Movers and Shakers 7/1/12

Megan Riebe has been named associate vice president of development and executive director of the University of Alaska Foundation, as of June 25. Riebe will be based in Anchorage, and will travel to Fairbanks and Juneau regularly. Riebe brings to the UA Foundation more than 16 years of experience in fundraising and non-profit management, including 10 years in higher education. She comes to the UA Foundation from Gonzaga University where she was the director of development for strategy and leadership gifts. Prior to that, she worked in a variety of development roles for Washington State University, her alma mater, and for the Washington State University Foundation. Riebe has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and marketing from WSU, and was awarded the 22nd Annual CASE District VIII Juried Silver Award in 2004 in the promotional copy writing category for “Case Statement: WSU Initiative in Entrepreneurship and Innovation.”

The new Director of K-12 Outreach Operations for the University of Alaska is Kathryn Berry Bertram, Ph.D., who has been director of the Geophysical Institute K-12 Education and Outreach for the past 21 years. Bertram has extensive experience facilitating partnerships among University of Alaska, the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development, Alaska school districts, state and national teacher groups, and Native organizations resulting in the creation of more than 20 comprehensive multi-year programs. She has secured more than $23 million in grants from federal, state and private agencies to fund these programs, all of which are focused on K-12 teacher preparation, professional development and mentorship. During her service to the Geophysical Institute, Bertram was selected as Outstanding Employee by UAF Chancellor Brian Rogers February 2012, appointed to UAF’s Strategic Planning Committee and appointed as Education Director of the proposed A-CORE UA Science and Technology Center. She recently earned a doctoral degree in education research and cross-cultural studies from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Prior to her PhD, Bertram eared a master’s degree of public administration and affairs from Indiana University, and a bachelor’s degree of science education and public relations from Wittenberg University.

Josh Crowe of R&M Consultants Inc. passed the principles and practice of engineering exam, gaining his license in civil engineering. Crowe is a project engineer in R&M’s Construction Administration Group and has been with the firm on a full-time basis since January 2007, after serving several summers in an engineering Intern capacity. Crowe has worked as a special inspector and material technician performing testing of soils, aggregate, concrete, and asphalt paving materials in the laboratory and in the field, and more recently as a project engineer, supervising construction projects throughout Alaska. Recent projects include Sand Point School Loop Road, McCarthy Road Edgerton Highway, Takotna Airport Relocation, and the East Dowling Extension. Crowe holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees in civil and environmental engineering from Marquette University. He is AK-CESCL certified and certified in DOT&PF Construction Documentation and Radiological Safety and Nuclear Gauge Operation. Crowe is also WAQTC Qualified for Aggregate, Concrete, Embankment and Base, and Density testing.

Mike Leon has joined MSI Communications as creative director. Leon succeeds outgoing creative director Grant Johnston, who will bring his expertise to the agency’s client services department, managing strategic accounts and issue campaigns. Johnston continues to serve as the agency’s vice president and campaign strategist. Leon comes to MSI with more than 20 years experience in advertising at some of the top agencies in the country. His clients have included Volkswagen, IBM, ExxonMobil, Ford Trucks, Proctor & Gamble, Sprint, AutoZone and Bayer Chemical. As the art director of Doyle Dane Bernbach in New York, he was responsible for the American introduction of the Volkswagen Jetta, and as creative director of JWThompson in Detroit, he oversaw television and print campaigns to launch the Ford Explorer and Windstar minivan. In addition to commercial clients, Leon has represented government agencies and utilities, including Wabash Valley Power, the Indiana Secretary of State and Office of the Indiana Attorney General and the Tennessee Departments of Transportation and Tourism. Leon’s work has earned him numerous awards, including Tellys, Effies, inclusion in the Smithsonian Institution Advertising Archives, a National Addys Best in Show Award for PSA Broadcast Campaign and a National Emmy for Public Service Advertising. He attended Art Center College of Design and holds a bachelor’s degree from Cal State Los Angeles. MSI also recently welcomed a new copywriter and account executive, Maia Nolan-Partnow, a former managing editor of the online news site Alaska Dispatch, as well as Beth Stamm in the role of account coordinator.

Chuck Ray was appointed to the Bethel Superior Court. Ray fills the seat left vacant by the passing of the Honorable Marvin Hamilton III. Ray has practiced law in Alaska for nearly 30 years and currently manages his own law office. His practice is focused on civil litigation in torts and insurance law with an emphasis on maritime issues. Ray earned his law degree from the University of Oregon Law School after spending nearly a decade as a commercial fisherman in Alaska. He and his wife Jenny have three children.

The Anchorage Economic Development Corp. recently named Will Kyzer the new business and economic development assistant director for the organization and James Starzec the new research coordinator. Kyzer will assist in the recruitment of new businesses and industries to Anchorage and support the growth of existing Anchorage firms. Starzec will direct market research and reports and will assist in investor retention and recruitment. Prior to joining AEDC, Kyzer, originally from Anchorage, served as prospect manager with the Iowa Economic Development Authority. Kyzer earned a bachelor’s degree in English, with distinction, as well as a Certificate in Entrepreneurial Management, from the University of Iowa. Starzec earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Alaska Anchorage and is currently working to complete a master’s in urban planning from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Prior to joining AEDC, Starzec served as a graduate intern at the Milwaukee Water Council where he collected and analyzed data of the Wisconsin water industry.