Board Member Sam Atkinson with his fiancé, Jazmine

Sam moved to Kotzebue with his family at age 12, and has not felt at home anywhere else since. He now works as an optician trainee at the local Maniilaq Health Center, while completing a Radiologic Technology program at University of Alaska Anchorage. His hobbies include running, snowmobile riding, fishing, hunting, cross-country skiing, skijoring, and dog handling. He has many years of volunteering with the race under his belt, and has recently enjoyed assisting local mushers with training and kennel work. As a board member, he plays a supporting role, including managing race supplies and sponsorships, weighing in on board decisions, and more. He lives in Kotzebue with his fiancé, Jazmine, and his two dogs Maggie and Indy.