Jennifer B. Treadway

My year of service with AmeriCorps taught me the importance of resourcefulness, adaptability, and meeting people where they are, particularly in a community with limited resources. The experience also gave me insight into how non-profit organizations, government agencies, and community members can work together to address local needs and effect meaningful change. That experience continues to shape my professional goals as an attorney. It strengthened my interest in pursuing legal work that enables organizations and local governments to operate effectively, tackle complex problems, and better serve their communities. More broadly, it reinforced my belief that lawyers can play an important role in helping organizations and individuals access the resources and information they need to solve problems and advance projects in practical ways.

Although I lived in Alaska for several years, Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve sits at the top of my bucket list. Despite being the largest national park in the United States, it is incredibly remote, with no paved roads entering the park itself. Its immense scale, rugged wilderness, and dramatic landscapes are especially compelling to me, and I would love to spend a few weeks exploring the park’s backcountry terrain. Additionally, I recently had the opportunity to visit Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park and witness Kīlauea actively erupting, which was an incredible experience. Unfortunately, my husband and I had to evacuate the park before we could fully explore it due to volcanic gases, so I hope to return to the park to hike and explore more of its volcanic features.

I most enjoyed working with ethnographic objects and archival documents, photographs, and recordings related to Alaska Native cultural groups. During my time with Sealaska Heritage Institute and the Alaska State Libraries, Archives, and Museums, one of the most meaningful aspects of my work was facilitating access to these materials for Alaska Native artists, clan leaders, elders, and community members. Additionally, I enjoyed preserving and, through that work, listening to audio recordings of clan songs and stories. Unlike some archival records, those recordings felt distinctly alive, carrying traditional knowledge and cultural expressions across generations.