Alaska Native Arts Foundation has named a new Executive Director, Jonella Larson White.

White is originally from Nome and her mother's family is from Savoonga on St. Lawrence Island. A graduate of Nome-Beltz high school and UAF, she holds a Masters degree in Museum Studies from Harvard University.

The Alaska House Gallery in New York, associated with ANAF, closed this week. While no definitive response has been forthcoming concerning the fate of the Alaska Native Arts Foundation gallery in Anchorage, the press release announcing White's appointment included some encouraging sentences.

"The art gallery and offices in downtown Anchorage at 6th and E Street continues to provide vitality in celebrating the magnificent work of its artists," it read. "ANAF will continue to support Alaska native art at the local, regional, and national levels through our Anchorage location and our website, www.alaskanativearts.org.

"ANAF is expanding its programs to include a membership drive and other forms of corporate participation including a "leased art" program. It will continue to have monthly exhibitions as part of the First Friday tradition and will be adding artist presentations on a regular basis."