Jackie Qataliña Schaeffer

Jackie Qataliña Schaeffer, an Iñupiaq from Kotzebue, Alaska, is the Director of Climate Initiatives at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. For a decade she has worked across Alaska holistically infusing Indigenous knowledge into a variety of sectors she has experience in, including comprehensive planning, energy, housing, water security, and sanitation and climate change adaptation for rural communities.

Her passion is to serve the Indigenous people of Alaska and provide an Indigenous perspective to all her work, including the importance and recognition of traditional philosophies, knowledge and lifestyles.

Qataliña received her fashion degree from the American College in London, Residential Space Planning certificate, and studied Interior Design at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. Qataliña has co-authored six regional Energy Plans for the State of Alaska and has worked with Newtok and Kivalina on community relocation due to climate change. She authored the Oscarville Tribal Adaptation Plan in 2019.