Erin Dovichin2022Dovichin founded Alaska Venture Fund in 2018 to make the state a model for a sustainable future. A visionary with a love for Alaska’s wildlands and Alaska’s people, Dovichin is determined to bring people together to realize Alaska’s outsized economic and conservation opportunities, from its incredible and valuable carbon reserves to its wild salmon ecosystems, from its unparalleled outdoor recreation to its powerful Indigenous led stewardship efforts and rich cultural heritage. Alaska Venture Fund builds and advances projects in every region of the state, and is particularly committed to supporting Alaska Native leaders and Native communities to achieve their climate and conservation objectives with resources, research and knowledge exchange programs. Dovichin has played a key role in successful efforts to protect the Tongass National Forest and to defend Bristol Bay from the proposed Pebble mine while building new community models of economic prosperity and stewardship rooted in Indigenous governance and self-determination. The CLA comes with a cash award for both the individual winner and the organization they represent. Since its inception, Wilburforce has recognized nearly 100 leaders with the CLA.
All bios are from the year the award was presented.