Austin Baird

Austin Baird has a diverse work experience in the field of communications and public affairs. Austin is currently the Director of Corporate Communications at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. Prior to this, Austin owned and operated their own firm called 49/50 Consulting, where they provided public affairs consulting and creative services.

Austin has also worked as the Communications Director for the Alaska House Coalition, where they developed and implemented communication strategies for a coalition of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. Austin managed external communication activities, supervised employees, and worked collaboratively with legislators and legislative staffers.

Before that, Austin served as the Press Secretary for the Office of Governor Bill Walker, acting as the official spokesperson and overseeing the Office of the Governor Press Office. Austin developed and implemented communication strategies to support major policy initiatives and ensured internal alignment on key issues.

Earlier in their career, Austin worked as a Political Reporter and Digital Producer for KTUU, NBC Anchorage. Austin managed a remote news bureau, traveled for investigative reporting, and produced online breaking news reports and multimedia features. Austin also managed social media accounts and experienced significant growth in engagement.

Austin began their career with a Political Reporting Fellowship at The News & Observer and served as a Legislative Reporter for The Associated Press. Additionally, they worked as a Newsroom Assistant for Alaska Dispatch and as a University of Tennessee Sports Reporter for FOX Sports.

Overall, Austin Baird has gained extensive experience in strategic communications, media relations, stakeholder engagement, and leadership roles throughout their career.

Austin Baird earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication with a focus on Journalism and Electronic Media from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, from 2007 to 2011. Austin then pursued further education and obtained a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) Certificate [150-hour] from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto, completing this program in 2020. Currently, Austin Baird is pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Arctic and Northern Studies with a concentration in Arctic Policy at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, which they started in 2020 and is expected to complete in 2022.