Melanie Osborne, Esq., NACD.DC

Serve as a member of the Executive Leadership Team, leading the core business functions of health, safety, environment, regulatory compliance and management system activities. Play a crucial role in advancing initiatives that protect people and our environment, ensure compliance with commitments, and integrate operational integrity.

Counsel at 800-mile trans-Alaska pipeline. Primary support for IT, cybersecurity, telecommunications, information governance and software contracts. On the Ethics & Compliance Committee and technology teams (including M365 and GenAI). Mentor in the Alyeska program. Co-chair of United Way Campaign.

EWA is a public foundation that selects high level, exceptional women leaders from multiple industries, and develops and mentors them with peer to peer guidance and lifelong mentorship and sisterhood, to enrich their professional and personal lives and propel them to sustainable success.

Chugach is an ~$800M revenue Alaska Native Corporation with a federal government contracting, commercial (oil and gas, facilities) and passive investment portfolio with ~4500 employees. Integral member of the Chugach executive team working with the Board to set short-term and long-term strategy for businesses and community value centers. Support diversification strategy through M&A and passive investment. Provide leadership and strategic guidance on legal, governance, litigation, compliance (inc. privacy), risk management, insurance, human resources, records and facilities. Select Projects: Hired as EVP, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer and rebuilt legal department following a restructure that created holding companies. Consolidated corporate shared services (human resources, risk management/insurance, facilities, records, compliance), including governance, insurance and benefits oversight across the Chugach family of companies. Represented integral Chugach legal role defending Alaska Native Corporation’s relationship with the federal government in landmark US Supreme Court CARES Act Chehalis case. Oversaw for Chugach the legal strategy in 3-year arbitration amongst the ANCSA Regional Corporations over the shareability of carbon credit offset revenue under ANCSA. Developed enterprise Business Continuity Program Guide. Oversaw COVID response as executive over emergency response team and employee engagement team.

Vice President and Deputy General Counsel (Oct 2013 to April 2014) Sr. Corporate Counsel (April 2012 to Sept 2013) Additional business units: NANA Regional Corp. (NRC) NANA Management Services (NMS) NANA is an ~$1.5B revenue (at the time) Alaska Native Corporation with 15,000+ shareholders and ~15,000 employees. Supported various NANA business units, including being part of their core executive teams. Served as the senior employment law attorney for the NANA companies, conducting investigations, supervising outside counsel in employment-related litigation, responding to claims before federal and state agencies, providing training, and reviewing and developing policies and procedures. Senior team member and day-to-day counsel for NANA Regional Corporation including advice on land protection and development, shareholder estates, legislative initiatives, contracts, and general counseling. Senior team member for NANA Management Services (2500 employees), including oversight of contracts management, licensing, records management and the ethics and compliance program. Select Projects: Executive sponsor / oversight of Affordable Care Act implementation. Oversight of 2 employment / wage class actions.

Recruited to develop employment law practice in new Stoel Rives Anchorage office. Member of the Litigation practice group, Labor and Employment specialty, counseling clients on a broad range of employment issues, including policy development and enforcement, training, disciplinary actions, employment agreements, investigations and defense of claims regarding discrimination and workplace employment practices. Counseled ANCSA corporations on issues involving federal government contracting, corporate matters, general litigation and claims, and transactions. Represented clients in state and federal courts and administrative agencies. Member of firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Provided legal guidance to Board and Senior management in all operational and corporate areas including business transactions, employment and benefits, corporate governance, and land protection and development. Retained and supervised outside counsel for litigation and specialized practice areas. Integral senior team member providing strategic business and legal advice across the Ahtna family of companies. Oversight of insurance, risk management, records management, ethics and compliance and safety programs. Hired as chief of Human Resources (Sept. 2007 to Mar. 2009), overseeing policy development and enforcement, recruitment, dispute resolution, training, compensation systems, benefits plans, employee counseling for parent and select subsidiaries, safety and office administrative functions. Special Projects: Oversaw centralization of benefits administration for 900+ enrollees; implemented Ethics and Compliance Program including creating Management Ethics Committee; instituted legal/risk contract review for subsidiary operations; established Ahtna family Executive Safety Committee. Created Shareholder Development Program, including internship and shareholder advancement programs; created and implemented performance management program and compensation pay scale; created and implemented enterprise-wide Bonus Plan.

Represented ANCSA corporations, tribal governments and tribal health organizations regarding federal contracting, corporate matters, employment law, and litigation in state and federal courts and administrative agencies. Assisted with firm practice management including developing office systems, library, business development, recruitment and mentoring. Select accomplishments: co-counsel in successful appeal to U.S. Supreme Court resulting in a $14.5 million damage award against IHS; assisted client in developing comprehensive Tribal Code and separation of Judicial system; negotiated $2.1 million settlement with the Bureau of Reclamation over unpaid construction costs; helped build and represent coalition of Villages advocating state and federal policy issues regarding Tribal transportation.

Researched and drafted legal opinions and orders in a variety of practice areas including family law, criminal procedure, constitutional law, administrative law, and tort liability. Investigated ethics complaints against judges, magistrates and masters. Observed numerous mediations.

Researched and drafted motions for the Civil and Criminal divisions involving pretrial matters, Native subsistence rights, and FTCA and scope of employment. Assisted with briefing Ninth Circuit appeal regarding negligent infliction of emotional distress.

Digital Innovation Strategy and Management, 2021 Mergers and Acquisitions, 2022