Leadership
Board of Directors
The Goldbelt Heritage Foundation is overseen by a nine-member voluntary board comprised of Goldbelt shareholders, tribal leaders, and community members.
Jacqueline Pata
Board Chair
Jacqueline began serving on the GHF board in 2020 and was elected President of the Board in 2021. Jackie is President & CEO of the Tlingit-Haida Regional Housing Authority and previously served as the Executive Director of the National Congress of American Indians in Washington, DC. Jackie is an original Goldbelt shareholder.
Catherine Edwards
Vice Chair
Catherine Edwards began serving on the GHF board in 2020. Her previous professional experience includes working with the Indian Child Welfare Act cases, 477, and Temporary Aid for Needy Families (TANF). Catherine also serves as the third Vice President of the Central Council Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. She is currently pursuing an associate degree in business at the University of Alaska Southeast. Catherine is an original Goldbelt shareholder.
Taija Revels
Treasurer
Taija began serving on the GHF board and as Treasurer in 2022. She is currently employed as the Special Assistant to Tribal Operations at the Central Council of Tlingit & Haida. Prior positions included serving as a Senior Program Manager and Epidemiologist at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. In addition to several professional certifications, Taija holds a Master of Public Health from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science from Portland State University. Taija is a Goldbelt shareholder.
David Russell-Jensen
Secretary
David joined the GHF board in 2017 and was elected Board Secretary in 2022. David is the Development Officer at Sealaska Heritage Institute. Prior to that, he was the PITAAS Project Facilitator at the University of Alaska Southeast, where he also graduated with a Bachelor of Liberal Arts with a major in Alaska Native Language & Studies and a minor in Anthropology. David is a Goldbelt, Inc. shareholder and former intern.
Todd Antioquia
Director
Todd previously served on the GHF board and was reappointed in 2023. He is a Founding Partner and currently works as the Principal and President of Cedar Communications, LLC. Todd has served on the Goldbelt, Inc. Board of Directors since 2019 and is an original shareholder.
Benjamin Danny Coronell
Director
Ben began serving on the GHF board in 2022. He retired from the Juneau Police Department. Ben has served on the Goldbelt, Inc. Board of Directors since 2006 and is an original shareholder.
Derek Duncan
Director
Derek began serving on the GHF board in 2019. Derek is a Realtor and Partner Agent at The Hannah Group in San Jose, California. Previously he was the Vice President of Alaska Operations for Goldbelt, Inc. and also served on their Board of Directors. Derek holds a bachelor’s degree from Pepperdine University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of San Francisco. Derek is an original Goldbelt shareholder.
Steven Scott McClure
Director
Steven Scott began serving on the GHF board in 2018 and also served as GHF’s Board President. Steven is the Radiation Control Manager for the Europa Clipper Mission at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Steven holds a Bachelor of Science in Physics from the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and a Master of Science in Engineering from the University of California Los Angeles. Steven is a Goldbelt shareholder.
Shawna Puustinen
Director
Shawna began serving on the GHF board in 2022. She is currently employed as an elementary classroom teacher at Riverbend Elementary School in Juneau, where she also previously taught at Auke Bay Elementary and served as a Case Manager with Juneau Youth Services. Shawna holds a Master’s in the Art of Teaching from the University of Alaska Southeast, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Alaska Southeast. Previously, she served as Board President of the Chilkoot Culture Camp. Shawna is a Goldbelt shareholder.
Management
Desiree Jackson
Executive Director
Desiree Jackson was appointed Executive Director of the Goldbelt Heritage Foundation in 2021. Prior to joining GHF, she served as the Director of Tribal Services at the Tlingit-Haida Regional Housing Authority and held management positions with the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium and Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. In addition, she is a Registered Dietitian (RD) who specializes in Alaska Native traditional and customary diet.
Desiree holds an Executive Master of Business Administration with an Emphasis in Strategic Planning as well as Alaska Native Executive Leadership Certifications from Alaska Pacific University. She is also a graduate of Kansas State University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics.
