Eileen Panigeo MacLean (June 12, 1949 – April 24, 1996) was an American politician and educator who served as a member of the Alaska House of Representatives from 1989 to 1996.

Early life and education

MacLean was born in Utqiaġvik,

Alaska Territory The Territory of Alaska or Alaska Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from August 24, 1912, until Alaska was granted statehood on January 3, 1959. The territory was previously Russian America, 1784–1867; the ...

, and was Iñupiaq. She graduated from

Mt. Edgecumbe High School Mt. Edgecumbe High School (abbreviated MEHS) is a public boarding high school in Sitka, Alaska in the United States. Located on Japonski Island, across Sitka Harbor from the northwestern corner of downtown Sitka, the school is situated on a por ...

, in

Sitka, Alaska russian: Ситка , native_name_lang = tli , settlement_type = Consolidated city-borough , image_skyline = File:Sitka 84 Elev 135.jpg , image_caption = Downtown Sitka in 1984 , image_size ...

, in 1968. MacLean received her bachelor's degree in elementary education from

University of Alaska Fairbanks The University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF or Alaska) is a public land-grant research university in College, Alaska, a suburb of Fairbanks. It is the flagship campus of the University of Alaska system. UAF was established in 1917 and opened for cla ...

in 1975 and her master's degree in education from

University of Copenhagen The University of Copenhagen ( da, Københavns Universitet, KU) is a prestigious public university, public research university in Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. Founded in 1479, the University of Copenhagen is the second-oldest university in ...

in 1983.

Career

MacLean worked as a junior high school teacher and was involved in the real estate business. MacLean served on the North Slope Borough Assembly and on the North Slope School Board. She was a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

. MacLean served in the Alaska House of Representatives from 1989 until her resignation on January 12, 1996, due to health problems. Before that she was on the executive board of the

Inuit Circumpolar Conference The Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) ( kl, Inuit Issittormiut Siunnersuisooqatigiiffiat), formerly Inuit Circumpolar Conference, is a multinational non-governmental organization (NGO) and Indigenous Peoples' Organization (IPO) representing the 1 ...

and the

Arctic Slope Regional Corporation Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, or ASRC, is one of 13 Alaska Native Regional Corporations created under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971 (ANCSA) in settlement of aboriginal land claims. ASRC was incorporated in Alaska on June 22, ...

. MacLean was also an executive director of the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission.

Personal life

Her daughter is Tara Sweeney, an activist and businesswoman. MacLean died at her home in Utqiaġvik after a long illness.'Eileen MacLean, Former Legislator, Dies at 46,' Daily Sitka Sentinel (Sitka Alaska), April 25, 1996, pg. 3

Notes

1949 births 1996 deaths People from Utqiagvik, Alaska Inupiat people University of Alaska Fairbanks alumni University of Copenhagen alumni Inuit politicians Businesspeople from Alaska Educators from Alaska American women educators Women state legislators in Alaska Borough assembly members in Alaska School board members in Alaska Democratic Party members of the Alaska House of Representatives Native American state legislators in Alaska 20th-century American politicians 20th-century American women politicians 20th-century American businesspeople {{Alaska-politician-stub