NANA
Employees Work Together
to Hunker Down
Shareholder Relations
Adapts to COVID-19
Beginning in March, hunker
down orders in the Northwest
Arctic Borough and Anchorage
meant many NANA employees
began working from home. NANA’s
information technology (IT) department
had to work quickly to help with the
transition to ensure operations and
support functions remained on track.
To prepare, the IT team matched
employees with laptops and launched
new technology platforms to keep remote
employees connected – all in a matter of
days. IT also helped employees forward
their work calls to their cell phones and
monitored possible electronic fraud
schemes by scammers looking to take
advantage of the unprecedented situation.
A small IT crew remained onsite for
tasks that required direct assistance
and diligently practiced social
distancing, regular sanitation and
frequent cleaning, including no-contact
equipment pickups for any employees
who needed items from the office.
Remote IT employees were fully available
to staff for assistance and answered
questions throughout the transition.
Rick Janitscheck, IT manager, and
Rick Reese, director of IT operations,
thank their cooperative team members
and acknowledge the willingness of
all employees to make the adjustment,
allowing NANA to continue to offer
services to shareholders and clients. •
Visit nana.com/covid-19 for updates
The NANA IT and communications
teams launched a webpage on
nana.com specifically dedicated to
NANA’s response to the COVID-19
pandemic. As the situation continues
to evolve, the page serves as a
gathering place for organizational
updates meant to keep shareholders,
employees and the public informed.
Promoting employment readiness
While the job market has slowed during
COVID-19, shareholder relations has
been busy preparing shareholders for
upcoming jobs this summer season,
including updating Taleo profiles and
resumes and sharing talent information
in partnership with the recruiting
department and hiring managers.
If you’re looking for work, please
reach out to shareholder relations for
assistance with your job search.
College internship program
cancelled for summer
To better protect the best interests
and safety of shareholder students
and their families during the
COVID-19 pandemic, NANA
made the difficult decision to
cancel the 2020 summer internship
program, including internships
at NANA and our subsidiaries.
“Our main priority is the health and
safety of our people,” said Gia Hanna,
NANA’s vice president of shareholder
relations. “Though this decision
was tough, it in no way diminishes
the hard work and achievements
of our shareholder students. We
are all very proud of you and look
forward to working with you in the
near future. During this time, please
continue to find ways to be social
while keeping physical distance.”
If you have questions about future
internship opportunities, please
contact Annette Zella at annette.
[email protected] or (907) 265-4362
or toll-free at (800) 478-2000. •
What Working from Home Looks Like for Me
“KUUGAURAQ” ANN
HOWARTH
Shareholder Employment
Outreach Coordinator
KRISTINE COUSE
Onboarding Administrator
NICOLE STOOPS
Director of External Affairs
HILDA HAAS
External Affairs Manager
and Language and Culture
Project Manager
CHACE, ALEX JR. AND PAIGE
The grandchildren of Kivalina
SRC Janet Mitchell
“I’ve been with NANA since
October 2019 and have
experienced my very first
‘work from home.’ Although
we have access to the internet
and the capability to have our
office phones transferred to our
homes, it is definitely a different
time. We are unable to greet
our coworkers with a, ‘Good
morning!’ or, ‘Have a good
day!’ I am very thankful to be
able to help our shareholders
when they call, email or text.
During my lunch, I’ve helped
my niece Alanna with her
homework. We sit at the same
table; she is quiet when I
teleconference and has learned
how I speak to shareholders
as I try to help them the
best I can. As we continue
to practice safety, please be
careful and make memories
with family and friends.”
“Since working from home,
I’ve had to make some minor
changes in how I do my daily
work, which now consists of
doing everything online or
via text message. I process all
camp services new employees
and transfers for NMS, which
includes new hire paperwork
and coordinating drug tests,
pre-hire physicals, fit-for-duty
tests, training and badging.
My ‘home office’ includes some
new coworkers – my daughter,
Nhyla, and beagle, Tank.”
“I started working for
NANA on March 13, right
before the pandemic office
closures. Fortunately, I can
stay connected with the
external affairs team through
technology. While working
from home, I also spend time
teaching my sons, Casey (5th
grade) and Cale (4th grade). I
help them with their homework
packets during the lunch
hour. Here I am helping Cale
with his math assignment.”
“First of all, I miss everyone at
NANA and being engaged with
people face-to-face but am very
thankful to IT and leadership
for the capability to function
at home. I am grateful for my
team in staying very connected
via teleconference, phone calls
and texts for updates on our
work. My biggest adjustment
was not seeing the people who
I engage with every day and
working alongside my new
coworker, Gary (my husband).
I took over his office, and he
moved his work to a table.
I’m looking forward to seeing
everyone very soon. Please stay
healthy. Aarigaa quyana.”
Janet Mitchell is the shareholder
relations coordinator for
Kivalina. She began working
from home along with the rest
of the shareholder relations
team, assisting shareholders
with their needs and helping
with various in-region
communications including
VHF announcements. She also
contributed to a NANA social
media message highlighting
the importance of the hunker
down orders and the serious
risks of not complying. Her
grandchildren are pictured
with the sign they created for
the social media message. She
has taken the Northwest Arctic
Borough mandates seriously
and has been staying home
to protect her community.
At time of publication, employees at NANA’s Anchorage office have begun returning to the office, though the building remains closed to the public.
HUNTER | 2020 June
5