Alena Naiden
Alaska Desk Reporter, AnchorageBased at Alaska Desk partner station KNBA in Anchorage, Alena Naiden focuses on rural and Indigenous communities in the Arctic and around the state.
Before joining the Alaska Desk, Alena was a reporter at the Anchorage Daily News and Arctic Sounder for over three years, covering a wide range of issues affecting the North Slope and Northwest Arctic. Before that, she wrote for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.
Alena is from Russia and considers herself lucky to call Alaska home.
Reach Alena at alena.naiden@knba.org or 907-793-3695.
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For farmers in Tyonek and reindeer herders in Nome, cuts to USDA grants and staff challenge local food production. -
The 2023 report by the Not Invisible Act Commission focused on the disproportionate rates of assault and murder in Indigenous communities. -
Josiah Patkotak received tens of thousands of dollars for at least 15 trips with his family — then the assembly voted to allow the practice. -
Alaska-based organizations say some project funds are getting frozen and unfrozen irregularly, stalling efforts to lower energy costs and protect homes in villages -
In recent years, researchers have documented salmon surviving in North Slope rivers, bowhead whales expanding their foraging grounds and humpbacks moving into the Arctic. -
The six-day event, known as the “messenger feast," brought together 11 dance groups and about 700 participants. -
Residents in nearly 20 villages came to their airstrips last weekend to greet Bering Air planes, hug the pilots and pray together. -
The 10 Alaskans killed in the crash near Nome include a mentor to new teachers, a school counselor and two Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium employees traveling to service a local water plant. -
Nome residents gathered at a church vigil and fundraisers were scheduled in at least two communities, as the region came together in the wake of the tragedy. -
The Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program has helped thousands of students get their footing in science, engineering and business.
