Established in 1955, the Cook Inlet Historical Society (CIHS) is a private non-profit historical society focused on the Anchorage area.

Since its founding we have worked to foster discussion, research and publication of the history and ethnography of Anchorage and the Cook Inlet region, as well as of our state and its place in the Circumpolar North. The artifacts and archives collected by CIHS were the start of collections for the Anchorage Museum in 1968.

The Society actively promotes the understanding of local history, through:

• Annual Lecture Programs at the Anchorage Museum focused on an annual theme and coordinated with Museum exhibits.

• Support of local and statewide history initiatives.

Officers

Richard Mylius, President
Dick Mylius has worked in land planning and land management in Alaska for forty years. In 2010 he retired from the Alaska Department of Natural Resources and continues to work part time doing training and occasional consulting on Alaska land issues. He holds degrees in Geography and Regional Planning. Dick is especially interested in the history of Alaskan land issues and the people who played key roles in that history.  

Ian Hartman, Vice President
Ian C. Hartman is a professor of history at the University of Alaska Anchorage. He researches and teaches on topics related to Alaska and the American West. In addition to his scholarly publications, Hartman has partnered with the National Park Service and has also worked with the Anchorage Museum on exhibitions exploring such topics as Alaska’s Black history, the Alaska Railroad, and the Cold War in the Circumpolar North.

Bruce Parham, Secretary
Bruce retired as Director of the National Archives at Anchorage in 2011, after twenty-two years of federal service with the National Archives and Records Administration.

Ayse Gilbert, Treasurer
Ayse is an artist, with an interest in local history and Alaskan plants, who has lived in Anchorage for over forty years.

Directors

Judy Bittner, Past President
Judy Bittner serves as the Alaska State Historic Preservation Officer and head of the Office of History and Archaeology, Department of Natural Resources. Bittner is a member of the Alaska Historical Commission and the Alaska State Historical Records Advisory Board.  Throughout her career, she has been active in national, state and local nonprofit organizations. These include the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers, the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Board of Advisors, the Alaska Historical Society, Alaska Association for Historic Preservation, Cook Inlet Historical Society, and the Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance. Prior to taking her current position, Bittner was director of the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation, Alaska Department of Natural Resources.  Bittner has a master’s degree in anthropology from the University of Wisconsin. A fourth generation Alaskan, Judy’s family came to Alaska during the gold rush in the early 1900s.

Jim Blasingame
Jim worked for forty-two years for the Alaska Railroad and retired as Vice President of Corporate Affairs. He has a strong interest in the history of the Alaska Railroad.

Abby Charles
Abby is a historian with the State of Alaska Office of History and Archaeology’s Survey Unit. She is currently working on a master’s degree in Arctic and northern studies through the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Laura Koenig
As Artistic Director for Anchorage Festival of Music, Laura Koenig specializes in melding archival research with the performing arts. Recent productions for AFM include "An Irving Berlin Alaskan Revue" and a centennial re-enactment of Anchorage’s first classical musical concert. She has also produced historical performances for CIHS at Anchorage Museum, including "The Alaska Railroad in Song and Story” (2023). Additionally, Laura performs as principal flute with Anchorage Symphony Orchestra and Anchorage Opera, coaches for Alaska Youth Orchestras, and teaches flute at the University of Alaska Anchorage and her private studio.

Aaron Leggett
Aaron was born in Anchorage and is Dena’ina Athabascan. He currently serves as the President and Chief of the Native Village of Eklutna. Aaron is senior curator of Alaska history and culture at the Anchorage Museum and serves as an advisor to the Smithsonian’s Arctic Studies Center. He is a member of Alaska State Museum Collections Committee and the Alaska Native Heritage Centers Program and Policy Committee. After earning a degree in anthropology from the University of Alaska Anchorage, Aaron set out to change the historical narrative. He has played a vital role in indigenous curation and tribal governance in Alaska and has authored numerous scholarly articles and co-authored publications about the Dena’ina language and people.

Jennifer ‘Tungatuq’ Romer

Jennifer is Alaska Native from three different tribes. Her mother’s family is Yup’ik from the Lower Yukon River and Gwich’in from the Black River. Her father’s family is Yup’ik from the Lower Kuskokwim River. Jennifer Romer has worked in the field of education for over twenty years. She was a classroom teacher in urban areas such as Washington DC, and Brooklyn, NY, as well as rural and urban Alaska, and in culturally responsive charter schools. She is a facilitator, trainer, and also works in curriculum development and grants. Currently she is working in tribal governance. Jennifer is a sports ‘fanatic’ in the truest sense of the word. She enjoys playing, coaching, and watching multiple sports. She has seen the impact that athletics can have in furthering success of young people. Ms. Romer’s undergraduate studies were in history and political science at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Later, she earned her M.Ed in secondary school studies with an endorsement in transition special education from The George Washington University. Her love of sport and inspiration from her student athletes took her on another path, to then earn an M.S. in sports business from New York University.

Susan LaGrande
Susan holds a PhD in clinical psychology and works in Anchorage. She is also an artist who takes inspiration from Alaska's marine landscape.

David Tarcy
David has lived in and loved Alaska’s natural and cultural histories for over twenty years. He owns and operates Alaska Research and Evaluation Services, and works primarily with school districts, non-profits, and state agencies. He holds a Ph.D. in educational technology from New York University.

Ex-Officio

Julie Decker, Museum Director & CEO
Anchorage Museum at Rasmusen Center