The Northern Alaska Environmental Center Board of Directors is announcing a leadership transition that will help guide the organization through its current period of revitalization and renewal.
Effective April 2, 2026, Krystal Lapp will serve as Interim Executive Director of the Northern Alaska Environmental Center. As part of this transition, Krystal will step down from her role as President of the NAEC Board of Directors.
Following this change, Vice President Jeffery Groenke will assume the role of Board President, helping ensure continued leadership and governance oversight for the organization.
Krystal has been closely involved in guiding the Northern Center through the past several months as the organization has worked to strengthen internal systems, refine its programs, and position the Center for the future. Stepping into the interim executive role will allow her to focus directly on supporting contractors providing vital services, strengthening partnerships, and advancing NAEC’s mission during this important period.
Throughout this revitalization process, Krystal remained actively engaged in the issues affecting Alaska’s environment in her role as a board member. She continued monitoring current developments, providing policy analysis on emerging environmental and public lands issues, and helping ensure NAEC members and partners stayed informed and connected to the work. This work helped ensure that the Northern Center remained informed, engaged, and present in key conversations during this transition.
Krystal brings extensive experience in habitat conservation, ecosystem stewardship, climate and environmental policy, renewable energy development, and Tribal engagement across Alaska. Her work has focused on protecting the ecological systems that sustain Alaska’s communities, including fish and wildlife habitat, salmon ecosystems, and the broader landscapes that support subsistence and biodiversity.
She has worked on issues affecting communities across Alaska, including fisheries management, subsistence protections, climate resilience, and stewardship of public lands and wildlife habitat. Her work has involved close collaboration with Tribal governments, conservation organizations, and community leaders across the state to protect Alaska’s lands, waters, and traditional ways of life.
Earlier in her career, Krystal also worked in Alaska’s renewable energy sector, supporting solar energy development and community clean-energy initiatives in Interior and rural Alaska. This work focused on expanding access to renewable energy solutions and strengthening community resilience as Alaska responds to changing climate and energy challenges. She also advocated for Senate Bill 152, the legislation that established Alaska’s community energy framework and opened the door for community solar programs that allow more Alaskans to benefit from renewable energy.
Over the past six months, NAEC’s board has worked diligently to revitalize the organization’s internal structure, strengthen governance, and position the Center for the future. The leadership transition announced today is part of that continued effort to ensure the organization remains strong, stable, and mission-focused.
For more than fifty years, the Northern Center has served as a place where Alaskans come together to share information, engage in environmental issues, and advocate for the protection of the lands and waters that define this region. As the Northern Center enters this next chapter, the organization remains grounded in the same commitment to community engagement, thoughtful advocacy, and stewardship of Alaska’s ecosystems that has guided its work since its founding.
As Interim Executive Director, Krystal will serve as the organization’s sole staff member during this transition period, working closely with the board, contractors, and partner organizations to continue advancing NAEC’s work. Her focus will be on strengthening partnerships, coordinating with contractors and coalition partners, expanding member engagement, and building upon the Northern Center’s long legacy of conservation advocacy in Alaska.
For NAEC members and supporters, the message is clear: the work continues. The Northern Center remains committed to the mission that has guided the organization for more than 55 years—promoting conservation and sustainable stewardship of Alaska’s environment through education and advocacy.
Northern Center looks forward to continuing this work alongside our members and partners as we move into its next chapter.