Lucy Hansen (Executive Director)
Lusiana “Lucy” Tuga Hansen was born in Ta'u Manu'a, Pago Pago American Samoa. In 1985, she moved to Alaska to be closer to family.  In the early 2000s, Hansen began teaching elders in the Pacific Islander community computer literacy courses.  She later became the founder and CEO of the Polynesian Association of Alaska in 2005, which is a nonprofit organization with the mission to support individuals, improve families by promoting education, and instill cultural pride in youth. Hansen also started a Polynesian Culture Saturday School in partnership with the Anchorage School District teaching our Samoan and Tongan Language and Culture in Anchorage.  She also served as a board member of Bridge Builders of Anchorage from 2018 to 2019 and was honored as the Vice President of Bridge Builders of Anchorage.

On June 30, 2005 she hosted the first Polynesian Culture Flag Day in Alaska and the first Polynesian (Samoa) woman to raise the American Samoa, Independent Samoa, and our Sister Island of Tonga National Flags in the soil of Anchorage Alaska. In recognition of her advocacy for the Polynesian community, she was honored a Chief Samoan Title Name, Muaimalae Tuga Hansen, from the Atoali’i organization in Hawaii and California.  She also earned many other awards, including the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Women “Champions of Change” Award from the White House, the “Women of Achievement Award” from the YWCA of Alaska, the Presidential Award from Bridge Builders of Anchorage 2021 and recently received the Community Heart Award 2022 through Anchorage Community Land Trust.  Lusiana is a true Pacific Island Leader for her people and her community. Pacific Islands are (Polynesian, Micronesian, Melanesian).