Alana Peterson, MBA

Executive Director, Spruce Root

Gah Kith Tin Alana Peterson is Tlingit from Diginaa Hit, Luknhadi, and grew up and lives in Sitka, Alaska. Alana has more than ten years of experience in education and training business development, including two years as a Peace Corps volunteer teaching Small Business Development on the southern coast of Peru.

She served as a program director at Haa Aani LLC, a Sealaska Corporation subsidiary, which would spin off into its own 501(c)3 as Spruce Root Inc. In 2013 Alana launched the Path to Prosperity Business Development Competition. The competition became a model program for business development in Alaska and Washington state. She also served as program director for the Sustainable Southeast Partnership, a network of over 25 partner organizations throughout the region, and worked closely with village tribes, Native corporations, and tribal members.

Alana currently serves as the executive director of Spruce Root, a Native community development financial institution that assists Southeast Alaska residents and businesses through loan capital and support services. In 2021, Spruce Root was recognized and received a Native CDFI Seed Capital Award for delivering one-on-one technical assistance to startups and entrepreneurs and helping support them in applying for Spruce Root’s micro-loan program.

She holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Charleston Southern University in South Carolina with a minor in Spanish and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Northern Arizona University. Alana serves on the UAS Business Advisory Council, is a board trustee for Outer Coast, and serves on the boards for Sitka Sound Science Center and Sitka Chamber of Commerce.