James Browning – Executive Director
Phone: 907.276.7315
Mr. Browning started w/ Alaska Department of Fish and Game in May 1977 as an entry level fishery biologist with Sport Fish Division doing creel census on the Kenai River. As a private pilot with a degree in biology, he wanted to pursue flying as a primary job, but after working 19 months as a temporary fishery biologist, he wanted to explore that avenue also with the hope of eventually combining the two activities. After obtaining his commercial, instrument and multi-engine ratings in the spring of 1980, he was hired for a full time position as the Assistant Area Management Biologist with Division of Commercial Fisheries in Upper Cook Inlet. After 10 seasons in UCI, Mr. Browning exchanged his permanent full time biologist position for a permanent seasonal biologist position and returned to school, attending Humboldt State University for 2 years completing the coursework for a MS degree. He returned to work with Division of Commercial Fisheries part time first, then was appointed to the Assistant Area Management Biologist position in Dillingham, Bristol Bay, the largest sockeye salmon fishery in the world. After being promoted to the Area Management Biologist in Dillingham and holding the position for 5 years, he and his wife moved into Anchorage for Jim to take a regional management biologist job. In this position, he was overseeing the management of finfish, shellfish and groundfish fisheries in Bristol Bay, Prince William Sound and Cook Inlet for the last 3 years of his state service. Mr. Browning retired from ADF&G after 25 years and joined the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation in February 2005 as Deputy Director. After 3 years in the deputy position, the AFDF board of directors appointed him as Executive Director in 2008, and he has enjoyed the broader spectrum of fisheries, biology, politics and business that world fisheries represent.
Zoya Ponomareva – Operations Manager
Phone: 907.276.7315
Joined AFDF in June 2010. Bio coming soon.
