriner for a public service announcement titled Generational Abuse. Schriner produced the announcement to focus on the problem of generational abuse in consultation with the Anchorage-based Alaska Women's Aid in Crisis.

Earthsongs, Koahnic's weekly contemporary Native music program, was recognized with a Silver Reel in the Best National Music/Entertainment Program. Hosted by Tlingit Gregg McVicar, Earthsongs is heard on Koahnic's radio station, KNBA 90.3 FM, and 20 additional stations nationwide. Earthsongs was also recognized with a Silver Reel as the best National Music Special for a program produced in observance of Indigenous People's Day. The special program was a co-production with the national radio series World Café and was heard on more than 150 radio stations across the country.

In April, award-winning journalist Bernadette Chato assumed leadership of National Native News when she joined the Koahnic staff as the national news program director. In her position, Chato serves as the host and producer of the daily newscast. In June, Chato won three of five radio news awards presented by the Native American Journalists Association, including Best Ongoing Radio Program, Best Radio News Story and Best Overall Radio News Reporting.

In the week prior to beginning her position with National Native News, the New Mexico Associated Press Broadcasters awarded Chato a second place award for Best Radio Newscast - Division 1 for her work at Navajo radio station KTNN.

The CIRI Foundation reminds CIRI original enrollees and their lineal descendants that they are eligible to apply for scholarship, fellowship and grant programs awarded by the Foundation. Lineal descendants include natural and adopted children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. All eligible applicants must submit copies of birth certificates linking them to an original enrollee. For more information about The CIRI Foundation and its programs and guidelines, visit www.ciri.com/tcf, call (907)

I would like to take this opportunity to give you a little personal information about myself and what my hopes are for the future of CIRI. My family originates from the village of Ninilchik on the Kenai Peninsula. My mother Ella was the oldest daughter of Father Michael and Matushka Zoya Oskolkoff. As a young boy, I spent many

summers commercial fishing with my father and family in Ninilchik. I still enjoy spending time there today with my wife, Kathy, and our two sons Dustin and Darren.

My hope in the coming year is to implement some new ideas for increasing teamwork and communication between the shareholders, the board and management. My promise to you is to always have an open-door policy with the people that I represent. I am convinced that with your support, we will continue to build a corporation that will always make us proud.

Finally, I encourage all of you to get involved. This corporation is yours. Your involvement may include attending an annual meeting, shareholder potlatch, serving on a committee, or helping a fellow shareholder. Together we are a powerful group of Native citizens that make up a strong and healthy corporation. I have full confidence in our future!

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns that you might have. I can be reached at (907) 263-5122 or you can fax me