CHAMPION

Tracey has worked with children and families in the Northwest Arctic for 27 years as the Infant Learning Program coordinator and school occupational therapist for the Northwest Arctic Borough School District. She spent her first summer traveling to villages with Ruthie Sampson and Community Health Aides (CHAPs). Along the way, she gained a deeper understanding of Inupiaq culture—not just poverty and trauma. These women shared insight on what families needed and how she could help.

With their support, Tracey saw how deeply parents felt excluded and that empowerment was key to healthy parenting. Together, they brought traditional ideas into the Early Learning and Family Program, building a base for strong bonds, language, and emotional growth.

Her time in homes, playing with babies on the floor, has been an honor. She’s now ready to help lay a foundation and step back—making space for Inupiaq-led solutions. Over time, childcare and advocacy stood out as urgent needs.

Tracey and her daughter Bailey got licensed and started a nonprofit: Nunakins Childcare and Family Support Coalition. They’ve received generous support and look forward to what’s next.

CHAMPION

Bailey and Tracey Schaeffer began their childcare journey 18 months ago by filling out forms to become a state-licensed childcare facility. They wanted to create a preschool-like space and were concerned about the lack of foster care options in the region—and how many children were being sent away from their communities.

Bailey grew up in Ivik, a family allotment 30 miles northwest of Kotzebue. Her childhood was shaped by sled dogs, caribou hunting, checking nets, hauling water, picking berries and plants, and spending time with her grandfather, aunties, uncles, and cousins. She saw her family thrive as grounded, secure adults.

Each summer, she spent her days outside—swimming, playing with puppies and horses, hiking, and helping with chores. These early experiences gave her a deep love for the land and for subsistence living.

Now, Bailey hopes to offer children in Kotzebue similar experiences—helping them connect to their heritage, learn about the land, and grow up with the same sense of belonging that shaped her.

CHAMPION

Jorden Nigro (she/her) is a lifelong Alaskan who grew up in rural Southeast. Her work with youth began in 1999 at Juneau’s shelter for runaway and homeless youth. The job felt like a calling, and she has worked with youth and families in Juneau ever since.

For the past decade, Jorden has led youth services for the City and Borough of Juneau. She helped grow the drop-in center into a full continuum of care—including prevention, intervention, and a 10-bed emergency shelter and transitional housing program, Shéiyi Xaat Hit (Spruce Root House). She also helped launch a scattered-site Rapid Rehousing program.

She’s especially proud of the team she leads and the partnerships that make this work part of the community. Jorden holds a BA in Photography and Political Science from Cal Poly Humboldt and an MA in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Adler University.

She loves watching young people find their voice, swimming in the ocean, long meals with loved ones, Juneau, and traveling with her husband.

CHAMPION

Roz’lyn is an educator, advocate, and community leader committed to equitable, high-quality education for all children. As a Special Education Resource Teacher and 6th-grade English and Math teacher, she works to tailor instruction and create culturally responsive, trauma-informed classrooms where all students can thrive.

Outside the classroom, she holds several leadership roles focused on student success and equity. She is the Alaska Education Chair for the NAACP Tri-State Area Conference, 3rd Vice President and Education Chair of the NAACP Anchorage Branch, and President of the Alaska Coalition of BIPOC Educators (ACBE). She also serves on the Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC) and the Multicultural Education Concerns Advisory Committee (MECAC) for ASD K–12.

As Family Engagement Chair for the Alaska PTA, Roz’lyn works to strengthen family-school partnerships and uplift community voices in decision-making. She’s also active in Great Alaska Schools, advocating for full funding of public education. Her commitment to equity shows in her public testimony, opinion pieces, and push for student-centered, culturally responsive policies.