Maxine’s story

Hello!

My name is Maxine Dibert. I am Koyukon Athabascan, born and raised in Fairbanks. My native name is Neelthdinlo which means “a strong runner.” I met my husband John, a smokejumper, over 25 years ago and we raised our two wonderful kids here. Growing up in downtown Fairbanks, my parents made sure we remained connected to our traditional subsistence practices of hunting and fishing. They also instilled in us the importance of education and that it’s key to so many opportunities. Their love for sharing their knowledge and wisdom ignited a passion for teaching inside of me. I studied elementary education for my undergraduate degree at UAF and later earned a Masters degree in Curriculum Development from Lesley University. I taught school in Fairbanks at Denali Elementary School for 21 years. I have a great passion for teaching. I am always eager to instill the power and excitement of life-long learning in others. 

As a lifelong Fairbanksan, I've always cared deeply about this community. During the second half of my teaching career, I witnessed firsthand the impacts of a decade of flat funding our schools. I’ve seen how Inadequate funding has limited students’ opportunities. This experience fueled my desire to make a broader impact beyond the classroom. In 2022, I answered the call and ran for office when my community asked me to put my name forward. Most of my neighbors did not feel like they had a voice in Juneau. It was time for an everyday community member to go down to Juneau and represent them—and that’s exactly what I did. I could not have done it without the support of this amazing community.  I am honored to now represent House District 31. I will continue to work incredibly hard at being a voice for working families.   

Very gratefully,