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Roger Lang Youth Leadership: College senior with a corporate outlook

Published on November 16th, 2009

By ROSE COX

Rachel Philemonoff is poised to make a difference in the future of Alaska's Native corporations. This likely comes as no surprise to her former teachers.

Philemonoff spent half of her school day studying math and science in the Japanese language as a youngster at Sand Lake Elementary School, and followed the Anchorage School District's Japanese Immersion Program to Mears Middle School.

She continued her language studies in high school with an eye toward a career in international business. As part of her education, she made three trips to Japan on student exchange programs.

She was one of a handful of students to earn her completion certificate in the immersion program as a senior at Dimond High School, where she graduated with honors.

"I thought I wanted to use (Japanese) to do international business, but now I want to stay in Anchorage," she said recently between college mid-terms. Philemonoff entered her senior year at University of Alaska Anchorage this fall, at age 21 and with a 4.0 grade point average. Maintaining top grades is more about the sense of accomplishment she derives than impressing future employers, she said.

"It makes me feel good to put the work in and see the wonderful outcome of good grades."

She plans to graduate in December 2010 with a major in business management.

Growing up in Anchorage has distanced her from her Native Unangan (Aleut) culture, she said, so she is pursuing a minor in Alaska Native studies.

"The more I learn, the more I'll have to offer" future employers, she said.

Philemonoff was recognized for her efforts with the Alaska Federation of Native's Robert Lang Youth Leadership award during October's AFN convention in Anchorage. She views the award as a vote of confidence from her elders.

Lang was "a wonderful president for AFN, he did a lot of good work," she said.

Philemonoff comes from a long line of Unangan leaders from St. Paul in the Pribilof Islands. She is the daughter of Laurie Philemonoff and Ron Philemonoff, who is the chief executive officer for Tanadgusix Corp. The Alaska Native village corporation serves the indigenous people from the village of St. Paul.

Rachel Philemonoff hopes to pursue a master's in business administration after graduating from UAA.

She thinks her generation's grasp on technology will help launch Alaska Native corporations to the next level in the business world.

"I think we'll run corporations."