Tracy Charles-Smith has served as President of the Native Village of Dot Lake’s tribal council since 2013. Her leadership has been instrumental in advancing efforts to restore the traditional and cultural values of Athabascan Natives who have lived in the area for over ten thousand years to the Village of Dot Lake.

Tracy is a longtime advocate for people with disabilities, and in her role as President, she has worked to protect tribal members from the plague of narcotics that has been prevalent in Upper Tanana Athabascan communities for many years. With the tribal council’s support, Tracy has developed multiple programs designed to support tribal members of the Village of Dot Lake and other Alaskan Native peoples in the region. In 2020, she helped found TeeJuh, a telebehavioral health program that provides counseling and therapy services to tribal members with a focus on ending domestic violence, substance misuse, and suicide. Through educational programs and groups, TeeJuh aims to break the cycle of violence that many Alaskan Native women face and to provide support for those who have experienced domestic violence.

Tracy is also a champion for the preservation of traditional values and cultural practices. Under her leadership, Dot Lake’s tribal council has implemented a project to restore and revitalize Native languages, and is working alongside local environmental organization to monitor and preserve the traditional landscape. Meanwhile, Tracy has worked to bring economic opportunities to the area, and in 2022, she helped the Village of Dot Lake start a lumber mill to help ease the burden of high lumber prices and provide jobs for local residents.