Board
Benjamin Jackinsky, President, Ninilchik
ben@inletkeeper.org
Benjamin is a commercial fisherman and business owner who was born and raised in Ninilchik, Alaska. He owns and operates two retail businesses in Kenai. He is a member of various Ninilchik Native organizations. He holds Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Arts degrees. Benjamin is active in local cultural and environmental organizations.
Mako Haggerty, Vice President, Homer
mako@inletkeeper.org
Owner and operator of a successful local water taxi service, Mako moved to Alaska over 22 years ago to pursue a career in commercial fishing. Mako is a true progressive activist – he has worked tirelessly on a variety of commercial fishing, environmental and global trade issues, and he serves on the Board of Directors for KBBI (local public radio station) and the Kachemak Bay Parks Citizen Advisory Board.
Mike O’Meara, Treasurer, Homer
omeara@inletkeeper.org
Mike is a long-time Homer resident and activist. He worked with Homer’s Pratt Museum for 19 years developing and administering science/environmental education exhibits and programs. Probably best known were the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill exhibit Darkened Waters and the museum’s remotely operated video camera projects for observing wild seabirds and brown bears. Mike is a founding board member of Cook Inletkeeper, Vice-chair of the the Sierra Club’s Alaska Chapter Executive Committee, and supporter of many other environmental organizations. After retiring in 2008 he helped launch and guide the Homer Electric Association Members Forum, a ratepayers group promoting transition from fossil fuel to renewable energy technology to generate electricity.
Nancy Wainwright, Secretary, Anchorage
Nancy is an attorney currently employed by the public interest law firm Trustees for Alaska, where she focuses on constitutional and clean water challenges to large mining projects, and works closely with Native, fishing and conservation clients to protect their rights. Nancy has been active on many environmental fronts in Alaska, securing landmark decisions on oil and gas, water rights and oil spill planning issues. She received a BA in political science from Scripps College in Claremont, CA, and a JD from Hastings College of Law, San Francisco.
Rob Ernst, Nikiski
rob@inletkeeper.org
A true “Alaskan entrepreneur” who fishes commercially, runs a growing coffee retail business, and teaches Anthropology at the Kenai Peninsula College of the University of Alaska, Rob received a B.S. from Amherst College and M.A. in Linguistics from the University of Washington.
Tom Evans, Nanwalek
tom@inletkeeper.org
Tom is an influential leader among his Sugpiaq people, a southern Alaska Indigenous tribe which occupies a 200-person village off the road system on the southern Kenai Peninsula. Tom sits on the Nanwalek IRA Council where he provides leadership and direction on the complex socioeconomic issues facing his people. Tom attended UCLA and remains active with the Port Graham/Nanwalek Watershed Council.
Bobi Rhinehart, Anchorage
bobi@inletkeeper.org
Bobi is a lifelong Alaskan who brings more than eighteen years proven expertise in fundraising, environmental activism, commercial fishing, and non-profit management to Inletkeeper. She currently serves as the Executive Director for the Sitka Summer Music Festival. She lives in Anchorage with her longliner/salmon troller husband Michael (f/v Pacific) and their daughter Garland Grace. Bobi received a Master of Science in Environmental Studies at Bard Graduate School, and B.A. in Environmental Science at Scripps College in Claremont, CA.
Shannyn Moore, Anchorage
shannyn@inletkeeper.org
Born and raised in Homer, Alaska, Shannyn is a top rated progressive radio and television broadcaster based in Anchorage, Alaska. A dynamic media personality, she pioneered the progressive political talk forum for women in the 49th State. She has interviewed the state’s best-known politicians and authors, worked extensively with the Alaska Public Radio Network and appears regularly on MSNBC, The Canadian Broadcasting Company and other national media forums.
