The Tanana Chiefs Conference Infrastructure Division encompasses TCC’s housing, community energy and village broadband programs. The division works collaboratively across the interior region with tribes and remote communities to finance and implement projects that focus on the deployment of critical energy, housing, community facility and broadband needs that are vital to the success and longevity of our member tribes.
Tanana Chiefs Conference Infrastructure Division mission is to develop and deliver appropriate, resilient infrastructure that allows interior Alaskan tribes to grow and prosper.
We strive to provide access to modern, sustainable infrastructure that advances tribal goals.
Contact Us:
Phone: (907) 452-8251
Address: 200 1st Avenue Fairbanks, AK 99701
Our Staff and Services
Infrastructure Division Director
More information to come!
Cortnie Doan, Infrastructure Division Grant & Office Manager
Cortnie Doan serves as the Infrastructure Division Grant & Office Manager for Tanana Chiefs Conference. Cortnie has been working for TCC for over twelve years and just joined the infrastructure division in June 2023. Cortnie’ s past experience includes accounting, construction, developing, and managing various projects within the Fairbanks communities.
Cortnie holds two Associate Degrees in Business Marketing and Accounting from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. She is a tribal member of the Native Village of Minto, and her home is North Pole, AK where during her free time, she enjoys camping and spending time with her dogs and her amazing husband of nineteen years.
Jolene Malamute, Infrastructure Administrative Assistant
Jolene Malamute serves as the Infrastructure Administrative Assistant at the Tanana Chiefs Conference. Jolene first joined TCC in 2018 as a community planning coordinator for Tribal Development and also the executive coordinator for Administration in 2020. She returned to TCC in August 2024 in the Infrastructure Division. Jolene’s past experiences include community planning, grant writing, housing, construction, and project coordination within the TCC region.
Jolene holds a Bachelor of Science in Management from the University of Phoenix and an Associate of Science in Process Technology from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. She also serves as a Board Member for the Fairbanks Native Association. Jolene is passionate about Tribes’ success and having the appropriate resources and capacity for community development.
Jolene is a tribal member of the Louden Tribe of Galena. She currently resides in Fairbanks with her family.
Edward Dellamary, Rural Energy Manager
Eddie Dellamary serves as the Rural Energy Manager for Tanana Chiefs Conference overseeing the Energy program. Eddie has been working in rural Alaska since 2020, initially as a Commercial Fisherman to his present work managing Energy Projects. Past projects have included community solar and battery energy system design and installations, energy planning, grant writing, tank farm upgrades, and generator rebuild projects in various interior communities.
Eddie holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of California San Diego in Chemistry and a Masters of Engineering in Materials Science from Lulea Tekniska Universitet in Lulea, Sweden. He also serves as a board member on Fairbanks Ski Coalition, the non-profit board for Ski Land as well as a Ski Patroller at Ski Land. Eddie is passionate about Energy and assisting tribes to achieve their energy goals.
Jason Paskvan, Climate and Energy Specialist
Jason Paskvan joined Tanana Chiefs Conference in late 2023, serving as the Climate and Energy Specialist. Jason spent seven years working on hybrid vehicles and battery electric as an automotive engineer in Detroit for Stellantis. Past projects include engine and motor calibration on the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid and producing comprehensive emission disclosure documentation for the Environmental Protection Agency.
Jason holds a Bachelor of Science from University of Alaska Fairbanks in Mechanical engineering and Master or Science from University of Michigan Dearborn in Mechanical Engineering. Jason is a tribal member from the Koyukuk Tribal Council, and his home is Fairbanks, Alaska. During his free time he enjoys camping, skiing, hiking, and mountain biking. Jason is excited to be working with tribes to assist in getting renewable energy through the Climate Pollution Reduction Act.
Alexander Siever, Energy Project Manager
Alexander Sievers joined the Infrastructure Division In August 2024. Alexander has worked in photovoltaics and building energy efficiency since 2009 and is a NABCEP certified Photovoltaic Installation Professional. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Montana. As an advocate for environmental protection and climate action he served on the Missoula City Council’s Energy and Climate team as the building sector representative. He currently works remotely from Homer, AK with his family. Alexander loves living in Alaska and enjoys being in the woods where you may find him with his family camping, mountain biking, skiing or possibly even juggling in his free time.
Grace Packer, Infrastructure Project Manager
Grace joined the Tanana Chiefs Conference Infrastructure Division in late 2024 as an Infrastructure Project Manager.
Grace’s work experience includes over thirteen years of working with ANCSA Corporations and tribes, of which seven of those years were for a Regional Corporation and its Subsidiaries, six years for a Village Corporation in the Alaska Construction Division as a General Contractor Project Manager. Past projects include managing multiple projects and product, vendor, resource, financial management including developing, implementing and supporting remote infrastructures between all stakeholders. Grace holds certifications as US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Construction Quality Management for Contractors, Procore Project Manager and UAA Occupational Endorsement Certificate (OEC) in Alaska Native Business Management. Grace currently serves as a Gana A’Yoo, Limited Committee Member on the Shareholder and Natural Resource Committees.
Grace is a tribal member of the Nulato Tribal Council. She resides between Anchorage and Fairbanks with her family.
Mitchell Shewfelt, Housing Department Manager
Mitchell Shewfelt serves as the Housing Department Director for Tanana Chiefs Conference overseeing all aspects of construction and housing needs throughout the TCC region. Mitchell has been working in the TCC Housing Department since 2011. Past projects have include developing and managing multiple construction project in various interior communities with minimal staff.
Mitchell holds a General Contractor license w/ Residential Endorsement from the State of Alaska. Electrical Journeyman license through the State of Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. Graduate with a degree in Building Maintenance/Construction Trades from the Alaska Vocational Technical Center in Seward, AK. Diploma from North Pole High School North Pole, Alaska.
Mitchell is a tribal member of the Native Village of Fort Yukon, AK. Mitchell’s home is Fairbanks, AK where he lives with his 5 children.
Floyd Green, Housing Project Manager
Floyd Green, TCC’s Housing Project Manager since 2024, is a dedicated advocate for improving housing conditions throughout the TCC region. Hailing from Rampart and now residing in Fairbanks, Floyd brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of rural Alaska. With five years of service as 1st Chief for the Rampart Village Council and as Tribal Administrator for TCC, Floyd has been instrumental in developing the Rampart Housing Program and managing TCC’s program directly with HUD. A graduate of Effie Kokrine Charter School, Floyd’s commitment to community development is evident in his passion for serving TCC villages.
Beyond work, Floyd finds solace in his hometown of Rampart, spending time hunting and fishing along the river. He eagerly anticipates collaborating with TCC villages to complete ongoing housing projects and to plan future initiatives. His genuine appreciation for the land and its resources fuels his commitment to building sustainable housing solutions that honor the traditions and aspirations of TCC’s communities.
Matthew Glover, Broadband Program Manager
Matt joined the Infrastructure Division in 2023 as the Broadband Program Manager.
Steve Robbins, Broadband Project Manager
Steve Robbins joined the Infrastructure Division in early 2024 as the Broadband Project Manager. Steve was born and raised in Florida where he learned the construction trade through his family’s business. He eventually moved to Georgia where he started his own commercial construction company. Under his leadership the company grew into a multi-million-dollar operation and he was licensed to build in five states.
Steve eventually sold his business and decided to move to Alaska. He enjoyed a short hiatus from the construction industry for several years while he trapped, hunted, and fished in the remote community of Eagle. However, his building talents were soon tapped by the Native Village of Eagle where he worked as a Project Manager for four years’ prior to joining TCC.
Steve works remotely from Eagle where he and his wife of 34 years enjoy living a subsistence lifestyle. Steve’s hobbies include dog mushing his sled dog team, cross-country skiing, camping, and boating on the Yukon River.
Our tribal communities pay some of the highest energy costs in the nation. Our Community Energy Program works in partnership with our tribes to develop projects that can reduce the burden of high energy costs and encourage tribal energy sovereignty. Past projects have included community scale solar projects, high efficiency building designs, diesel generator replacements and community wide energy efficiency projects. If your tribe is interested in developing a project, please reach out!
Our Services
We offer the following services:
- Community energy planning
- Grant writing assistance and project development
- Project management
- Technical assistance for project management
- Assistance scheduling Power plant operator or Utility Clerk training
Interior Regional Energy Plan
In 2015 TCC contracted with the Alaska Energy Authority to complete the 
Interior Regional Energy Plan.
The plan was aimed at identifying opportunities for renewable energy, energy efficiency and operational efficiency in existing energy generation and transportation systems. Meetings were held in each of TCC’s subregion and feedback was solicited from major energy stakeholders in each community, including municipalities, tribes, utilities, school districts and residents. The plan is intended to be useful for making policy decisions at the state level and village decisions at the community level.
Partner Organizations
- Alaska Center for Energy and Power (ACEP)
- Alaska Energy Authority
- Interior Regional Housing Authority
- Renewable Energy Alaska Project (REAP)
Community Energy Action Plans
The Housing Department provides project management services for all types of construction in the villages throughout the TCC region. TCC also receive funding from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to construct new homes or rehabilitate existing homes in the rural communities. Housing Department currently holds active general contractor license with a residential endorsement with the State of Alaska. TCC also holds the title as a Community Development Based Organization (CDBO) for tribes applying for grants for project oversight.
Contact Us:
907-452-8251 ext. 3319
mitchell.shewfelt@tananachiefs.org
Resources:
TCC Broadband Efforts Are Improving Telecommunication Options Throughout Our Region
Poor telecommunication options have been the reality for many years across the Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) region. As the TCC infrastructure division looked into the reasons for these challenges, we realized that many of the statewide telecommunication firms were not investing in the region due to the poor return on investment. To them, the TCC region is huge, remote and sparsely populated making any project high risk with low return. TCC’s goals in involving ourselves in broadband are to minimize the risk of these projects, create telecom partners, and offer telecommunication options at affordable rates.
Housing Floor Plans
News & Updates
Over the last 12 months the TCC infrastructure Division has been busy ensuring that TCC tribes are able to take full advantage of the once in a generation funding environment that we find ourselves in. Total grant applications have surpassed $250M with funded projects over the past 18 months in excess of $100M across our 3 program areas: Housing, Broadband and Energy.
Housing
TCC Housing is working to expand our team which will enable the program to take on more work. Current projects include 7 new housing units in Nikolai scheduled to start summer 2024, the completion of projects under an Emergency Law Enforcement Assistance grant and working with tribes to allocate their $1.8M in ARPA HIP funds across the region. Other projects include:
- Holy Cross– Currently in the stages of interior electrical and mechanical on the AHFC village safety officer duplex. If the crew stays on schedule, the building may be completed by June 2024. Two BIA HIP rehabs are scheduled for spring 2024.
- Ruby– Crews erected two HUD new construction homes in addition to assisting the tribe with their $525k HUD Healthy Homes grant
- Tanana– TCC Housing is working with the Tribe to build four new homes in spring 2024, and awaiting MOA to begin construction.
- Circle– New BIA HIP home, project is expected to be complete end of June 2024. We are working with Circle to secure land for a second BIA HIP home.
- Northway– Northway’s BIA HIP new construction is nearly complete and awaiting water/sewer from ANTHC Scattered Sites program, which is expected to happen Summer 2024.
- Koyukuk– Two BIA HIP new constructions are postponed until Spring 2024.
Energy
At the end of December, the TCC energy program submitted a $17M BIA Tribal Electrification Grant to support TCC owned large solar plus storage projects in Circle, Fort Yukon and Tanana, and a $2M IHS Green infrastructure grant application to install solar carports in the parking lot of the Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center. In October, we submitted a $3M grant to the USDA High Energy Cost Grant program to fund a similar project in Venetie and have heard back already that Venetie’s project was recommended for funding. TCC has received over $32M in energy projects over the past 12 months.
Energy would like to welcome our first Native engineer, Jason Paskvan. His role is managing a climate pollution reduction planning grant with an application for emission reduction projects being submitted this coming March and targeted towards millions more in funding for energy resiliency and pollution reduction in our tribal communities.
As we’ve been actively submitting applications for funding TCC has also been managing numerous projects with our tribes, specifically we’ve been asked by Louden tribe to manage their 3.25M grant which will enable the community to install a 1.5 MW solar system in Galena connected to the Galena electric grid with the goal of offsetting diesel burned at the Galena powerhouse.
Broadband
In November, Matt Glover started as the new TCC Broadband Manager and is planning projects in Northway, Nenana, Dot Lake and Tanacross as well as leading the ReConnect Round three and ReConnect Round four grants for the Koyukuk River and Yukon flats respectively. Additionally, TCC was funded $100,000 from the Denali Commission to continue to pursue future broadband grant opportunities.
TCC has submitting the following grants:
- $77M NTIA Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program Grant (TBCP) Round two in partnership with Alaska Communication Systems and Bushtel to fund fiber-optic from Tanana to Holy Cross and install last mile FTTH network in Ruby, Galena, Koyukuk, Nulato, Kaltag and Holy Cross. TCC would own the asset and lease it to ACS to operate. The Holy Cross last mile network would be leased to Bushtel to operate
- ReConnect Round five aimed at connecting villages in the upper Kuskokwim region application is due May 21stBoth of our large projects are progressing slower that we would like as we try to get more fiber installed than we had originally budgeted for and work through the lengthy NEPA process with the USDA.