User:KyleSWong/Kay Wallis

Lead
Kay Wallis is a former Native American Alaskan Legislator who is a member of the Gwich’in. She has served on the Gwich'in Steering Committee and is an elder of the tribe.

Personal life
Kay Wallis was born in Fort Yukon, Alaska, in 1944. Her father was from Fort Yukon and her mother was from Old Crow, Canada. She was raised in multiple foster homes. Wallis' name, "Arrow Carrier," means, "I carry messages between people.” She graduated from the University of Alaska Fairbanks with a Bachelor of Science in 1973. As of 2015, she resided in Anchorage, Alaska.

Career
Kay Wallis has served in a variety of professional positions including being a college recruiter, legislative aide for the State of Alaska, and an advocate for the Gwichyaa Gwich'in Tribal Government. She is a Gwich'in elder and serves on the Gwich'in Steering Committee. In regard to her service involvement, she served as an advocate for Court Appointed Special Advocates and a member of Family Centered Services. Beginning in 1984, her legislative involvement included representing Alaska District 24. This district consists of the village of Tyonek as well as the Yukon, Tanana, Kuskokwim, and Koyukuk river valleys. She prioritized the protection of wildlife, specifically in the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Wallis served until 1990, losing the congressional election to Georgianna Lincoln.