Sealaska Corp. has elected Sarah Dybdahl as the company’s new president following a 17-month search and restructuring of top leadership.

Dybdahl, the first woman to serve as Sealaska’s president, is currently the director to the Office of the President for the Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, according to a press release issued by Sealaska on Aug. 25.

She is also a previous executive director of the Huna Heritage Foundation and has been involved with several other Alaska Native organizations.

“Growing up in Klawock, I was shaped by the strength of our people and our culture, and I look forward to building on that foundation to create opportunities that uplift our communities for generations to come,” Dybdahl said in a prepared statement.

She replaces former president and CEO Anthony Mallott, who announced his departure in November 2023, days after Sealaska announced a lower annual dividend for shareholders for the first time in many years.

Among the changes after Mallott’s departure, which officially occurred on Jan. 1, 2024, was a realignment of the top leadership, according to an email on Aug. 26 from Nicole Anderson, a Sealaska spokesperson.

“Following the departure of Anthony Mallott in January 2024, the board undertook a strategic restructuring of leadership by separating the roles of president and CEO,” Anderson wrote. “The president’s role is dedicated to advancing Sealaska’s mission and vision, while the CEO’s role is focused on driving revenue growth.”

Joe Nelson, executive chair of Sealaska’s board of directors, has been serving as interim president. Anderson said the length of the search for a permanent replacement was because “selecting the right leader for Sealaska is one of the most important responsibilities of our board.”

Dybdahl was unanimously elected president by the company’s board of directors, according to the press release.