Koahnic Broadcast Corp. Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 29, 2026
Koahnic Broadcast Corporation Campaign Earns National Communicator Award Recognition for Marketing Effectiveness
National award honors milestone campaign that helped Koahnic achieve its largest Alaska Native Art Auction fundraising total to date.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Koahnic Broadcast Corporation (KBC) announced that the campaign supporting its 30th Annual Alaska Native Art Auction has been recognized with an Award of Distinction in the 32nd Annual Communicator Awards. The campaign was honored in the Campaign, Non-Profit category for Marketing Effectiveness.
The national award recognizes the strategy, messaging, communications, and campaign execution behind a milestone effort that helped Koahnic raise approximately $286,000, its largest fundraising total to date for the Alaska Native Art Auction. The campaign also helped generate statewide press attention in Alaska and opened national media conversations within the public media sector. Koahnic’s recognition places the organization’s campaign in a competitive national class that included PBS Reno, Arizona PBS, AT&T Multimedia, Bank of America, and other organizations and brands recognized by the Communicator Awards.
“This national recognition affirms the strategy and effort behind one of the most successful fundraising efforts in Koahnic’s history,” said Jaclyn Sallee, President and CEO of Koahnic Broadcast Corporation. “The 30th Annual Alaska Native Art Auction was an important milestone for our organization, but this award specifically recognizes the communications and marketing work that helped elevate the event, strengthen engagement, and connect supporters to the future of Indigenous-led public media.”
The 30th Annual Alaska Native Art Auction raised critical support for KBC’s national Indigenous media platforms, including KNBA 90.3 FM, National Native News, Native America Calling, and the Native Voice One network, which distributes Indigenous-led programming to stations nationwide. The campaign helped position the Art Auction not only as a signature fundraising event, but also as a platform for advancing Koahnic’s long-term visibility, donor engagement, and organizational resilience.
The award-winning campaign also supported the public launch of Koahnic 2030, a multi-year initiative focused on strengthening the organization’s digital presence, expanding sustainable revenue, and advancing a more financially resilient future for Indigenous-led public media.
The campaign was developed in partnership with Strategic Arc Limited, a minority and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned consultancy that works at the intersection of strategy, communications, and marketing. Strategic Arc supported Koahnic with campaign strategy, messaging, communications, public relations, and marketing assets tied to the 30th Annual Alaska Native Art Auction and Koahnic 2030.
“This award recognizes what Koahnic set out to do with intention: bring greater visibility to a milestone event, strengthen donor engagement, and connect the urgency of Indigenous-led public media with measurable fundraising outcomes,” said DaWayne Cleckley, President of Strategic Arc Limited. “The campaign’s success reflects Jaclyn’s leadership, Koahnic’s team, and the power of coordinated strategy, messaging, and execution. We were honored to support work that helped generate record fundraising results and national recognition for a vital Indigenous media organization.”
The Communicator Awards is one of the largest and most competitive awards programs honoring excellence in marketing, communications, and creative work. The 32nd Annual Communicator Awards received more than 3,000 entries from agencies, global brands, digital agencies, production studios, in-house communications teams, designers, public relations firms, and independent creators.
The awards are sanctioned and reviewed by the Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts, an invitation-only body of more than 1,100 industry leaders from acclaimed brands, institutions, and agencies. This year’s jury included professionals from organizations such as JPMorgan Chase & Co., FedEx, Netflix, Big Spaceship, National Geographic Society, Accenture Song, Critical Mass, NAACP, The Andy Warhol Museum, and others.
“We are in an era of information and content overload. Breaking through requires the right message, medium, and moment,” said Josh Campbell, AIVA General Manager. “This season's winners got it exactly right, across campaigns, video series, annual reports, podcasts, websites and apps, immersive experiences, brand style guides and beyond. We are deeply grateful to the AIVA Jury for the expertise, curiosity and dedication they brought to recognizing this work. We're honored to spotlight the winners whose work was truly Well Said.”
The Award of Distinction recognizes work that meets a high standard of excellence in its category. For Koahnic, the recognition underscores the role of effective marketing and communications in strengthening support for Indigenous-led public media at a time when trusted Native voices, journalism, language, and culture remain essential across Alaska and the nation.
A link to Koahnic Broadcast Corporation’s 32nd Annual Communicator Awards win and campaign can be found here:
About Koahnic Broadcast Corporation
Koahnic Broadcast Corporation is a national Indigenous media organization dedicated to amplifying Native voices, stories, and perspectives. Koahnic operates KNBA 90.3 FM, National Native News, Native America Calling, and distributes programming to stations nationwide through the Native Voice One network. Together, these platforms serve Indigenous, rural, and urban communities with trusted journalism, cultural programming, and storytelling.
About Strategic Arc Limited
Strategic Arc Limited is an award-winning, minority and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned consultancy that works at the intersection of strategy, communications, and marketing to empower missions that transform communities. The firm partners with mission-driven organizations, including institutions whose work reaches local, regional, and national audiences, to facilitate strategic planning, move strategy into action, and develop marketing and communications strategies that strengthen engagement and expand community impact.
About The Communicator Awards
The Communicator Awards recognize excellence, effectiveness, and innovation across all areas of communication. For 32 years, the platform has provided an equal opportunity for companies, agencies, organizations, and independent creators to be honored, regardless of team size or project budget. The Communicator Awards is sanctioned and reviewed by the Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts.
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Press Inquiries are Welcome, Contact:
Jaclyn Sallee
President and CEO
jsallee@knba.org
(907) 793-3501
Thea Lawton
Chief Development Officer
tlawton@knba.org
(907) 748-8805
3600 San Jeronimo Drive Suite 480
Anchorage, AK 99508