Naomi "Kaasei" Michalsen

Naomi "Kaasei" "Daaw Da Oo" Michalsen is Tlingit from Southeast Alaska. Kassei was her grandmother's name and means "higher voice." Her great-grandmother's name was Daaw Da Oo. Naomi is Áak'w Kwáan (people of Auke Bay). She is of the Eagle/Wolf Moiety. and the Wooshkeetaan clan. She comes from the Shark House, and her ancestral home is Berners Bay (Daxanáak). Her father's people are T'akdeintaan from Hoonah, and as well as European descent. She also has some Japanese and Filipino heritage.

Naomi currently lives in Ketchikan, Alaska and owns and operates Kaasei Training and Consulting. She is dedicated to the health and wellness of families and communities, and has more than 25 years of experience working as an advocate, coach, presenter, indigenous chef and cultural specialist. Naomi is especially passionate about discovering the power of indigenous plants and foods, and has her certification in Ethnobotany from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. She has served as an instructor at culture camps, school and university programs and local plant walks. She leads plant harvesting and plant knowledge workshops, and is one of the founders of the Kaayani Sister's Council and developer of Respectful Harvesting Guidelines for the use of plants. She appreciates sharing time with elders and other plant enthusiasts, pursuing her love of traditional Native foods and medicines, and her favorite thing to do is gather local foods and plants. Naomi also is a member of the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault’s Pathways Statewide Steering Committee.