Chancellor announces new NSS leadership

by Cathy Sandeen, UAA Chancellor  |   

Dear UAA Community,

I am pleased to announce Amber Christensen Fullmer has been selected to serve as the director of Native Student Services (NSS). I announced the director recruitment during the fall 2019 semester in conjunction with broader plans to enhance services and support for Alaska Native students recommended by our Alaska Native Student Success Task Force. The hiring freeze imposed last summer delayed this recruitment, and it is rewarding to see this hire become a reality.

Amber is currently an assistant professor in the UAA Department of Human Services where she also serves as an advisor to students in the associate and bachelor’s degree programs. She is an Inupiaq Alaska Native from the Norton Sound Region. Prior to joining UAA, she spent 15 years working with vulnerable and at-risk populations in a variety of settings as a probation officer, therapeutic caseworker and multidisciplinary team leader. Amber is an alumna of UAA, B.A. Sociology ’03. She holds a master’s in community clinical psychology from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where she is also a doctoral candidate in the Indigenous Studies program. She begins her new position Jan. 20.

In addition, Quentin Simeon will serve as the interim assistant director of Native Student Services. Quentin is an alumnus of UAA, B.A. English ’06, and currently an advisor on UAA’s First Year Student Advising and Success team. He is a Yup’iaq and Dene' Alaska Native raised in Bethel and Aniak. Throughout his career, he has served in roles focused on inspiring higher education attainment and fostering academic success among Alaska Natives. He has also worked extensively to create educational programs that build greater awareness of and for Alaska Native people to promote cultural heritage and cultural identity. He begins his new position Feb. 3.

I want to especially thank the search committee members for their time, energy and dedication throughout the process: Paul Ongtooguk, chair; Annette Rearden; Michele Yatchmeneff; Mary Sherbick; Edna Standifer, student; and Natasha Gamache, student.

I look forward to supporting the dynamic work Amber and Quentin will do as they transform NSS into a community center serving and supporting Alaska Native and Indigenous students. This highly collaborative environment will draw in student success services providers, faculty and campus programmers to foster Alaska Native student success at UAA.

Sincerely,
Cathy Sandeen
UAA Chancellor

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