Love of Bethel inspires Zulkosky to come home, serve

MATT NEVALA

July 24, 2008 at 4:26PM AKST

The board game is called “Settlers of Catan,” and it’s little wonder Tiffany Zulkosky and her pals make time to play it when social calendars allow.

In the game, players build roads, settlements and eventually cities as they establish colonies on the uninhabited island of Catan.

“It sounds really nerdy,” said Val Thomas, Zulkosky’s longtime friend.

But as she gets more involved in real-life public service and the political scene of Bethel and the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Zulkosky will likely count on game-night cunning and the exuberance of youth to benefit the region she loves.

Zulkosky, 24, was born and raised in Bethel. In October, she was overwhelmingly voted onto Bethel’s City Council. She also serves on the Chamber of Commerce board.

She recently took over as the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corp.’s public information officer.

Some may see it as rather heady work for a “kid,” someone who graduated from Bethel Regional High School in 2002 and from Northwest University in Washington with a degree in organizational communication in 2006.

Zulkosky sees it as a calling for her to build a better Bethel.

“I think I’m somewhat of an idealist, but not in the sense that I don’t understand what life is really like,” she said. “It’s in the sense that I want more for my community.”

While many twenty-somethings fresh out of college pine to see the world or land the first big-paying gig, Zulkosky left Northwest University with one intention. She was determined to return home.

“For a couple of years, I thought I would become a journalist in a metropolitan area,” Zulkosky said. “But by the end of my sophomore year, being outside of Alaska made me fall in love with it all over again.

“I left Bethel and returned with a deeper understanding of what it is, its unique traits and characteristics. I had the same feeling any young person does when they graduate.

They want to go out and accomplish big things.”

Zulkosky wants that. She just wants it in Bethel.

“This is where her Native roots are, it’s where she gets some of her inspiration,” said Thomas, who graduated from high school with Zulkosky. “This is Tiffany. Her getting involved is no surprise. I think it’s amazing.”

Zulkosky said a passion for public service was born during her time in high school. She thanked teacher Joe Koon and others with igniting it.

“A lot of young people were encouraged to be socially aware, I think that set a foundation,” Zulkosky said.

When asked prior to the election to discuss why she ran for City Council, Zulkosky pointed to a Y-K Delta youth movement of sorts. She referenced a 2000 census report that said nearly 50 percent of the population in the city and region was and is 24 or younger.

It only made sense that the demographic be represented in local government, and Zulkosky said she was raised to make it a responsibility to do so.

“When I was campaigning, I was getting a lot of positive feedback from young people,” she said.

But one of the difficulties presented during her time on the Council has been dealing with those who may treat Zulkosky as if she’s too green to govern.

“Some people say how great it is that I’m involved, but it’s also made some people uncomfortable,” she said. “Comments I think are inappropriate have been made about me being naive or young. But half of the region’s population is this age and I think it does all of us a disservice to discount us because of our age.

“At some point, that can’t be what the focus is on. My age is not what propelled me to be involved. But when comments have come out in Council meetings I think are inappropriate, I’ve handled them professionally.”

On the City Council now for more half a year, Zulkosky has slowly pieced together a sense of what local government is about.

“Democracy is a slow process,” she said. “When you’re not directly involved, you don’t realize the amount of time and teamwork it takes. You don’t really have the option of pushing your own agenda. You have to work with others.”

Zulkosky didn’t waste time making things happen once she sat on the Council. She remains proud of the first ordinance she proposed — reducing from one year to six months the amount of time needed to live in Bethel before qualifying to sit on a city board or commission — passed.

“At the time, a lot of vacancies on committee and commissions existed, and a couple of people tried to get involved who had only been here for nine months,” she said.

Between her full-time job and spending varying hours each week on Council, Chamber of Commerce and other business, Zulkosky’s social life takes the occasional hit.

“Sometimes I feel like I never have a life, but I do a lot of planning ahead with friends,” she said.

Game nights, camping and attending fish camps get on the docket when possible.

“It kind of goes in cycles,” Thomas said. “There are times when she needs to relax at her house, and on another week we’ll hang out every other day.”

Thomas suspects Zulkosky’s passion for public service and government will expand to the statewide level eventually.

“She has hinted about it,” Thomas said.

But like any good game player, “Settlers of Catan” or otherwise, Zulkosky isn’t laying all her cards on the table.

“I’m focused on my career, I have a new job I love that I’m growing into,” Zulkosky said. “I don’t know what the future holds, but 20, 30 years from now I expect to be involved.

“If it’s not in Bethel, it will be for this area, because Western Alaska is so amazing.”

Matt Nevala can be reached at (907) 348-2480 or toll free at (800) 770-9830, ext. 480.

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