Our Staff & Partners
Sheryl Musgrove
Director, Alaska Climate justice program
Sheryl is Director of the Alaska Climate Justice Program. She works in partnership with Alaska Native Tribal communities on climate adaptation and resilience, including Tribal capacity building and policy advocacy for equitable Tribal access to resources needed for climate adaptation.
Sheryl previously worked as a senior staff attorney focusing on energy justice and policy at the Pace Energy and Climate Center; as a public defender and criminal defense attorney representing indigent clients; and as a judicial law clerk working with federal judges on a variety of cases, including complex environmental and Indian law cases. Sheryl holds a J.D. from the University of Idaho; an LL.M. in Environmental Law from Pace University; and a Ph.D. in Sustainability from Arizona State University.
Robin Bronen
Climate Justice policy analyst
Dr. Robin Bronen is the co-founder and was the executive director of the Alaska Institute for Justice between 2005 and April 2025. She currently works with AIJ as the Climate Justice Policy Analyst continuing her work on tribal sovereignty and human rights protections to ensure equity and justice are embedded in climate adaptation strategies, specifically related to climate-forced community relocation.
Internationally, she has been an Advisory Board member of the Platform on Disaster Displacement since 2015. In 2020, the Alaska Institute for Justice submitted a Complaint to 10 UN Special Rapporteurs on behalf of five Tribes faced with climate-forced displacement and experiencing ongoing human rights violations caused by the United States government. In 2022, she was part of a team that filed a human rights complaint to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights which led the Special Rapporteur for Economic, Social, Cultural and Environment Rights to travel to Alaska and visit Kivalina, Newtok, Nunapitchuk and Kwigillingok as part of her investigation. In 2025, USA Today named her Alaska Woman of the Year.
Susan Gadamus
Climate Justice Staff Attorney
Susan is the Climate Justice Staff Attorney at the Alaska Institute for Justice. She works with Tribal communities on capacity building and advocating for policy changes to increase Tribal access to federal resources needed for climate adaptation.
Susan previously worked as a staff attorney for Alaska Legal Services Corporation; as the policy director for Audubon Alaska; as a judicial law clerk at the Alaska Superior Court; as a law clerk for Earthrise Environmental Law Clinic, and as a summer associate with The Nature Conservancy. Susan holds a J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School, and an M.S. in Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology from Colorado State University.
julian ramirez
Communications Coordinator
Julian is the Communications Coordinator at the Alaska Institute for Justice. He works on AIJ’s social media presence and assists in project coordination, including grant writing, reporting, and other administrative duties.
Julian holds a B.A. from Washington and Lee University in English Literature and American Government, and is able to apply both his communication skills and understanding of government in this role. Julian has been with the Institute since June 2024.
Lisette Dalere
Climate justice program Coordinator
Lisette is the Climate Justice Program Coordinator at the Alaska Institute for Justice. She helps to coordinate the program's efforts with a focus on administration, preparing contracts and invoices, arranging travel and workshop logistics, and coordinating culturally-appropriate meetings amongst other duties.
Lisette has come to specialize in systems analysis and communication by finding creative solutions to systemic issues and challenges. She is deeply passionate about intersectionality in climate justice and has completed courses in ethnic studies, decolonization, facilitation, and non-violent communication. She holds a B.S. in Natural Sciences with an emphasis on environmental science from the University of Alaska Anchorage. As an active community member, Lisette maintains her commitment to uplifting marginalized groups by participating in community events and facilitating a book club focused on Hispanic and Latino literature.
Jerilyn Kelly
Climate justice Tribal liaison Coordinator
Jerilyn assists in forging meaningful relationships with Alaska Native communities, in advancing each communities’ climate justice goals and objectives, and in advocating for climate justice. Her work with the Tribal communities acknowledges each community’s diverse priorities and values, and elevates Alaska Native voices.
Jerilyn previously worked as an assistant Tribal Climate Resilience Liaison for the Native American Fish & Wildlife Society in partnership with the Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center. Prior to this work she managed her Tribe’s Indian General Assistance Program (EPA). Jerilyn has been serving as the Mayor of the City of Quinhagak since 2015 and has been involved in advisory school boards in different capacities. She is a lifelong rural Alaskan.
Our Partners
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Jeffrey Chingliak
Jeffrey is the Permafrost Pathways Liaison for Akiachak Native Community. He’s been in the position since June 2024 and works on erosion monitoring, storm reporting, and ice monitoring to improve the safety of his village during freeze up.
AKIACHAK NATIVE COMMUNITY
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John Nick
IGAP Director
AKIACHAK NATIVE COMMUNITY
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Maamcuk Foss
Permafrost Pathways Liaison
AKIAK NATIVE COMMUNITY
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Reggie Tuluk
Permafrost Pathways Liaison
CHEVAK NATIVE VILLIAGE
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Cynthia Panivak
Environmental Coordinator
CHEVAK NATIVE VILLAGE
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Martin Aukongak
Permafrost Pathways Liaison
CHINIK ESKIMO COMMUNITY
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Charlie Brown
President of Tribal Council
CHINIK ESKIMO COMMUNITY
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Donna Katchatag
Tribal Coordinator
CHINIK ESKIMO COMMUNITY
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Carol Oliver
EPA IGAP Coordinator
CHINIK ESKIMO COMMUNITY
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Brian Carl
Permafrost Pathways Liaison
NATIVE VILLAGE OF KIPNUK
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Rayna Paul
IGAP Program Director
NATIVE VILLAGE OF KIPNUK
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Andrea Carl
IGAP Assistant
NATIVE VILLAGE OF KIPNUK
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Jessie Dock-Paul
Jessie is the Permafrost Pathways Liaison for the Organized Village of Kwethluk. He’s been working in the role since October 1, 2024 and is currently working to improve OVK’s collection and database of erosion data.
ORGANIZED VILLAGE OF KWETHLUK
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Darren John
Permafrost Pathways Liaison
NATIVE VILLAGE OF KWIGILLINGOK
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Dustin Evon
Tribal Resilience Coordinator
NATIVE VILLAGE OF KWIGILLINGOK
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Lucy Martin
Tribal Resilience Assistant
NATIVE VILLAGE OF KWIGILLINGOK
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Preston Alexie
Preston is the Permafrost Pathways Liaison for the Native Village of Kwinhagak. He started the position in September 2024.
NATIVE VILLAGE OF KWINHAGAK
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Ferdinand Cleveland
Tribal Resilience Coordinator
NATIVE VILLAGE OF KWINHAGAK
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Angela Johnson
Tribal Council President
NATIVE VILLAGE OF NELSON LAGOON
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Darren Johnson
Permafrost Pathways Liaison
NATIVE VILLAGE OF NELSON LAGOON
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Role temporarily vacant
Permafrost Pathways Liaison
NATIVE VILLAGE OF NUNAPITCHUK
