Cama'i,

First Alaskans Institute (FAI) is pleased to welcome Carissa Larson as Communications Director.  

Carissa is Alutiiq/Sugpiaq from Kodiak and Chignik Bay, with family roots in Perryville and Dillingham. She brings experience in communications and community engagement, most recently serving as Communications Manager at The Alaska Center, and serves on the Board of Directors for Afognak Native Corporation. Carissa first connected with FAI in 2017 as a Communications Intern through our Summer Internship Program. 

Carissa values time with family and community and feels strongly about the role storytelling can play in carrying forward knowledge, relationships, and ways of life. Having first connected with FAI through our Summer Internship Program, she looks forward to contributing to the organization’s work in a new way and supporting the next generation of Alaska Native leaders.  

In this role, she will guide FAI’s communication strategy and shape storytelling efforts that uplift Alaska Native voices, leadership, and community-driven solutions. She sees communications as a key part of how FAI’s programs connect, supporting informed engagement, shared understanding, and community led decision-making. 

First Alaskans Institute is a statewide Alaska Native nonprofit advancing Alaska Native voices in decision-making at all levels and cultivating leadership from birth to ancestor. 

FAI is guided by its mission: True to identity, heritage, and values, Alaska Natives are informed and engaged in leading decisions that shape the future. 

The organization is grounded in the core values of Integrity, Respect, Native Knowledge, and Responsibility.