Co-Director and Kin Legal Advisor Holly Handler has practiced law in Alaska for 21 years after graduating from Harvard Law School. She brings experience as a former child welfare attorney for Tlingit & Haida, a supervising attorney for Alaska Legal Services, and a public defender. She helped found the Kin Support Program – Haa Yaitx’u Saiani out of a desire to serve grandparents and other family members struggling to care for young relatives outside the foster care system.
Co-Director and Family Specialist Lagemas “Vanessa” George is an indigenous Alaskan with over 20 years of experience in program facilitation, and 15 years in direct services. She grew up in a kin care environment with her grandmother in the Tlingit community of Angoon on Admiralty Island, in Southeast Alaska. Her cultural training and skills are the foundation for her strongly held desire to uplift her community, which has led to her various roles in public service. She brings over a decade of experience working with families and survivors of trauma through her employment with AWARE, and Alaska Legal Services Corporation.
Lenora Walker is a Family Specialist with Kin Support Program. She previously worked in behavioral health for fourteen years and child welfare for twelve years. Lenora has been recognized as an expert in Indian Child Welfare Act cases and has helped train social workers across Alaska. She enjoys working with families and relies on her previous years of experience to help families throughout Southeast Alaska.
Administrative Program Coordinator, Sharleen (Shar) Griffin manages all program budgets, administrative processes, and fiscal management. Ms. Griffin’s 30-year career with the State of Alaska included 27 years in the fields of accounting and finance with 18 years specific to budget development and management. Shar retired from the Department of Corrections as the Director of the Division of Administrative Services. Ms. Griffin followed her 30-year state career with six years of public service at Alaska Legal Services Corporation, where she gained experience in nonprofit budget management and administration.
Independent Contractor/Parent Legal Advisor Jessie Archibald is an Alaska Native attorney, born and raised in Wrangell, Alaska. Jessie graduated from the University of Puget Sound School of Law. She has more than 20 years’ experience as a former public defender for the Nisqually Indian Tribe, a public defender for the City of Tumwater, Washington, a panel attorney for the Department of Assigned Counsel in Tacoma, Washington, a pro tem Judge for Puyallup Indian Tribe, a Supreme Court Justice for the Puyallup Indian Tribe, a staff attorney for Tlingit & Haida, an ICWA attorney for the Sitka Tribe of Alaska, and a staff attorney for Alaska Legal Services. She is now in private practice and has her own law office in Juneau.
Kin Support Program - Haa Yatx'u Saani 