Wanda Barbara Baltazar

Wanda Barbara Baltazar’s Iñupiaq name is Nauyaq. She is the daughter of the late Fannie and Ricardo Baltazar of Anchorage. Wanda is married to Ernest Hyatt and together they have three adult children. The couple resides above the Arctic Circle in Kotzebue, Alaska. Wanda is passionate about educating children and the next generation of CIRI Shareholders. Over the years, she has been mentored by Elders who have instilled in her the Iñupiaq values of hard work, respect for the land and love of children. She has worked as a language-immersion preschool teacher, teaching the Iñupiaq language and culture to children and young families. Currently, she works with an early intervention team, traveling across the region to serve infants and toddlers with special needs. She is active in her community, serving on the City of Kotzebue Planning Commission and the Native Village of Kotzebue Tribal council and governance committees. Wanda holds an associate degree and is working toward her bachelor’s degree in childhood development and family studies. She is a scholarship recipient through The CIRI Foundation.