Afognak Names Autumn Sellars Interim CEO
Alutiiq executive Autumn Sellars takes over as interim head of Afognak Native Corporation, effective November 5, 2026.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in People
Afognak Native Corporation announced that Autumn Sellars has been appointed Interim CEO, effective November 5, 2026. Sellars moves into the role from her position as Operations & Compliance Executive at Alutiiq, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Afognak.
Why it matters
The appointment places a subsidiary executive at the top of the Alaska Native corporation as it approaches its 50th anniversary. Afognak's Board of Directors cited Sellars's standing as a respected business leader in the organization and in government contracting.
The appointment took effect November 5, 2026, roughly a year after Sellars's 2017 move into the Alutiiq and Alcyon relationship. The announcement does not disclose financial metrics for the corporation, and the duration of the interim role has not been stated.
The players
Afognak Native Corporation
Afognak Native Corporation is an Alaska Native corporation based in Anchorage, with a wholly owned subsidiary, Alutiiq, LLC, that operates in federal government contracting.
Autumn Sellars
Autumn Sellars is a former Lockheed Martin systems engineer and Vanderbilt-educated executive who built Alcyon, Inc. before its acquisition by Alutiiq.
The details
Sellars joined Alutiiq in 2017 when the company acquired her firm Alcyon, Inc., which received NASA and Small Business Administration recognition for contract excellence under her leadership. She previously worked as a Systems Engineer for Lockheed Martin and holds a bachelor's in computer engineering and a master's in management of technology from Vanderbilt University.
Timeline
2017: Alutiiq acquires Alcyon, Inc. and Sellars joins Alutiiq.
November 5, 2026: Sellars's Interim CEO appointment takes effect.
November 6, 2026: Afognak announces the appointment.
Market Landscape
Alaska Native corporations such as Afognak rely heavily on federal contracting through subsidiaries like Alutiiq, which operates under federal small-business and set-aside programs. Leadership moves like this one show how contracting executives are moving into corporate-level roles within these organizations.
For Alaska Native shareholders, a change in the top executive role can affect how the corporation allocates contracts and dividends. The announcement does not specify any immediate changes to services or policies.
The takeaway
Leadership transitions at Alaska Native corporations often reflect the growing influence of contracting subsidiaries on corporate governance. Readers tracking Afognak can watch for whether the interim designation becomes permanent.
Further reading
For more on corporate leadership changes, see People coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Manila times.
