Joseph (Joe) Kewan was born and raised in Port Lions, Alaska and is an enrolled member of the Native Village of Port Lions. As a young tribal member, Joe joined the Port Lions farm in 2016 as an intern and quickly rose to become an accomplished soil and hydroponics farmer. He holds a certificate in Hydroponic Vine Crops Growing from the University of Arizona Controlled Environment Agriculture Center and has been mentored by Dr. Triston Hooks. Joe became the Port Lions Farm operations manager in 2023 and worked in that capacity to mentor new interns. A dedicated community member and passionate advocate for agriculture, Joe spends his spare time fishing, exploring the community’s coastline and trails, and immersing himself in the beauty of rural Alaska. His enthusiasm for learning and helping others has been instrumental in expanding community-based farming initiatives. Living and farming in rural Alaska as a young adult has deepened his understanding of local food production and strengthened his ties within the community. Joe’s work with the Port Lions Farm, and as part of Alutiiq Grown, was recognized with a 2023 Alaska Food Policy Council Food Hero Award. Starting in the fall of 2024, Joe joined KALI to provide technical farm assistance throughout the Kodiak and Chugach Alutiiq regions.