Linda Behnken is a commercial fisherman and executive director of the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association, based in Sitka. Linda first arrived in Alaska with a strong love of wildness and a vague idea about fishing to earn college money. After one season she was hooked— on fishing, Sitka, and Alaska’s wild coast. After earning a Masters from Yale University, Linda took over as ALFA’s executive director. Linda now fishes with her husband and their two sons on their 40-foot boat F/V Woodstock. Through Linda’s leadership, ALFA has advanced Alaska’s seafood system planning and implementation to support rural communities throughout the region, including under successful partnerships with the US Department of Agriculture.