nov. 6, 2025 Arctic Leadership Lecture Series
Journalism Panel
Join journalists Gary Black (Anchorage Daily News), Diana Haecker (The Nome Nugget), Sage Smiley (KYUK), and Ollie Williams (Cabin Radio) for a conversation on storytelling and truth-telling across the Arctic. From Alaska to the Northwest Territories, they鈥檒l explore how northern newsrooms uphold community voices, navigate change, and sustain local journalism in some of the world鈥檚 most remote regions.
Meet the Panelists
Gary Black
Opinion Editor
Anchorage Daily News
Gary Black is a veteran Alaska journalist who spent nearly two decades at the 海角论坛 Daily News-Miner before joining the Anchorage Daily News. He has served as copy editor, managing editor, and features editor, shaping coverage that connects statewide issues to everyday Alaskans. Known for his mentorship and editorial rigor, he continues to champion quality regional journalism.
Diana Haecker
Co-Publisher
The Nome Nugget
Diana Haecker is the co-publisher, editor, and longtime reporter of The Nome Nugget, Alaska鈥檚 oldest weekly newspaper. She has reported on the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race since 2003 and, together with Nils Hahn, wrote, edited, and published Mushing Magazine for several years. Her work delivers in-depth, hard-hitting news coverage of the Nome, Norton Sound and Bering Strait region.
Sage Smiley
News Director
KYUK
Sage Smiley is the news director at KYUK in Bethel, Alaska, where she leads community-driven reporting across the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. A lifelong audio storyteller, she began producing radio as a teenager and has since worked with Alaska Public Media, KDLG, and other regional outlets. Her journalism blends sound-rich narrative craft with a deep respect for place and people.