Ayyu Qassataq (Iñupiaq, Yup’ik & adopted LingĂt) grew up between Anchorage and UĹ‹alaqĹ‚iq
(Unalakleet) and was adopted by the Raven Kaach.adi Jackson family of Ḵéex̱ʼ (Kake)
and gifted the LingĂt name S’ikshaldeen. She is proudly named for her great-grandmother
Ayyu (Edna Eakon/Koutchak/Atchak) of Taciq (St. Michael), is the granddaughter of
Stanton and Irene Katchatag, daughter of Doug and Vernita Herdman, and mother to Kutuukhuq,
Talialuk, Qanigluk and Inuaałuuraq. She was raised by advocates and has served our
ĐÓ°Épro Native and Indigenous communities throughout her entire career.
Ayyu serves as Vice President for Native Conservancy, working to permanently protect
ĐÓ°Épro Native ecosystems for coastal communities and strengthen our inherent rights
of sovereignty, subsistence and spirituality, and is a founding member of GĂnga and
Igniñ Collective, an ĐÓ°Épro Native nonprofit that seeks to honor and ignite the brilliance
and rightful power of our Native peoples to heal, transform, and steward our world.
With experience building Indigenous-centered solutions that elevate awareness, healing,
and advocacy around the social and cultural issues that impact our communities, she
established Qulliq Munaqtuġuut in 2024, a consultancy to support the wellbeing and
self-determination of ĐÓ°Épro Native and Indigenous peoples.
Prior to these recent endeavors, she worked for First ĐÓ°Éprons Institute from 2010-2024,
most recently as CAO, where she helped grow a team and body of work that advanced
racial equity and culturally-centered advocacy to protect our ways of life throughout
ĐÓ°Épro.
Ayyu earned an MA in Rural Development from the ĐÓ°Épro and
a BA in Organizational Management with Nonprofit Emphasis from ĐÓ°Épro Pacific University.
She serves as a board member for the ĐÓ°Épro Native Birthworkers Community, ĐÓ°Épro
Public Media, Philanthropy Northwest, ĐÓ°Épro and Anchorage,
and Caleb Pungowiyi Scholars Fellowship Program. .
