The Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP) is a regional non-profit tribal consortium comprised of the 56 federally recognized tribes of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. The geographic boundaries of AVCP extend from the Yukon River village of Russian Mission downstream to the Bering Sea coast, north up through Kotlik and south along the coastline to Platinum, and then extending up the Kuskokwim River to Stony River, including Lime Village on the Stony River tributary. The area encompasses approximately 6.5 million acres, or 55,000 square miles, in Southwest Alaska.

Leadership

Vivian Korthuis

CEO

“We know best how to serve our people.”

Vivian Anginran Korthuis became the Chief Executive Officer of AVCP in October of 2016. In her first year as CEO, Vivian launched an organization-wide Quality Improvement Process (QIP), to improve service delivery at the expressed request of the AVCP Executive Board and tribal delegates of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta (YK Delta).

Prior to her appointment, Vivian served AVCP for 18 years in several capacities including Vice President of Programs. Before that, she worked in a leadership capacity at the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation and as a school teacher Vivian has been a lifelong advocate for the Y-K Delta region and has more than 30 years’ experience working to improve education, health care, and social services delivery within the region. Currently, Vivian serves on several boards including the Inuit Circumpolar Council Executive Board, the Alaska Federation of Natives Board of Directors, and the Yuut Elintuarviat Board of Directors.

Vivian’s Yupik name is Anginran is Yupik. She was born in Bethel and raised in Emmonak.  She graduated from Mount Edgecumbe High School in Sitka, holds a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College, and a master’s in education from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Jack Crow

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
Jack Crow, Chief Administrative Officer

Jack was born and raised in Bethel, Alaska, and is graduate of Bethel Regional High School. He attended the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where he received a bachelor’s in business administration. Jack has over 20 years of experience in regional tribal organizations. Jack is the youngest son of J. Bruce Crow and Lucy Crow.

Liz Pederson

CHIEF PROGRAMS OFFICER
Liz Pederson, Chief Programs Officer

Liz has been with AVCP since 2015 in several leadership roles, first as AVCP’s General Counsel and later stepping into the role of Chief Operations Officer.  As the Chief Programs Officer, Liz has overseen the development of AVCP’s six division structure, a major achievement of the Quality Improvement initiative launched in 2016.

Prior to working at AVCP, Liz was the Southwest Regional Supervisor with the Alaska Public Defender Agency, overseeing both the Bethel and Dillingham Offices.  In her eleven years as a public defender she represented hundreds of clients from all over the AVCP region.