Tlingit & Haida welcomes Maude Blair as General Counsel. In this role, Blair will provide executive-level legal counsel across a wide range of areas, including tribal governance, federal-tribal relations, jurisdiction, natural resources, economic development, and employment law. She will advise tribal leadership, including the Tribal Assembly and Executive Council, while helping protect tribal assets and uphold tribal sovereignty.
“Maude brings more than two decades of experience advising tribes, Alaska Native corporations, and Native-serving organizations on issues critical to our future, including sovereignty, governance, and federal-tribal relations,” said Tlingit & Haida President Chalyee Éesh Richard Peterson. “Her leadership reflects a strong understanding of the legal and cultural complexities our Tribe navigates every day. We are confident her guidance will strengthen our governance, protect our assets, and expand opportunities for our citizens for generations to come.”
Blair brings extensive experience advising tribal organizations, Alaska Native corporations and statewide entities on complex legal, governance and policy matters. She has provided executive-level counsel to senior leadership and boards on ANCSA compliance, corporate governance, enterprise risk, and land and natural resource issues, as well as overseeing legal operations and supporting long-term strategic planning. She has also supported significant governance actions, including a historic shareholder vote to open enrollment to descendants.
Prior to joining Tlingit & Haida, Blair served as Senior Corporate Counsel for Southcentral Foundation, advising on self-governance, federal-tribal relations, and business operations, including work under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA). She has also held roles with the Alaska Federation of Natives and NANA Development Corporation.
“It is an honor to join Tlingit & Haida,” said Maude Blair. “As an Iñupiaq woman raised in rural Alaska, my work is guided by the teachings of our Elders and a commitment to protecting our lands, cultures and ways of life. I believe the role of General Counsel is not only to provide sound legal advice, but to ensure decisions reflect the Tribe’s values and vision. I look forward to working alongside the great legal team here to strengthen the Tribe’s legal framework and to protect the Tribe’s interests, self-determination, governance, and inherent sovereignty.”
Originally from Kiana and Kotzebue, Alaska, Blair is Iñupiaq. She earned her undergraduate degrees from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and Juris Doctor and Indian Law Certificate from Arizona State University.