Field Trips: She is willing to go on field trips to South East Alaska Indian Cultural Center (SEAICC), picnics, the beach, and others upon request.

Role in the Classroom

Mentor: Marie has mentored students working on their senior projects. While working with the Sitka Tribal Court she found it was very important that in mentoring students, one does not try to get their message across through lectures. She is willing to mentor students in need because she feels strongly that the choices they make today will have a great impact on their future.  

Assistant to the Teacher: Marie is willing to help out in the classroom however she can. She only requests that she meet with the teacher ahead of time to ensure that there is a similar vision for her visits.

Prior Experience:  As a Tribal Court judge, Marie worked with a number of students in the community. She helped in guardianship, adoption, and minor consuming cases. Also while her children were in school Marie used to volunteer in the classroom (recess duty, coordinate art shows, set up for classroom parties, etc.).

Cultural Expertise

Artistic Talents: Marie refers to herself as a “Jack of all trades.” She dabbles in a number of art forms which include: oil painting, clay and stone sculpture, wood carving, raven’s tail weaving, and bentwood boxes. Her art has led to many opportunities to demonstrate throughout the world (NY Museum of Natural History and Art, Peabody Museum, Alaska Heritage Center, Artist Symposium in New Zealand, National Museum of American Indian).

Historian: Marie has an incredible ability to reflect on her life experiences through stories. Please refer to “Brief Biography” for a list of her unique experiences.

Education and Life Experience

Education:

 Marie attended Sheldon Jackson during her high school years. She paid to attend SJ because she was not allowed to attend MEHS due to her Norwegian father.

After High School she moved to Anchorage and attended Alaska Methodist University. She completed her Associates Degree in Health Science graduating cum laude.

Work Experience:

Marie is recently retired. She spent ten years working as the Sitka Tribe of Alaska’s Tribal Court Chief Judge. Marie has a great deal of experience operating a small business. From 1984 to 2001 her family owned Seatel Telecommunications. While Marie lived in Anchorage she also was part owner of the Rogues Gallery, an art gallery. 

Marie also has experience working as a career counselor at the Alaska Methodist University and Assistant Director at the Aleut League Alcohol Rehabilitation Project through the Alaska Native Medical Center.

A Brief Biography

Marie was born and raised in Lisianski Inlet, AK. She has lived in a number of places that include: Anchorage, Olympia, Elfin Cove, Pelican and Woodacre. Marie has a very unique upbringing. She talked about growing up next to a gold mine in Lianski Inlet. In Elementary school she left home to attend school in Elfin Cove. Turns out her enrollment in their school allowed them to receive money for a Public School teacher. She recalls growing up without electricity; in those times her role was to pack water in Crisco containers. When she traveled to Washington she recalls using her “Birth Card” ID because Alaska was still a territory in the U.S. And as an employee of ANMC she can remember when the hospital using Electroconvulsive Therapy and how effectively it helped the mental health patients at the hospital.

She and her husband of over 50 years, Bert Laws finally settled down in Sitka, Alaska. Together they raised two daughters; additionally she has five grandchildren and one great grandchild. 

Marie’s Tlingit name is L’Daan Aat. She is Raven, T’akdeintaan from the Snail House. It was upon her return to Sitka that she started to focus on cultural artwork.

In Marie’s spare time she enjoys working on art projects, going for walks, making regular trips to  curves, and going out on the boat to gather abalone or fishing for her favorites: King Salmon and Halibut.