Vera Starbard
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Vera Starbard (born 1982) is a Tlingit/Dena'ina television writer, author, playwright, and editor based in Douglas, Alaska, and the Alaska State Writer Laureate for 2024 to 2026.
Career
Starbard began editing and writing as a journalist. She was editor of First Alaskans Magazine, a publication highlighting Alaska Native people, culture and news, for ten years.
In 2016, after premiering her first play, Our Voices Will Be Heard, at Perseverance Theatre, she was named the theatre's playwright-in-residence through the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation playwright residency program.
As a television writer, Starbard has written many episodes of the Molly of Denali animated children's program, airing on PBS KIDS. She was nominated for four Emmy Awards for her work on the show. Vera was on the writing staff of ABC's show Alaska Daily. Vera was appointed Alaska State Writer Laureate in 2024, a two-year appointment.
Writing
Plays
- Native Pride (and Prejudice)
- Fog Woman
- Our Voices Will Be Heard performed 2016; published 2017; radio adaptation broadcast 2018
- Devilfish (2019)
- A Tlingit Christmas Carol (2020)
- Yan Tutan (2022)
Television
| Year | Show | Station | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Molly of Denali | PBS Kids | New Nivagi |
| Turn on the Northern Lights | |||
| 2020 | Canoe Journey | ||
| Eagle Tale | |||
| 2021 | Molly and Elizabeth | ||
| 2022 | Fili-bascan Chefs | ||
| Midnight Sun Fun Run | |||
| 2023 | Gold Strikeout | ||
| Forget-You-Not | |||
| A Song for Lola | |||
| Alaska Daily | ABC | Most Reckless Thing I've Ever Done | |
| SuperKitties | Disney Junior | Snow Day | |
| Showstopper | |||
| 2024 | Molly of Denali | PBS Kids | A Qyah Juneteenth |
| Thanks-for-Giving | |||
| SuperKitties | Disney Junior | Dastardly Dumpster |
Other published work
- "Our Voices Will Be Heard" full-length play in "Contemporary Plays by Women of Color, 2nd Edition" textbook, 2018
- "Ax X’oos Shaxwatíx: My feet are firmly planted" essay in "Applied Theatre with Youth: Education, Engagement, Activism" textbook, 2021
- "Primitive" essay in "My Life: Growing Up Native in America" anthology, 2024
Recognition
- 2009: Rasmuson Foundation individual artist award
- 2016: Mayor's Artist Award, Juneau
- 2020: Peabody Award (as group for Molly of Denali)
- 2021: Governor's arts and humanities awards, Alaska native artist
- 2021: New York Stage and Film NEXUS grant
- 2022: First Alaskans Institute Young Alaska Native Leader award
- 2022, 2023: Emmy nominations for outstanding writing in a preschool animation program and for best short form program as co-head writer
- 2024: Alaska State Writer Laureate
- 2025: Emmy nomination for outstanding writing for a preschool animated series Thanks-for-giving episode
- Alaska Literary Award
Personal life
Starbard's Lingit name is T'set Kwei, her clan is Leeneidi (dog salmon,) and she's a citizen of the . She was born in Craig, Alaska, was raised in numerous communities around the state of Alaska, and graduated from East Anchorage High School in 2000. Starbard met her husband Joseph "Joe" Bedard in 2011 through an introduction from actress Irene Bedard, Joe's sister. They married in Anchorage, Alaska, and live in Douglas, Alaska.