Robert Charlie, an Athabascan chief and elder, is the founder and executive director of the Cultural Heritage and Education Institute, a non-profit Native organization that works with and for Athabascan tribes, developing and implementing innovative programs to preserve, teach, and share the Athabascan culture and language.
Having served the Alaska Native community for many years in a variety of roles, Robert currently works for the Geophysical Institute, where he assists in developing secondary science curriculum for Alaska Native students. His work tries to bridge the gap between indigenous knowledge systems and Western instruction used in secondary schools. He recently received an Alaska Native Visionary award, given to Alaska Natives who perpetuate and preserve culture through artistic and visionary ventures.