The museum's board and staff announced that Dr. Sven Haakanson, Jr., will resign from his position as the Executive Director of the Alutiiq Museum in June 2013 to pursue new professional opportunities.

Hired in 2000 to lead the organization, Haakanson helped to develop the museum’s programs and connect Kodiak with its Native heritage. Under his leadership the museum created a series of annual arts workshops in Alutiiq villages, developed an exhibit that brought a rare collection of Alutiiq ceremonial masks back to Kodiak, published numerous books that made the Alutiiq culture and language accessible to the public, and became just the second tribal museum in the United States to attain National accreditation. Haakanson’s vision and progressive approach to museum work have been widely acclaimed. In 2007 he won a prestigious McArthur Foundation Fellowship for his work connecting Native people and museum collections. In 2012 he was recognized with a Governor’s Award for Distinguished Service to the Humanities, and received the Guardians of Culture & Lifeways Leadership award from the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums.

“The past 13 years have been wonderful,” said Haakanson. “I was very lucky to start my career as an anthropologist in my home community. I came back to Kodiak with a Ph.D. and a strong desire to see Alutiiq heritage awakened around the island. With the help of the museum’s very talented staff, we’ve been able to create numerous programs and resources that have reintroduced Alutiiq traditions to Kodiak. Kodiak has changed in the past decade. The community better recognizes the value of Native traditions, and people of all heritages are learning about our ancestors’ world. There is still work to be done, but today Alutiiq culture is recognized and celebrated in a way that it was not when I was a child growing up in Old Harbor.”

Haakanson’s departure comes as the museum embarks on a major long-range planning effort. With funding from the Rasmuson Foundation, board and staff are working with consultant Kris Mayer to chart the next decade of work. Haakanson will lead the planning process, now underway, before leaving his post June 28^th. In the coming months, the museum’s capable staff will shepherd its many programs as the search for a new director begins.

“This is the right time for me to move on,” said Haakanson. “When I arrived in 2000, the museum needed to enhance its programs and advance community awareness of Alutiiq culture. We’ve done that. When I look around Kodiak I see Alutiiq heritage in so many places. I know the museum will continue this work, but now it is time for the organization to create a self-sustaining future. The next director faces the challenges of building an endowment and updating critical facilities. There is very good groundwork laid for this next stage and I look forward to helping. I also plan to partner with the museum on future research and teaching projects, but my next step will be to take our work to a broader audience. The Alutiiq Museum’s work is an example of community transformation that needs to be shared. Museums and Native peoples in other communities can learn from our successful experiences to create a brighter future for indigenous peoples everywhere.”

Haakanson will continue to work full time till June 28^th. Community members are invited to visit with him at the grand reopening of the museum’s exhibit gallery on April 5^th at 5:00 pm, and to hear him speak at the debut the Alutiiq Weavers film, a brief lecture and video presentation scheduled for May 18^th at 7:00 pm. A send-off party is being planned for June, where community members will be invited to share recollections of working with Haakanson and wish him well in the next chapter of his career.