• Barbara Williams is the executive director of the Alaska Injured Workers' Alliance (AIWA). AIWA was established in 1998 by injured workers and their families concerned about the unfair treatment of injured workers by: employers, insurers, adjusters, medical providers, legal representatives, the workers' compensation division and the community.

AIWA's mission is to educate injured workers about their rights and benefits under the Alaska Workers' Compensation Act and assist in securing those rights. Ms. Williams' efforts forced the State of Alaska to perform a legislative review of the Workers' Compensation System, which showed serious deficiencies and disadvantages to workers. In 2000, AIWA expanded its education classes to include healthcare providers, thus informing an important ally of the struggles workers face when injured. In October 2002, Ms. Williams won an Alaska Supreme Court decision based on the rights of the employee to access discovery information regarding investigation and surveillance.

• Laura Waldon has been working with the Nubian Sisterhood, Inc., the Alaska Injured Workers' Alliance, AKPIRG as well as other community groups since the 1970's. Ms. Waldon started helping military dependents get assistance when separating from their spouses. She has worked with children and adults, helping them meet their needs through public and private programs. She has been a community advocate most of her adult life working on many community causes. Ms. Waldon worked for Legal Aid in the State of Texas, at Mental Health services, as a Patient Care Attendent, with Senior Citizens, in the Gents Youth Programs, in Doctors House Call Services, and was employed in the USDA Food section. She is currently working on Social Security cases, Federal and State Workers' Compensation cases, Public Assistance case management, Guardianship, civil rights and discrimination complaints and disability issues for Alaskans on a statewide basis.