My English name is Twyla Thurmond and my Inupiaq name is Aunauruq. I was born in Shishmaref and am honored to carry on the name of my late grandmother, Sophie Nayokpuk. My primary job in my community is to coordinate efforts in relation to expansion, and erosion protection on behalf of the Native Village of Shishmaref, Alaska. I maintain communications and collaborate with state and federal agencies as well as our local Govornments. I help our people by way of advocacy and communications so that our people can make informed decisions in relation to Shishmaref Site Expansion and Erosion Protection. We have a Coalition which includes the three governing bodies in our community. The Coalition consists of the Tribe, City Of Shishmaref, and the Shishmaref Native Corporation, as well as our Elders and Youth Committees. We work together to help our community prioritize protections and seek out grants for projects to build resiliency. My focus is on forwarding information, networking, and grant executions to help facilitate the movement of projects that pertain to land protection for our community.