Board of Directors
The Kodiak Historical Society, which operates the Kodiak History Museum, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit run by a volunteer Board of Directors. Meetings of the Board are held on the third Wednesday of each month at 5:30 pm at the museum and are open to the public. To contact the Board of Directors, please send an email board@kodiakhistorymuseum.org.
Michael Bach, President
Michael Bach brings experience with collections and archives management across Alaska, having served at the Kodiak History Museum, the Alutiiq Museum and the Elmer E. Rasmuson Library. With a passion for access, Michael has overseen databases, executed quality assurance tests, and implemented policy structures aligned with industry best practices. Beyond his professional pursuits, Michael is an avid community participant, a long-distance runner, and an enthusiastic explorer. He takes great pride in contributing to the guidance of the organization and sharing the rich history and vibrant community of Kodiak.
Mary Tougas, Vice President
Mary (Leite) Tougas is a Koniag shareholder born and raised on Kodiak, Alaska. Father, Herman (Howie) Leite and mother Helen (Scroggs) Leite. After high school, Mary attended the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, studies focused on learning Russian and Business Administration. Fairbanks is where she met her husband of 46 years. Living in Seward, Alaska, Mary works with her families’ businesses, as vice-president of retail sales and travels back to the island as much as possible.
Strong non-profit experience with 10 years as Seward’s Tsunami Swim Club treasurer and later, President. Ten years with the Friends of the Seward Library Association, a nonprofit as President. Strong fund-raising experience with working to acquire a new library and museum facility, helping to raise 10M with State and Federal funding along with local community support.
Mary’s hobbies include traveling when she can, quilting, grandparenting, fishing, hiking, learning to knit and reading.
Sarah Simeonoff, Secretary
Sarah Simeonoff is an archaeologist and PhD student studying Kodiak archaeology at the University of Colorado Boulder. Through her PhD work, Sarah hopes to share the invaluable cultural information and archaeology of Alaska’s Sugpiat (Alutiiq) people with not just tribal members but the broader public. Sarah’s interests are rooted in a desire to preserve cultural resources for the future.
Teri Mahle, Treasurer
Teri Mahle Schneider is the Executive Director of the Koniag Education Foundation, which is committed to advancing educational opportunities for the Alutiiq people. A lifelong resident of Kodiak, Teri brings 36 years of experience in public and private education, teaching preschool through grade 12. She also provided teacher training with a focus on Alaska Native Education. Teri has played a key role in developing cultural standards, the Alaska History requirement, and indigenous language revitalization.
Teri‘s rich heritage informs her work, with Scandinavian and Indigenous roots from Afognak Island through one parent and a strong West Virginian legacy and Coast Guard connection from the other. This unique cultural blend fuels her passion for community and education.
Outside work, Teri enjoys celebrating Kodiak’s natural beauty, connecting with family, learning history, and fostering community traditions and the arts.
Roberta Austring, Member
Roberta grew up in southeast Alaska and fondly remembers visiting museums throughout her youth, where she learned that a community’s museum is a valuable asset. Roberta believes that the movement of museums becoming centers of community is a worthwhile endeavor and that it is important for museums to evolve.
Holly Hunter, Member
The Kodiak Historical Society’s commitment to preserving the archipelago’s rich and wide history, while also documenting Kodiak’s future history, sustains the museum’s vital position in the community. Maintaining the historical and structural integrity of the building itself is a truly commendable feat and the museum’s further commitment to continuing the Erskine House’s legacy of being a community gathering place has created many special memories for generations of Kodiak families, including my own.
Lisa Oliveira, Member
Lisa Oliveira was born in Kodiak, Alaska and graduated from Kodiak High School in 1985. Raised in a commercial fishing family, she spent her early years fishing for salmon, herring, shrimp, cod, and halibut. After her fishing career, Lisa became a freelance journalist, writing for publications including Alaska Fisherman’s Journal and the Kodiak Daily Mirror, and worked as a harbor officer and with the airlines Markair and Era Aviation.
In 2001, Lisa relocated to Pensacola, Florida, where she earned a nursing degree. She now specializes in neuro-trauma, wound care, hospice, and nursing leadership, having opened units for orthopedics, neuroscience, and inpatient hospice care.
Lisa returns to Kodiak regularly, spending time hiking, fishing, reconnecting with life-long friends and family.
Al Seale, Member
J. Alan Seale (Al) is a life-long Alaskan with a passion for all things about Alaska history. After a twenty-one-year career in the Alaska non-profit hatchery system including managing the Pillar Creek Hatchery in Kodiak for fourteen years he is now in the logistics and transportation business as the Carlile Transportation Terminal Manager in Kodiak.
Al gained appreciation for museums of all kinds and historical sites throughout his childhood, growing up in Juneau and traveling with his family. The Alaska State Museum was a regular place to visit as he grew up in Juneau and his memories of that motivated him to be of service to the Kodiak History Museum and the Kodiak Historical Society when the opportunity was presented. He believes that the Kodiak History Museum is a center piece of Kodiak tourism and a key element in educating both Kodiak residents and visitors about the indigenous peoples and evolution of Kodiak into the place it is today.
Outside of work he enjoys working on his classic cars, grandparenting, travel, puttering at home and being a member of the Pioneers of Alaska, Kodiak Igloo.
Qangyuk (Natalia) Schneider, Member
Cama’i, gwiinga atqa Sugt’stun Qangyuk. Pingakaqa aperlua taaten, kesiin Miʀikaan’saat’stun ap’rtaaraatnga Natalia Schneider-mek. Sun’ami sullrianga, anglilua, etaarlua nutaan. Cuumi skuulullrianga Kodiak College-mi OEC-mek pingq’rtua niuwacimnek. Taumi, Skuulullrianga Univeristy of Hawai’i at Manoa-mi Bachelors-mek pingq’rtua Elementary Education-llu. Suina pingayunek uk’sungq’rtua. Ilanka Ag’wanermiuwat Qik’rtarmiuwat cali. Gui Sugpiaruunga, Lingít-rulua. Aanaqa Teri Mahle. Emaaqa Becky Mahle. Apaalleqa Ole Mahle. Liitnauwitaartua Sugt’stun Kodiak High liigwigmi, Kodiak College-mi cali. Native Village of Afognak Prevention Coordinator pektalleqa, taumi nuutasqaq pektamek pingq’rtua; atra Tribal Operations Project Manger. Qangisinamek ilanka etaallriit Qik’rtami Alaska-mi cali. Apaaqa anglillria Kodiak History Museum-rem caniani. Taugna kula’illria ‘Erskine englumen’ mikcami, nutaan Kodiak History Museum-rem iluani et’uq. Qunukanka canaryugluki Sun’aq, Qik’rtarpet, suupet, nunapet, imapet, caqipet cali.
Cama’i! My Sugt’stun name is Qangyuk. I like to be called this name, but my English name is Natalia Schneider. I was born, raised and currently live in Kodiak. First I went to school at Kodiak College and have an Occupational Endorsement Certificate in Sugpiaq language. Then I went to school at Univeristy of Hawai’i at Manoa and have a bachelors in Elementary Education. I am 23 years old. My family is from Afognak and Kodiak Island. I am Sugpiaq and Lingit. My mom is Teri Mahle. My gramma is Becky Mahle and my late papa was Ole Mahle. I teach the Sugpiaq language at Kodiak High School and Kodiak College. I work at Native Village of Afognak, I was the Prevention Coordinator but my new job is the Tribal Operations Project Manager. My family has lived on Kodiak and in Alaska for a long time. My papa grew up near the Kodiak History Museum, right down the road. When he was young, we would go and visit the Erskine house that the Kodiak History Museum is now in. I love and care for Kodiak, our island, our people, our land, our waters and our items.