Issues

Commonwealth North is dedicated to our mission of providing non-partisan, thoughtful insight and conversation on the key issues facing Alaska and Alaskans.

We give focus to discussion of fiscal, energy, health care and education topics that are significant components and drivers on the Alaska economy. We are unique in that we encourage and expect our members to join in and contribute to the conversation. This is unique among our peers in Alaska and America and is one of the reasons that we attract speakers and garner respect from our state’s and our nations decision makers.

Our methodology is three-fold:

We hold monthly programs open to the public and featuring panels of subject matter experts to address all sides of a specific and timely issue. These provide a unique opportunity for engaged Alaskans to talk directly with the decision makers shaping policy in Alaska.

We foster a series of action coalitions dedicated to a single issue. These independent groups of committed volunteers from among our membership meet regularly to research, discussion and ultimately report out on both the challenges and possible solutions that our state’s leaders can embrace. These include study groups on the same topics, meeting on a regular basis with expert speakers to provide insight and updates on evolving conditions in the state.

We also present several unique programs each year. Our annual Walter Hickel Award, in honor of one of our founders, Gov. Walter Hickel, recognizes an Alaskan leader who has devoted his or her life to improving Alaska and the quality of life of Alaskans. Each spring we present our annual Alaska Assets Review, an update for our citizen stakeholders of the state’s resources.