Our People
Community Spotlights
Connecting with community members is a big part of moving to Haines. Get to know a handful of locals who help make Haines home.
Douglas Olerud
50 Years in Haines · Family Business Owner – Current Mayor
“I was born and raised in Haines, left for a while after high school, and then moved back for the kind caring nature of Haines. With the spectacular views, access to the outdoors, and a strong sense of community, why would anyone want to live somewhere else?”
“Haines is a place where you have the opportunity to create and build your own business.”
Heather Lende
40 Years in Haines · Author · Alaska’s Writer Laureate – Family Business Owner
“I can’t imagine the person I’d be if I hadn’t lived in Haines so long. As a writer the influence is obvious, but also as a mother, grandmother, friend, and member of a community. Everything I value and love comes from living in this remarkable place.”
“The keys to living well in Haines are being both self-reliant and caring for others. I think that Haines fits best for people who are creative, generous, resourceful, hardworking, community-minded, and who can appreciate this environment—remote, beautiful, with a lot of weather and not a lot of consumer choices— for what it is. The homeland of the Tlingit people since time immemorial.”
Emily McMahan
8 Years in Haines · Nurse
“In Haines, my husband and I have been able to raise our children with a deep connection to the land and sustainable food systems. Our kids get to grow up with a freezer full of harvested wild meat and seafood like caribou, salmon, crab, and shrimp. There’s also an inherent sense of support here. My kids know they can reach out to community members if they’re unable to get in touch with me or need help. Haines is just a really special place to live and raise a family.”
Brent Crowe
15 Years in Haines · Fisherman
“Living here has brought me a lot of freedom. People with dynamic lifestyles gather here. It’s been an amazing place to be a part of a community and raise kids. I feel like my voice is heard. Like I’m a part of something as opposed to another sheep in the herd. I love living in Haines.”
“As a fisherman, we have a great harbor here, and the fishing community, harbor staff, and locals are all really supportive of the industry. It’s also great working somewhere and having so many different contractors in town to help push each other along. Every aspect of the community is like that really. We all look out for each other.”
Meredith Pochardt
11 Years In Haines · Fisheries Researcher · Business Owner
“Haines is a great place to live, it’s a small town but the recreation opportunities here are endless. That’s what keeps me here.”
