Category: July 2023

INUPIAT LEGISLATOR/MAYOR REGGIE JOULE BORN

Joule, born in Nome, Alaska (AK), and raised by maternal grandparents, graduated from the University of AK (UA) Fairbanks. A World Eskimo Indian Olympian & former nalukataq (blanket toss) champion, his skills brought him to The Tonight Show in 1973 & 1983 and, in 2010, into the AK Sports Hall of Fame.  Civically, in Kotzebue, AK, Joule started a culture camp for Arctic youth, counseled for a post-secondary technical vocational school, sat on AK Native Corporations boards, the school board, and on 2 statewide advisory boards. In 1996, as a Democrat, he won a seat in the State Legislature. Assignments included: Finance Committee member; chairing 2 subcommittees; and helping form the Northern Waters Task Force (TF) & AK Arctic Policy Commission. From 2012-15, Reggie was Mayor of Northwest Arctic Borough. In 2014, President Obama appointed him to the State, Local, Tribal Leaders TF under the White House Climate TF. Presently, Joule is on the Polar Research and Policy Initiative Advisory Board.

Sources:
“Reggie Joule,” The Polar Connection.  Retrieved 9/19/2022, Reggie Joule | The Polar Connection
Wikipedia
Photo: U.S. Department of Energy, 2014. Public Domain.  Source: 
Leading the Charge: Native Leaders Give Tribes a Voice on White House Climate Task Force | Department of Energy