Albert Rinehart said he is settling into his role as tribal administrator for the Wrangell Cooperative Association, emphasizing continuity, collaboration and cautious growth as he charts the path ahead.

Rinehart, who started the job in June, said his first priority is to carry forward the projects launched under former administrator Esther Aaltséen Reese and to advance goals set by the tribal council. He credited Reese and the council for elevating the organization’s profile and capacity.

“They put Wrangell on the map with a lot of firsts for small tribes,” Rinehart said. “My job is to keep that momentum going and deliver on the council’s priorities.”

Those priorities, he said, include building partnerships that benefit all of Wrangell, expanding tourism opportunities in a way that supports the tribe’s programs and economic development, and investing in services that make WCA more responsive to community needs.

To that end, WCA recently received a proposed marketing plan from Paradise Advertising & Marketing, a firm hired to help shape the tribe’s tourism strategy. Rinehart described the plan as comprehensive and said the tribe is weighing its next steps.

“It’s a multi-faceted plan and it’s a good one,” he said. “We’re deciding how we’re going to proceed and take action with the plan.”

Tourism, he said, is a clear area for growth, with potential benefits for WCA and local businesses. Rinehart pointed to early talks in the community about American Cruise Lines and the possibility of a new dock as an example of opportunities that could emerge.

“As the opportunity arises with the borough and American Cruise Lines possibly building a new dock, we could look at that as a way to help us, too,” he said. “I believe something like that would require us to open up a dialogue of some kind with the cruise line. The WCA does see the potential in that.”

Rinehart said WCA also has invested in transportation. The organization recently acquired three passenger vans — two with 14 seats and a 12-passenger vehicle with two wheelchair spaces — to support programs and future tourism offerings.

“We’re working on a strategy for how to utilize those next year,” he said. “That would involve hiring more people.”

Beyond operations and economic development, Rinehart said he is encouraged by broader shifts in the community’s cultural climate. After years living in Juneau, he returned to Wrangell to find what he described as a more cohesive atmosphere around Alaska Native language, culture and identity.

“It really wasn’t that long ago — as recent as within my generation — that things were different here,” he said. “There was a time when we were discouraged from learning our Native language and learning about our culture. Things don’t feel as divisive now.”

Rinehart recalled earlier eras when neighborhoods seemed separated by class and background. While those realities have not disappeared, he said they feel less pronounced today.

“It was like we had the upper middle class in one area, the lower income in another area and the Natives in another area from there,” he said. “But that seems to have changed. That’s a good thing. I noticed there are more blended families, and that probably has something to do with it.”

He credited sustained work by WCA and other organizations across Southeast Alaska for preserving and revitalizing cultural heritage.

“Throughout Southeast, there have been pockets of people and organizations who worked to keep the heritage alive,” he said. “Things started small and slow, but now they’re moving along better.”

Rinehart said those efforts matter for individuals as well as institutions. He believes some Indigenous people continue to wrestle with identity and belonging, and he hopes WCA can help provide space for connection and healing.

“There’s a whole healing process that’s happening today,” he said. “Things seem more cohesive, and I’m proud to be a part of that.”

While he is focused on implementing council directives and near-term projects, Rinehart said he views his role through a long-term lens: strengthening WCA’s capacity, broadening partnerships and ensuring that growth — whether in tourism, services or infrastructure — aligns with community values.

“The council is focused on initiatives that will benefit all citizens of Wrangell,” he said. “My goal is to work with our partners to make that happen.”