Dr. Sonia Ibarra (Apache, Caxcan, and Mexicana), recipient of the Indigenous Excellence Award, centers her research on trust, reciprocity, and community-defined priorities, challenging the legacy of extractive science. Working with Tlingit and Haida communities during her PhD, she partnered with Indigenous leaders to co-develop research on access to traditional foods, including shellfish, integrating both Western science and Native knowledge. Her work highlights challenges such as sea otter impacts and restrictive harvesting policies, including blood quantum requirements. Now co-coordinator of the Tamamta Program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Ibarra advances Indigenous representation in education and resource management while mentoring future leaders. Grounded in Indigenous values, she prioritizes relationships, shared knowledge, and community benefit, emphasizing that research must serve—not outweigh—the needs and expertise of the communities it engages.