H. Robin Samuelsen

H. Robin Samuelsen, Jr. lives in Dillingham, Alaska. He was born in 1951 in Dillingham. A lifelong fisherman, Robin is known for his passion for fisheries. In the early 1990s, he served on the Alaska Board of Fisheries, shaping policies and regulations in the interest of subsistence, commercial and personal-use fishermen statewide. As a member of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, he promoted Alaska’s interests at the federal level. There, he worked toward an equitable approach to the rationalization of the Bering Sea crab fisheries, and he helped set the stage for important policy decisions on salmon bycatch in Western Alaska. In both organizations, Robin was a forceful voice for Alaska Natives on state and federal fisheries issues. In more recent years, as CEO and board president of Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation (BBEDC) in Dillingham, Robin has led efforts to establish several scholarships and programs to support students in achieving their college education goals. Under his guidance, BBEDC committed nearly $1 million in educational funding in 2010 to Bristol Bay-region residents. Throughout his career, Robin has been a champion for educational and economic improvement in communities across Bristol Bay and throughout Alaska. In 2012, Robin received an honorary doctor of laws degree from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.