Cathleen ‘Utauyaq’ Mala is the Director of Operations for Camp Services. She is the daughter of Harvey and Vernita Vestal, from Kotzebue and Selawik, respectively. Cathleen was raised with the same Iñupiat values and subsistence lifestyle her parents grew up with, learning early on to work hard to provide for her family and help others. Her family followed the seasons similar to the region. Fishing in summer and hunting and berry picking in the fall, though the locations spanned from the Kenai Peninsula to interior Alaska.
Cathleen has been with NANA and NMS for 20 years, bringing those values to her work. She started with NANA during high school and college, working at the corporate office during summer breaks.
Her first area of study was marine biology, and she became a master diver. She looked forward to returning to Alaska with that degree. However, her journey with NANA led her to pursue business administration, driven by a desire to support the corporation and its shareholders. After college, she began in Employee Benefits through an internship program with NANA’s partner, Willis, and later moved to NANA Employee Benefits to oversee the benefits program for NANA’s Alaska-based companies. From there, she advanced through human resources and operations roles, gaining a more complete understanding of the company, business, and the shared values of NANA and NMS.
Over the years, Cathleen has witnessed significant change and growth within the organization, both in difficult times and good times. Through it all, she has consistently seen a focus on core values, strengthening the company’s resilience and success.
One of her favorite initiatives is the NANA BWISE (Business Working in School Environments) Program, where she and her team visit schools in the NANA region to talk with students about NMS’ career opportunities and bring fun activities to participate in. Through these interactions, they encourage students to consider higher education and trades, enabling them to bring valuable knowledge and skills back home to their communities. Cathleen looks forward to continuing her contributions to NMS’ growth and success through new and unique projects and striving for excellence in our core services.
