JULY 14, 1952

INUPIAT POLITICIAN REGGIE JOULE BORN

After attending the University of Alaska (UAK) Fairbanks (1970-72), Reggie sat on numerous Alaska (AK) Native & other civic boards. Elected in 1997 to the AK House of Representatives as a Democrat, Joule helped create & served on both the Northern Waters Task Force (chairman) & AK Arctic Policy Commission. In 2012, while Mayor of the Northwest Arctic Borough (NAB), Reggie was appointed by President Obama to the State, Local, Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience and welcomed Obama’s official visit to the AK Arctic. Retiring from this post in 2015, Joule moved to Kotzebue, AK, where he lobbied on behalf of NAB schools, and served on the Governor’s Climate Change Task Force and UAK Task Force on University Structure. A top competitor in the World Eskimo Indian Olympics (WEIO) and nalukataq (blanket toss) champion, he appeared on The Tonight Show twice to demonstrate his skills. Joule was inducted into the 2010 class of the AK Sports Hall of Fame.

Sources:

“Reggie Joule,” The Polar Connection, undated.  Retrieved 5/2/2023, Reggie Joule | The Polar Connection

Rachel Waldholz, “Climate task force begins work — and push-back begins, too,” Alaska Public Media, 12/20/2017. Retrieved 5/2/2023, Climate task force begins work — and push-back begins, too - Alaska Public Media  

Suzanne Downing, “Imploding appointment: Reggie Joule now in line for District 40?,” Must Read Alaska, 1/20/2018.  Retrieved 5/2/2023, Imploding appointment: Reggie Joule now in line for District 40? - Must Read Alaska  

Task Force | Board of Regents (alaska.edu)

Wikipedia

Photo:  U.S. Department of State, 8/31/2015. Public Domain.