Register Today for Southeast Conference's 2024 Mid Session Summit! This annual conference is scheduled to coincide with the Alaska Legislative session and provides attendees access to the state policy makers. Additionally, this is in a incredible opportunity to hear about the latest updates in every sector as well as provide networking opportunities among the municipal, tribal, and business leaders across the region. Plan to join Southeast Conference at the Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall in Juneau, February 6-7, 2024.

Building on two productive events in 2022 and 2023, Southeast Conference is organizing our 3rd annual Transportation Symposium, to be held on day three of the SEC Mid-Session Summit. The symposium is an opportunity to hear from and meet with state and federal transportation and granting agency officials, such as MARAD and FTA who will be present.. If your community or organization has, or plans to apply for, funding from the Port Infrastructure Development Program, RAISE grant, CTP, TAP, or another infrastructure program, the symposium will have relevance to you. Please join us on Thursday, February 8, 2024 at the Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall.  

Douglas Vincent-Lang, Commissioner

State of Alaska Dept of Fish & Game

Doug Vincent-Lang spent his 34-year public service career at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game before accepting the position of commissioner in January 2019.

A scientist with a focus on fulfilling the department's mission, Vincent-Lang began work at the department as a fisheries research and management biologist for the Division of Sport Fish in 1981. He held the positions of regional management and research coordinator and assistant director for 28 years in the Division of Sport Fish

During his tenure at the Division of Sport Fish, Vincent-Lang worked on a number of high-level research and policy issues for the state. He evaluated habitat needs and instream flow requirements of fish while working on the feasibility assessment of the Susitna River Hydro-electric project. He was instrumental in integrating planning into the management of Alaska's recreational fisheries by leading an effort to develop and implement the first-ever strategic plan for the Division of Sport Fish.

In 2012 he was named Director of the Division of Wildlife where he managed Alaska's wildlife under the sustained yield principles and public trust doctrine principles. He led legislative wildlife issues on the state, national and international levels.

In addition to his experience in both fisheries and wildlife management, Doug has served as the Endangered Species Act Coordinator for the State of Alaska. He has represented the State of Alaska on a wide range of policy issues including climate change, arctic, and marine policy issues.

He holds a B.S. degree in biology/population dynamics from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay and a M.S. degree in Biological Oceanography from the University of Alaska – Fairbanks.

Vincent-Lang lives in Anchorage with his wife of 35 years. He has three children and is teaching his granddaughter to fish, hunt and enjoy Alaska's outdoors.

Julie Decker, President, Pacific Seafood Processors Association

Nicknamed "Mother of Mariculture in Alaska", Julie has 20 years of experience working in the Alaska seafood industry. Her family owns and operates a commercial fishing vessel in Southeast Alaska. She worked as a part of the executive management team at a seafood processing facility in Alaska which designed and implemented a $7 million conversion of a salmon cannery into a high quality, efficiency and volume fresh and frozen salmon processing facility during the mid-2000’s. She was also the executive director of the Southeast Alaska Regional Dive Fisheries Association (SARDFA) which grew this industry from a “new and developing fishery” with an annual ex-vessel value of approximately $3 million to an annual ex-vessel value of $10-15 million. Decker has a BA from Northwestern University and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) with a concentration in natural resource policy from UAS. Decker was awarded the 2013 Ernest Gruening MPA Excellence Award for outstanding graduate student in her field. Decker has also served on numerous boards and committees (i.e. Southeast Conference, Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, United Fishermen of Alaska, AFDF, City & Borough of Wrangell’s Assembly and Economic Development Committee, and the SE AK Ocean Cluster). Julie began working for Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation (AFDF) in 2011 as the Development Director. Julie became the executive director on January 1, 2014. After 12 years with AFDF, Decker transitioned to the Pacific Seafood Processor's Association in 2023.

Tracy Welch Executive Director

United Fishermen of Alaska Welch grew up in Petersburg and has a background in commercial fishing, gillnetting and long-lining with her father. She went to college at Notre Dame and law school at University of Oregon. Welch served on the tribal council of the Petersburg Indian Association starting in 2017 and became council president later that year before taking over as tribal administrator in 2019. In December, 2021, Welch left her job as Petersburg's Tribal Administer and began as the Executive Director for teh United Fisherman's of Alaska. UFA advocates for the industry and represents commercial fishing groups from the Bering Sea to Seattle.

Jeremy Woodrow, Executive Director

Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute

As executive director, Woodrow administers all ASMI programs and operations out of its global headquarters, located in Juneau. Raised in Juneau in a commercial fishing family, Woodrow first worked with ASMI as a communications program intern, then as a staff member of the PR agency Schiedermayer and Associates Alaska, which contracted with ASMI. Woodrow also worked for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities as its communications officer. Woodrow has bachelor’s degrees in public relations and advertising from Northern Arizona University.

Southeast Conference, Spruce Root, and Sustainable Southeast Partnership are now accepting applications for microgrants to support capacity building in Southeast Alaska and complement the existing USDA Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy (SASS) program. Applications are due March 15th. Click below to learn more about the award and to access the full application guidelines.

Southeast Conference is soliciting proposals for economic research services. The three-year contract will provide an important resource by tracking the industry’s size and scope throughout the period of the AMC grant. Publicly available economic data and analysis will be useful to those overseeing the AMC grant, applying to RFPs and grant opportunities, building and investing in businesses, and communicating about the industry, among others. Deadline for submitting proposals is February 9th at 5pm AST.

Be Part of the Solution!

Our membership makes up the base of the SEC Committees. Stay informed and weigh-in on the issues facing the industries that matter the most to you! Visit https://www.seconference.org/membership/.