Don Rearden grew up on the tundra of Southwestern Alaska immersed in the vibrant culture of the Yup’ik people. An associate professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage, he is a produced screenwriter, and author of the highly acclaimed novel from Penguin Canada, The Raven’s Gift. He lives in the mountain community of Bear Valley, but returns often to the Yup’ik villages he considers home to teach writing and share in the culture he holds close to his heart.