November 6th, 2025   

Contact: [email protected],   

907-677-1700    

2025 Howard Rock & Ted Stevens Smokehouse Gala Guides and Artists-in-Action 

First Alaskans Institute (FAI) is thrilled to announce our 14th Annual Howard Rock & Ted Stevens Smokehouse Gala Guides and Artists-in-Action. This year's gala guides are James Dommek Jr (Iñupiaq) and Agnauraq Tristan Morgan (Iñupiaq). Each year our gala also features remarkable Alaska Natives artists that will create unique pieces live at the event, which will be available for bidding during the live auction. This is an amazing opportunity to support Alaska Native artists while helping fundraise for preserving our ways of life through the work of FAI. This year's Artists-in-Action are: Audrey Armstrong (Koyukon Athabascan), Kaach Jeremiah James (Tlingit), and Misak Leon Kinneeveauk (Iñupiaq). 

Join us as we celebrate a special evening honoring our Alaska Native leaders and friends of the Alaska Native community.

• Date: Saturday, November 22
• Time: 6:30 PM (ball room doors open) - 9:00 PM (event ends)
• Location: Marriott Anchorage Downtown
• Purchase your Smokehouse gala tickets today! Buy tickets here: https://tinyurl.com/2025smokehouse

GALA GUIDES:

James Dommek Jr (Iñupiaq) is a lifelong Alaskan born and raised in Kotzebue, Alaska. He is the great grandson of one of the last great Iñupiaq storytellers, Palangun (Paul Monroe). He co-wrote, narrated and scored the New York Times Best Selling audiobook, "MIDNIGHT SON" as well as "ALASKA IS THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE" both exclusively on Audible. James also is the creator/executive producer of the documentary "BLOOD & MYTH" streaming on Hulu. James also played drums for notable Alaskan bands and solo artists like the: The Whipsaws, Pamyua, Medium Build, and Quinn Christopherson. He currently resides in Anchorage, Alaska where he is raising his 3 children. James enjoys playing music, hunting, fishing and the Alaskan way of life.

Tristan Agnauraq Morgan is Iñupiaq with family ties to Wainwright. She is the daughter of Tim Morgan and Alice (Negovanna) Morgan, the granddaughter of Ethel Segevan and the late Burrell Negovanna, the great-granddaughter of Weir and Rosie (Kuutuk) Negovanna, and the great-granddaughter of Sheldon Jr. and Susie (Okimailuk) Segevan. Raised primarily in Anchorage and an alumna of UAA, she brings a deep commitment to Tribal sovereignty, community-led decision-making, and Indigenous ways of being through her work in the Climate Initiatives Program (ANTHC) as a Community Grant Writer. In addition to her work at ANTHC, Agnauraq is a practicing artist and was recently elected President of the Board of Directors for Out North, a nonprofit that advances contemporary art and cultural dialogue in Anchorage. Her interests include her “Bethel-special-sonny-boy” Whisper, hand-sewing, painting, reading, spoiling her niece, and most importantly, being of service to community. Agnauraq continues to reconnect with her culture through art, dance, and language learning, seeing this as a lifelong healing process that honors her ancestors and future generations.

ARTISTS-IN-ACTION:

Audrey Armstrong is a Koyukon Athabascan artist who was born in Galena, raised in Nulato, and is a Huslia tribal member, now living in Anchorage. An internationally renowned master of fish skin sewing, Audrey transforms salmon, halibut, and trout skins into intricate baskets, bags, jewelry, and works of art. She processes the fish skins herself, scraping off the flesh and preparing them, before she sews the beautiful colors into her masterpieces. Her work often includes other materials, such as beadwork, dentalium, moose hide, and even salmon vertebrae. Audrey has been instrumental in reviving and bringing back this ancient art of fish skin sewing, and now teaches other artists the craft. She's been awarded AFN's President's Award, YWCA Women of Achievement Award, Doyon Shareholder of the Year, an Individual Artist Award from Rasmuson Foundation, and was Miss WEIO in 1968. Her work has been showcased at museums and collections around the world. She has taught over 40 classes across Alaska, as well as in California, Washington, and Idaho. Audrey uses art to express pride in her culture and to share Athabascan traditions.

Kaach Jeremiah James is a Tlingit artist from the Galyáx Kaagwaantaan clan, born and raised in Yakutat, Alaska. Growing up commercial fishing and hunting in Yakutat, Jeremiah developed a deep connection to the land and sea that continues to guide his work today. Since 2011, he has been hunting seals and sea otters, crafting beautiful fur products that blend traditional designs with a modern aesthetic. Jeremiah also shares his knowledge by teaching sewing and skin-sewing workshops throughout Alaska, helping to preserve and pass on cultural traditions for future generations. Through his work, Jeremiah provides high-quality pelts and seal meat across the state, supporting both cultural and subsistence practices. His creations can be found at YakutatFurs.com.

Award winning Iñupiaq artist Misak Leon Kinneeveauk and was raised in Tikiġaq (Point Hope), Alaska, where he learned the Iñupiaq style art from his uncle Jacob Lane. Leon currently resides in Anchorage, Alaska where he and his other half Helen Ipiilik Lane run their art business Misak Iñupiaq Art, he and Helen also co-founded Alaska Art Art Alliance, a non-profit that provides a free carving space to carvers in the Anchorage area. His style of Iñupiaq art ranges from carving walrus ivory, bowhead whale bone, soapstone, wood, scrimshaw, and depicting Iñupiaq hunting themes, prints, cards, masks, qayaqs, jewelry, and goggles. In 2022 Leon entered his work in the world renowned Sante Fe Indian Market in New Mexico and won best division in sculpture and took first place. In 2023 he entered his work in the world renowned Phoenix, Arizona for the Indian Market Museum and won best class in sculpture, first place in mixed media, and the Innovation award.

Quyanaa - Quyanaqpak - Taikuu to our talented artists for donating their time and creativity to support the work of FAI.