A life-long Alaskan, April Ferguson has been steadfast and effective in her vision for bringing industry and development to the Bristol Bay Region. She is the architect of a program to improve economic growth and business development for the village corporations of the Bristol Bay region, created to enhance the communication and collaboration between the regional corporation and the village corporations/tribal councils. This has allowed for the sharing and leverage of knowledge and resources to bring greater opportunities for Native communities. As Chair of the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) Legislative and Litigation Committee, Ferguson has worked tirelessly to develop and monitor state and federal legislative/policy decisions for the well-being of all Alaskans.

Ferguson has provided substantial leadership at AFN and always showed a tireless capability to act and respond to challenges affecting all Alaska Native people. She led the effort to advocate for Alaska Native traditional hunting and fishing rights while also supporting the need for responsible resource development in Alaska. Ferguson consistently uses a common-sense approach to bring her legal knowledge and understanding of life for rural Alaska Native people to consistently advocate for their equal rights and prosperity.

Ferguson is also a fierce advocate for a transparent and fair redistricting process in Alaska, as well as actively working with the “Get Out the Native Vote” initiative year after year. She is a life-long learner, avid reader, and is always looking for opportunities to shape the future of the Native community, whether it’s for economic development, rural energy, communication technology, or tribal sovereignty.

Ferguson began her tenure at Bristol Bay Native Corporation (BBNC) in 1997 as a Vice president and General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. She now serves on the BBNC Executive Team as an Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary. She has participated on the boards of the American Civil Liberties Union; Trustees for Alaska; SpecPro Inc.; Vista International Inc.; Kakivik Asset Management, LLC; and Bristol Environmental and Engineering Services Corporation and currently serves as Chair of the AFN Legislative and Litigation Committee.

A life-long Alaskan, Ferguson received her Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and received her Juris Doctorate from Harvard Law School in 1992. She then clerked for Alaska Supreme Court Chief Justice Jay Andrew Rabinowitz and later attended the Bristol Bay Native Corporation Training Without Walls in 2000.

Ferguson is a strong mentor and empowers young Alaska Native professionals. She has mentored numerous interns over the years, sharing her knowledge and experience in the professions of law and business. She is known and appreciated for the high expectations she sets for each of her mentees to grow their resilience and confidence in real-life situations.