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Top Alaska Federation of Natives attorney named to state redistricting board

The Alaska Federation of Natives’ top lawyer will join a five-person board tasked with redrawing the state’s legislative districts – based on the 2020 Census.

Since 2014, Nicole Borromeo has been general counsel and executive vice president of the Alaska Federation of Natives.

Borromeo is the fourth person named to the board. She was appointed by Alaska House Speaker Bryce Edgmon. Edgmon is an independent from Dillingham.

Once the U.S. Census Bureau delivers the state’s 2020 data next year, the board must deliver a new electoral map within 90 days. The board will redraw the House and Senate districts based on the state’s population.

Since the board’s creation by a 1998 constitutional amendment, the maps have been challenged in court.

Originally from McGrath, Alaska, Borromeo lives in Anchorage with her family.

She is a Doyon Limited shareholder and serves as board chairman for MTNT Limited, a village corporation that represents the four Interior villages of McGrath, Takotna, Nikolai and Telid.

Governor Mike Dunleavy made the first two selections – Bethany Marcum of Anchorage and E. Budd Simpson of Juneau -- to the five-person board.

Senate President Cathy Giessel named John Binkley, a Fairbanks businessman and former Republican legislator to the board.

State Supreme Court Chief Justice Joel Bolger will name the fifth member of the board. 

Originally from the Midwest, Tripp Crouse (Ojibwe, a descendent of Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, pronouns: they/them) has 15-plus years in print, web and radio journalism. Tripp first moved to Alaska in 2016 to work with KTOO Public Media in Juneau. And later moved to Anchorage in 2018 to work with KNBA and Koahnic Broadcast Corporation. Tripp currently works for Spruce Root in Juneau, Alaska. Tripp also served as chair of the Station Advisory Committee for Native Public Media.