100 Years of Alaska's Legislature
"From Territorial Days to Today"


1913 to 2013

Juneau, Alaska

State & Territorial



James Kaufman

Biography::I came to Alaska with my wife Nancy, and we found our home in District 28 on the Anchorage Hillside. I accepted a position to live and work in Alaska as a resource projects Quality Manager and Team Lead. My job was to help project management teams improve the quality and efficiency of their North Slope projects to deliver greater value for the money spent on capital improvements. I retired from that position in 2017. I have been and continue to be active in our local Community Councils, and Anchorage Hillside Home and Landowners Organization (HALO). I have also served as Hillside Lead for the Coalition of Community Patrols. The primary focus of my work in those organizations has been the safety and security of our local community. In late 2019 early 2020, I helped organize public events to improve our community resilience in the face of potential disasters such as fire, earthquake, eruptions, and pandemics. In 2020, I ran for public office for the first time and was elected twice, winning the primary and then the general election. A career in quality management on large and complex oil and gas projects has taught me a range of skills that are beneficial in my role as State Representative for District 28. These skills include the ability to analyze complex and expensive scenarios, determine the root cause of failure, find efficient solutions, identify improvements, and manage changes to avoid unforeseen consequences and impacts. For the 32nd Legislative Session I am a member of the following committees: State Affairs, Labor & Commerce, Energy, and Legislative Budget & Audit.