New Alaska Native Education Hires at UAS

Both will be working on grants designed to put Alaska Native teachers in the classroom or practicing teachers in administrative positions.

Juneau, Alaska

Date of Press Release: November 28, 2011

The School of Education has announced two new hires. “Both will be working on grants designed to put Alaska Native teachers in the classroom or practicing teachers in administrative positions,” said School of Education Dean Deborah Lo.

Archie Cavanaugh is the new Village Teacher director and Ronalda Cadiente Brown is the new director of the Preparing Indigenous Teachers and Administrators for Alaska Schools (PITAAS) program.

Cavanagh worked 17 years as the Higher Education Services Manager for the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (CCTHITA). The UAS Village Teacher program will begin preparing a cohort of Masters level reading teachers in January of 2012 and a cohort of Masters level math specialists during the Summer of 2012.

Cadiente Brown comes to UAS from the Juneau School District where she was Program Coordinator for the Office of Instructional Services.  “I am happy to step into the position of PITAAS Director with UAS. School districts throughout Alaska stand to benefit from this program. I've had the opportunity to serve as Interim Director and have enjoyed the students tremendously and look forward to networking throughout the state to recruit more students for this amazing opportunity to become an educator,” said Cadiente Brown.

Both Brown and Cavanagh start work at UAS on Monday, December 5, 2011.