Meet the Board
The Alaska Constitution provides that the Redistricting Board consist of five members appointed by the Governor, Senate President, Speaker of the House and Chief Justice of the Alaska Supreme Court. See Governing Law >
The 2020 Redistricting Board membership is:
Melanie Bahnke
Melanie Bahnke is the President/CEO of Kawerak, Inc., the regional non-profit tribal consortium in the Bering Strait Region of Alaska. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Rural Development from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, and a Bachelor of Education degree in Elementary Education from the University of Alaska, Anchorage.
Melanie was raised in rural Alaska in a rich cultural and subsistence lifestyle, and speaks St. Lawrence Island Yupik as her first language. Melanie was selected as the recipient of the Howard Rock Alaska Native Leadership award in 2020. She serves and has served on many other statewide boards and commissions.
Melanie is married to Kevin Bahnke and together they have three children. The family enjoys hunting, fishing, and camping in the Nome area.
Melanie Bahnke was appointed by the Chief Justice of the Alaska Supreme Court – Alaska Constitution, Article VI, §8(b)
Nicole Borromeo
Nicole Borromeo serves as the Executive Vice President and General Counsel for the Alaska Federation of Natives, the oldest and largest Native organization in Alaska. In addition to providing executive level leadership, Ms. Borromeo advises AFN’s Board and President on a wide array of Alaska Native legislative and litigation matters, including civil and voting rights.
Her legal work has included researching policies, regulations, and laws related to federally recognized tribes, analyzing matters impacting Alaska Native corporations, and representing tribes and tribal consortia in a variety of areas, including governmental affairs, business transactions, and infrastructure development.
Ms. Borromeo’s volunteer civic engagement includes participation on the U.S. Department of Energy’s Indian Country Energy and Infrastructure Workgroup, to which she was appointed in 2017; and the U.S. Census Bureau’s National Advisory Committee on Race, Ethnicity, and Other Groups, to which she was appointed in 2019. Additionally, she is a Founding Board Member of Justice Not Politics Alaska, a nonpartisan organization promoting the independence of Alaska’s judiciary, but no longer serves on the Board.
Since 2008, Ms. Borromeo has also acted as a mentor to high school students who are considering legal and judicial careers through the Color of Justice Program.
Ms. Borromeo is a shareholder of Doyon, Limited, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act regional corporation for Interior Alaska, and the Board Chairman for MTNT, Ltd., the ANCSA village corporation representing four Interior Alaska villages.
Ms. Borromeo resides in Anchorage with her husband and four children
Nicole Borromeo was appointed by the Speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives – Alaska Constitution, Article VI, §8(b)
John Binkley
A life-long Alaskan from Fairbanks, John Binkley serves as Chairman of his family’s business, Godspeed, Inc. In 1977, John and his wife, Judy, moved to the Bethel area, where they started Northwest Navigation, barging freight on the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers. It was there that he became involved in public service, first on the Bethel City Council in the early 80’s and then representing the region in the Alaska House of Representatives.
John subsequently served in the Alaska State Senate, representing a district with 74 different communities. As a pilot since 1970, John flew extensively to serve a senate district the size of California and Washington combined. John has an extensive record of civic service, including serving as chairman of the Alaska Railroad Corporation from 1997 to 2011.
He currently serves on several other corporate and nonprofit boards. John and his wife Judy have four adult children and ten grandkids, all in Alaska. Outside of family, aviation and hockey are his passions.
John Binkley serves as the Board Chairman after being appointed by the Alaska Senate President – Alaska Constitution, Article VI, §8(b)
Bethany Marcum
Bethany Marcum has made Alaska her home for over 25 years. She currently works as CEO of Alaska Policy Forum, a state policy nonprofit. She also serves as a citizen airman in the Alaska Air National Guard. She previously worked for the Alaska State Legislature, Alaska USA Federal Credit Union, and MACtel. Bethany has a B.A. from the University of Missouri and a M.S. from the University of Illinois. She has volunteered many years with a variety of community and civic organizations. She and her husband Conley enjoy hunting together.
Bethany Marcum was appointed by the Governor of Alaska – Alaska Constitution, Article VI, §8(b)
Budd Simpson
Budd Simpson is an attorney in private practice in Juneau since 1977. His practice focuses on corporate matters, particularly Alaska Native Corporations, business and commercial transactions. He has a Juris Doctorate from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. He is a member of the Bars of Alaska and California, and licensed to practice in all Alaska State and Federal courts, including the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of International Trade, and is an elected member of the American Law Institute. He is married to Paulette Simpson. They have three adult children and live in Douglas, Alaska.
Budd Simpson was appointed by the Governor of Alaska – Alaska Constitution, Article VI, §8(b)