Legislative Staff Achievement Awards – Nominations Closing Soon!
- Nominations for the 2025 Legislative Staff Achievement Award from the National Association of Legislative Information Technology are now being accepted.
- Honorees for the 2025 awards will be given their award at the NALIT Business Meeting during the NALIT and LINCS Professional Development Seminar on Sept. 11.
- Make your nominations by Friday, May 9, via this nomination form. Thank you for considering the nomination of a deserving NALIT member.
Celebrating Excellence in Democracy: Nominate for the Online Democracy Award!
The Online Democracy Award is calling on you to nominate legislative websites that stand out in making democracy more accessible and engaging. We invite you to nominate websites that exemplify excellence in user-friendly design, informative content, and effective technological integration.
By participating in the nomination process, you can shine a spotlight on websites that make a difference in connecting constituents with their state legislatures. Nominate today and let us celebrate outstanding contributions to democracy!
How to Nominate: Submitting your nomination is quick and easy. Click here to access the nomination form. Your participation can help deserving websites receive the recognition they truly deserve. Let us work together to honor excellence in online democracy. Nominate now!
Deadline: Friday, May 9, 2025
Not sure what might qualify? Learn more in-depth information about the Online Democracy Award LINCS/NALIT Online Democracy Award.
NALIT’s 2025 Joint Professional Development Seminar with LINCS
Join the NALIT and LINCS 2025 Joint Professional Development Seminar in Juneau, Alaska, from Sep. 8-11! Enhance your skills with sessions on IT productivity, cybersecurity, media relations, and more. Network with peers, explore legislative applications, and enjoy unique Alaskan experiences. Register now—space is limited!
The NALIT and LINCS Professional Development Seminar brings together state legislative IT professionals and communications/information, public relations and press room staff who are interested in advancing the effectiveness and efficiency of state legislatures through technology. The 2025 seminar provides a combination of educational sessions, legislative application showcases, best practices, a vendors' reception and networking opportunities.
Preview of Topics:
- Five Minutes of Fame
- Applications Showcases
- Birds of Feather Roundtables.
- Cybersecurity: It's Still a Threat, Are you Ready?
- IT Solutions: Build vs Buy
- Effectively Using Shadow IT: A Case Study of a Communication Break Down
- Edge Computing
Are you curious what Juneau Alaska is like?
Discover the charm through heartfelt details Jamie Baker, a DevOps Engineer for the Alaska Legislature, has shared in a beautiful ode to all things Juneau. Dive in to see why locals love their extraordinary city!
What are your favorite things to do in this town/city?
If the weather allows, nothing quite beats taking in the sun and downtown views of the mountains above the boardwalk with an Alaskan craft beer or cocktail at the Griz Bar. When the impressively towering cruise ships aren’t dominating the skyline, you will be treated to views of coming and going fishing and whale watching boats and float planes taking off on their way to the Seven-glacier tour or Taku Lodge. The lively views, friendly atmosphere, fire pits, food truck concept and the upbeat music and local musical performances are the perfect encapsulation of what makes Juneau my favorite town in the world.
What makes Juneau unique compared to other places you've lived or visited?
Visually stunning, Juneau is nestled in the steep lush inclines of snowcapped mountains skirted by the beautiful glistening Gastineau Channel and the many pristine glacial rivers and lakes that feed into it. The downtown area maintains its Gold Rush aesthetic set among the backdrop of a wild Alaskan frontier and native art and totem poles line the boardwalk and streets celebrating the native people and honoring the lands we all are proud to share.
Can you describe the community and the people here?
Perhaps due to the remote areas and intense winters, the people of Alaska tend to be resilient and self-sufficient. Yet, those same conditions beckon a sense of community and generosity for the fellow Alaskans who choose to brave them.
I have heard many times that "Juneau provides" when someone is seeking employment, housing (which is very limited!), furniture, or home items. We are quick to help our neighbors when difficulty or disaster strikes, and when our freezers are full, we gleefully share the surplus.
People here tend to love being outdoors and, being tucked in a rainforest where the sun can be scarce for very long periods of time, it is not all that uncommon for businesses to give the afternoon, or at least a very long lunch, to catch the sun when it returns.
What are some of the best local restaurants or cafes you enjoy?
For a traditional breakfast the Sand Piper is hard to beat, but the Rookery gives it a real run for its money and certainly has the best coffee and pastries in town. There are also several Heritage Cafes that are inevitably nearby when those other two are crowded.
For casual lunch or dinner, you will find the most inviting environment, biggest menu and a stunning view of the waterfront at The Hangar. If it is in season, you will find some of the best fish tacos the world has to offer at Deckhand Dave’s, and you can also find well priced and great quality pub fare at The Imperial.
For a more refined dinner experience (that likely requires a reservation), you have In Bocca al Lupo boasting six James Beard nominations. Just next door you'll find Juneau's only fine dining restaurant, Salt, with visually stunning steak and seafood dishes that are certainly the best way to experience locally caught seafood (that isn't simply fried or in a taco).
What do you appreciate most about the local culture or lifestyle?
Juneau, with its untamed wilderness, wildlife and pristine rain-filtered air is an outdoorsman's paradise. It beckons to all interested in adventure tourism: sightseeing, hiking, climbing, kayaking, fishing, whale-watching, birding, and, if the winter is kind, one of the best kept secrets for snow sports!
The Sealaska center features a cultural events center, educational facilities, and studios dedicated to crafting: totems, metal and leather working, jewelry and other native arts.
There is a vibrant artist community that you will find well represented in the downtown shopping center and the venues downtown almost always have open mics, karaoke or musical acts playing most nights.
We have world famous annual events such as Folk Fest, the Native Alaskan Celebration, the Platypus Gaming Convention, Juneau Maritime Festival, Gold Rush Days, Holiday Gallery Walk, and a Fourth of July celebration so big that it starts on the third and spans both sides of the channel!
How would you describe the natural surroundings or scenery?
Juneau is one of the largest coastal temperate rainforests in the entire world. The dramatic atmosphere can be breathtaking as clouds birth themselves through the Sitka Pines lining the steep snowcapped mountains. The sun glistening into Gastineau Channel frames some of the most picturesque views of America's wildest frontier, bringing several of the largest cruise ships to harbor and take in all of Alaska's natural beauty. Even during the long periods of rain, the moody low-hanging clouds grazing the mountainsides and layered atmospheric perspective is a stunning thing to behold.
What are some hidden gems or lesser-known spots that you love?
The Shrine of St. Thérèse, if you have transportation, is a stunning chapel nestled in a fairy tale grove on a land-tied island. Depending on the season, it has gorgeous botanical gardens and boasts some of the best views of the snowy Chilkat Mountains that can be reached by a short walk from a parking lot, as is the nearby Arboretum.
Sandy Beach is just across the Gastineau Channel. Built out of the shavings from the mining operations that once operated there, the beach and its trails are littered with relics from the gold rush slowly being overtaken and reclaimed by nature. It houses the iconic Pump House, a Frisbee golf course, and a self-guided tour with informational plaques giving historical context to the area and the ruins.
What aspects of living here make you feel most at home?
The people and community are a time capsule of my youth. Juneau feels, in some ways, locked in time and space. We have all the modern expectations of any civilization, but in many ways, Juneau feels like an island isolated from many of the concerns that the rest of the country might face. A community that looks out for one another and is always eager to celebrate together in the beautiful nature and history of its land and people.
NCSL Legislative Summit
Aug. 4-6, Boston
The Legislative Summit is NCSL’s premier annual event and provides a platform for legislators, staff and other public policy professionals to learn from the nation’s foremost experts, as well as each other, about solutions to the country’s most pressing issues.
Join us for interesting presentations covering topics such as Walking the Tightrope: AI’s Risks and Rewards and other interesting AI and technology sessions. The NCSL Legislative Summit is open for registration – so learn more or register now!
Free Legislative Staff Week Webinar – Monday, May 5: The Power of ‘No’ in a World that Demands ‘Yes’
As a legislative staffer, saying 'yes' often goes hand in hand with providing excellent support and services to those within the legislative arena. But sometimes these acts of obedience, portrayed as service, can come at a cost: high workload, risk of burnout and conflict with professional and personal values. Join Dr. Sunita Sah, physician, behavioral scientist and best-selling author of “Defy,” for a compelling conversation on why we obey, what defiance really means, and how we can all learn to push back, and say ‘no,’ with integrity.
Register Now!