ACEP welcomes back Leasi Vanessa Lee Raymond
Leasi Vanessa Lee Raymond is the new deputy director for strategic initiatives at ACEP.
November 1, 2024
By Yuri Bult-Ito
Leasi Vanessa Lee Raymond joined ACEP in October as deputy director for strategic initiatives.
As a core member of the ACEP leadership team, Raymond will work closely with ACEP’s director and executive officer to provide strategic input. She will also work with research staff, overseeing the development of strategic engagement with Arctic and Pacific regions and Indigenous partners as well as leading ACEP’s computational and AI efforts.
In addition, she joins the leadership team for the , or ARCTIC, program to expand capacity in Alaska and beyond for energy resilience and community-led energy transitions.
“We are thrilled to have Vanessa return to the ACEP team,” said ACEP’s director Jeremy Kasper. “Through her vision and insight, Vanessa will help identify key areas where ACEP can contribute to and lead efforts in strengthening our research and the resiliency of our partner communities.”
A socio-technologist passionate about data ethics and Indigenous data sovereignty, Raymond formerly served ACEP as the ARCTIC program manager and data governance lead.
Most recently, Raymond served as director of research operations for , the world’s first global, large-scale Indigenous-led exploration into Indigenous knowledge and systems and artificial intelligence. She is co-chair for the international where she works on data policy and supports Arctic international research organizations and Arctic Indigenous groups. Raymond has also worked for the , and .
Raymond holds an M.A. in Arctic governance from with a specialty in Arctic security issues, and a B.A. in jazz and cultural studies from Hampshire College. She has a decade of experience building software for managing and visualizing Arctic research data.
Raymond, a matai — chief title — of Solosolo, is proud of her Samoan heritage.