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Organizational Narrative
Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC), one of twelve Regional Native non-profit corporations in the state of Alaska, providing services to 42 villages in the interior, 37 of which are federally recognized tribes. Tanana Chiefs Conference region follows the traditional boundaries of the interior Alaska Athabaskan people. The TCC region is spread across an estimated 235,000 square miles which is equal to about 37 percent of the State of Alaska and just slightly smaller than the state of Texas, and about ten times the area of the Navajo Nation- the largest reservation in the lower 48 states.
The tribes in the region are Athabaskan Indian and Inupiaq that range in population from 75 to 600 members. Most villages are along the major river systems of Alaska's interior, yet the distances between communities are great. The majority of the villages are accessible by bush planes, and at times by boats during the summer months. Seven of the tribes are on the road system, with travel time from Fairbanks ranging from one to eight hours. Some of the villages can only be accessed over very rough gravel roads.
The total population of the TCC region is 86,130 people, of which approximately 12,000 are Alaska Native. Of the approximate 12,000 American Indian and Alaska Natives in the region, about half live in the urban hub center Fairbanks, with the remaining 6,000 living in villages. The region also encompasses two
Alaska State Trooper (AST) detachments or service areas known to AST as "D Detachment" based out of the Fairbanks Trooper Post and "C Detachment" based out of the Bethel Trooper Post.
The TCC region is vast and because of the large area TCC serves villages are in sub regions.

In the winter months, temperature extremes of -55 degrees, limited accessibility, and harsh weather conditions limit the availability of basic goods and access to services in the village. The economies in the region are predominantly harvesting, hunting, fishing, gathering and seasonal employment. The unemployment rate ranges from a low of about 20 percent to a high of 90 percent or more. The average annual income for a family of four in the region is about $12,800, placing many families at or well below the poverty level, compared to $43,316 per year for the average four-person Alaska family. The cost of living in these villages is estimated to be 30-40 percent higher than the cost of living in Anchorage or Fairbanks. Accessibility to common services such as public safety, health and education are often lacking or insufficient in addressing some of the social issues people face in the villages.
None of the thirty-seven tribes in the region are located on reservations due to the unique way land claims were settled under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) of 1971. The lands under and surrounding the villages are generally owned and managed by Alaska Native regional and village for-profit corporations that were created by ANCSA. None the less, the thirty-seven tribes are federally recognized, and "are acknowledged to have the immunities and privileges available to other federally acknowledged Indian tribes by virtue of their government-to-government relationship with the United States as well as the responsibilities, powers, limitations and obligations of such tribes” according to the preamble for the Department of Interior list of federally recognized tribes. The preamble goes on to explain that "We have continued the practice of listing the Alaska Native entities separately solely for the purpose of facilitating identification of them and reference to them given the large number of complex Native Names.” After a lengthy period of litigation to determine what jurisdiction the Alaska tribes have, given that they do not have reservations, the courts have concluded that tribal jurisdiction in Alaska is based on tribal membership and protecting the health and safety of the tribes and their members. Determining tribal membership criteria and enrollment protocols is critical not only to the identity of the tribes and delivery of services, but also to the jurisdiction of their tribal courts. Additionally, with Alaska being a Public Law 280 state, criminal jurisdiction is given to the State of Alaska.
TCC is governed by a 9-member board of directors made up of members from each of the six sub-regions of Tanana Chiefs Conference. The current Chief/Chairman of TCC, Victor Joseph, was elected by the tribes for his second term in March, 2017. As one of Alaska’s top 25 employers in the state and provides an array of community development, health and social services to over 12,000 Alaska Native and American Indians. Tanana Chiefs Conference reflects the importance of balancing the traditional Athabaskan values with the modern demands facing Indigenous peoples.
Tanana Chiefs Conference vision is:
Healthy, Strong, Unified Tribes
Tanana Chiefs Conference mission is:
Tanana Chiefs Conference provides a unified voice in advancing sovereign tribal governments through the promotion of physical and mental wellness, education, social economic development, and culture of the Interior Alaska Native people.
Tanana Chiefs Conference Guiding Values is:
Ch’eghwtsen
True Love

Tanana Chiefs Conference Guiding Principle is:
Accessible and trusted world-class services provided with unconditional love, compassion, dignity and respect.

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