Fallout continues: Bronson HR director resigns

Mayor Dave Bronson has named Raylene Griffith as the acting director of the Human Resources Department, as the mayor accepted the resignation of Anchorage H.R. Director Niki Tshibaka today.

Tshibaka was named Director of Human Resources on July 1, 2021. He previously served the state of Alaska as deputy commissioner of the Department of Education.

Griffith has worked for the Municipality since 2013 in a variety of roles in the Human Resources Department and is currently the Labor Relations director.

Tshibaka has become ensnared in a number of problems in the Bronson Administration, and is the current focal point for the Anchorage Assembly’s war against the mayor, and after it became clear that former Health Director Joe Gerace had manufactured his education. The blame was placed on Tshibaka’s department, although the vetting of new employees in the Bronson Administration followed the same procedure the city had done for years.

The Assembly held an hours’ long executive session, closed to the public, over the Gerace matter late last month.

Niki Tshibaka is married to Kelly Tshibaka, who ran against Sen. Lisa Murkowski in 2022, and came in second in the field of four on the November ballot. Niki Tshibaka has a Harvard Law degree and has been involved in Christian ministry and church leadership.

Tshibaka is the latest highly placed person to resign or be fired from the Bronson administration. Municipal Manager Amy Demboski was fired by the mayor, and Deputy Chief of Staff Brice Wilbanks resigned. Also resigning was Acting City Attorney Blair Christensen, whose last day is Feb. 8.