Maxine Dibert is a Democratic representative from Alaska's District 31, serving in the Alaska State House since 2022. She is Koyukon Athabascan and was born and raised in Fairbanks, where she has lived her entire life. Her native name is Neelthdinlo, which means "a strong runner." She is currently the only Alaska Native woman serving in the Alaska Legislature.

Dibert is 49 years old and married to John Dibert. She has two adult children, Christopher and Cheyenne. Her grandparents included James and Cecelia Johnson from Kokrines, Alaska, and Einar and Katherine Anderson from Sweden and Rampart.

Education

Dibert earned a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and a Master of Education degree in Curriculum Development from Lesley University. Her advanced training focused on curriculum design, particularly braiding indigenous knowledge with western science and education.

Political Experience

Dibert taught elementary school in Fairbanks at Denali Elementary for 21 years before entering politics. She has served as a representative in the Alaska State House representing District 31 since 2022 and continues in this role as of 2025.

Her legislative priorities include supporting inflation-adjusted increases in education funding across pre-K, K-12, university, vocational training, and workforce development programs; lowering costs for Fairbanks families in childcare, housing, healthcare, and energy; and increasing high-paying job opportunities with good benefits, particularly for young adults. She is also a contributing member of Women in Science Alaska and continues to work on science curriculum development that integrates indigenous knowledge with western education practices.