Governor of Alaska Mike Dunleavy Bio

Mike Dunleavy

Governor of Alaska

Governor Mike Dunleavy arrived in Alaska in 1983. He obtained a Master of Education degree from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and worked as a teacher, principal, and superintendent for nearly two decades.

Dunleavy and his family moved to Wasilla in 2004, where he owned an educational consulting firm and worked on several projects statewide. He served on the Mat-Su Borough School Board, with two years as Board President, and then as a state senator for five years.

Dunleavy was first elected Governor in 2018 and then again in 2022, making him the first Republican Governor in Alaska to win re-election since 1978. Three days before taking office, a massive earthquake struck Southcentral Alaska, followed by much of Alaska on fire. After that, the first plane carrying American evacuees from China touched down at the Ted Stevens Airport giving officials little warning to prepare for an unnamed virus. Through challenges, Governor Dunleavy has kept the health of the economy and jobs at the forefront of his Administration. Governor Dunleavy’s wife Rose is from the Kobuk River Valley community of Noorvik. Together, they have three children. They enjoy spending time outdoors. Hunting, fishing, snowmachining, and camping are all favorite activities. Governor Dunleavy pursued his dream of becoming a teacher. He earned his teacher’s certificate, and then a Master of Education degree from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He spent nearly two decades in northwest Arctic communities working as a teacher, principal, and superintendent.