Barbara “Bo” Arteaga is a hard-working mom and a longstanding Chugach employee. In her current position, Bo serves as the Staffing Program Manager for Chugach Alaska Services (CAS). Her duties in this position are extensive—from assisting employees with any HR related issues to job postings and booking interviews, background checks, and drug tests.

Bo has been a manager with CAS for almost four years, but she has been a member of the Chugach family for much longer, with her history with the company going back to 2008. After graduating high school at the age of 17, she took some time to figure out what she wanted to do. “I spent a year going to college and being young,” Bo reflected. Then, a familiar story to many Chugach shareholders, that’s when Millie Johnson, Vice President of Shareholder Development, stepped in. “I don’t when my mom and Millie started talking, but before I knew it, Millie reached out to me wanting to talk about opportunities at Chugach.”

After that fateful conversation, Bo took on the role of the Shareholder Development Intern. This afforded her the ability to continue her schooling at the University of Alaska Anchorage where she obtained a degree in Human Services, all while gaining valuable work experience and, most importantly, taking home a paycheck.

After graduating college, she took some time off and spent a few years in Hawaii. When she returned to Alaska, she applied for work at a different company. That’s when Millie stepped in once again and had a job in mind for Bo, which is how she was hired for her current position.

Bo says that Chugach has afforded her some amazing opportunities. “Being able to develop and obtain work experience sits at the top of the list,” she said. “But what I’ve been most grateful for was the ability to obtain my degree with no student debt. Chugach paid for everything—my tuition, books and even parking permits.”

Looking back over the last ten years, Bo says there is one area in her job that she finds the most rewarding and beneficial. “Just being able to work with our people, the shareholders and descendants. Being able to watch them graduate and then have the opportunity to hire them and see them join our work force. It’s really great to bring them into the fold and see them become a part of Chugach.”

Outside of work, Bo is all about family. “My daughter and my family are my world.” From gymnastics to swim lessons, Bo is a full-time mom. “That’s where my heart is. I really take pride in that.”

If you ever need to contact CAS (or if you need some advice on front flips or backstrokes), Bo is the person you need to speak with, and she will be more than happy to answer any questions you might have.

And if you’re a Chugach shareholder or descendant and you’re interested in checking out scholarship opportunities, be sure to visit www.chugachheritagefoundation.com and then go to the Chugach Heritage Foundation portal so you, too, can graduate without any student debt: www.scholarships.chugach.com

And, of course, Millie Johnson and Jayme Selanoff with Shareholder Development are always available to discuss internships, apprenticeships and other opportunities.

For media inquiries, contact Communications
Director Randi Jo Gause

Contact Randi