Rooted in Place, Rising Together
We invite you to join us September 29-30 in Dillingham for the 2026 Bristol Bay Sustainability Summit.
This two-day public gathering will advance Bristol Bay's shared vision for a thriving and sustainable future.
The agenda will feature an engaging mix of information, dialogue and action-oriented planning on topics including:
Climate Adaptation & Emergency Preparedness
Energy & Infrastructure
Fisheries
Workforce Development, Training, & Education
Get out the Vote!
Joining Virtually? ZOOM Info Here!
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 862 8156 0470
Passcode: SUMMIT
Who Should Attend?
The Summit is designed for a wide range of participants and is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs, culture bearers, innovators, interested community members, fishermen, elders, and Bristol Bay Tribal/municipal/corporate leadership and staff. Out-of-region partners and supporters are also welcome at the Summit.
Our future leaders, Bristol Bay high school students, are also encouraged to attend! All high school students participating must also have a parent-approved adult chaperone attending the Summit. Student supervision will not be the responsibility of Summit hosts.
We’re excited to work with you to advance healthy, sustainable, and thriving communities in Bristol Bay as outlined by our people in the Bristol Bay Regional Visioning Project.
Please help us spread the word!
Already registered? Check out the Dillingham Travel Guide
Take a look at our travel guide to find rental car, lodging, dining information and more.
Meet our Keynote Speaker: Margie Frost
Upterrlainarluta - Always Getting Ready
We are always getting ready for something. Our Yup'ik people were always getting ready for what was coming next. Never idle, never complaining or arguing. Everyone contributed for the greater good and all worked together to be successful. Whether is was fishing, hunting, gathering, building, fixing, preparing, every day life, our people worked together to survive. When everyone's heart is in it, everyone is willing to do what it takes to survive, to be successful. You have more compassion, drive, and are more likely to be more successful. It is how our ancestors survived for thousands and thousands of years.
About Margie
Daughter of the late Pavilla Pasrataar Bayayok of Togiak, and Florence Keene Bayayok of Kasigluk, Margie Frost was born and raised in Bethel. While attending college at UAF in Fairbanks, not only did she fall in love with yuraq dancing, but she also fell in love with her husband, Aaron Frost from Togiak. After getting married 1999, they moved back to her dad's roots, and raised two boys, Joshua and Jaden "Buzz". It was that same year they helped form the Togiak Imarpigmiut Dancers. They flourished for about five years, then as people moved on and passed, the group became inactive for over 20 years until last Oct. 2025. Stephen Qacung Blanchett of Pamyua helped revive the group, and our kids have been hooked ever since. Through Margie and Aaron's love and passion for sharing yuraq and their culture with others, it's been mainly the kids that have kept them going seeing them fall in love with yuraq just as they did back when they were at UAF, and why yuraq is making a comeback here in Bristol Bay.
Get UAF College Credit!
Earn one free college credit through the Bristol Bay Campus by participating in the Sustainability Summit. To receive credit, students must fulfill the following requirements:
Attend an introductory ZOOM preparatory session on Tuesday, 9/22
Participate in daily class meetings during the Sustainability Summit 9/29 & 9/30
Turn in a final reflective paper detailing your experience (the course framework will assist you in planning your Sustainability Summit strategy and reflecting on your insights).
For any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to: Aihs Palmer rapalmer3@alaska.edu or Chandler Kemp ckemp6@alaska.edu
To sign up for college credit, please complete the form below:
COLLEGE CREDIT REGISTRATION FORM
When filling out the form, enter “Sustainability Summit” as the course title and 76349 for the CRN.
While we do not require a chaperone for high school students to travel from your home community, a designated chaperone must be provided for the high school student applicant at all times.
2026 Sustainability Summit Sponsors Include
UTBB, along with BBNC, BBNA, BBEDC, BBAHC, Bristol Bay Guardians Network, and Commercial Fishermen for Bristol Bay.
If your entity is interested in becoming a co-sponsor, please reach out to Delores Larson at UTBB at dlarson@utbb.org.