Movers & Shakers 5/20/12

Sen. Lisa Murkowski announced her first session summer interns in her Washington, D.C., office. For the first session running June 4 to June 29 Murkowski selected Arianna Cocallas, Connor Toohey, Michelle Fernandez and Elizabeth Wheatall of Anchorage; Zachary Veheimer and Elizabeth Whisenhant of Fairbanks; Eva Colberg from Palmer; Bethany Hladick from Unalaska; Ashley Naneng of Bethel and Claressa Ullmayer from Juneau. Two Alaskan college students will serve as this summer’s intern coordinators. Mari Freitag of Ketchikan and Parker Haymans of Anchorage, both former high school interns, will supervise and counsel summer interns in partnership with members of Murkowski’s staff. Freitag is a senior at the University of Alaska Fairbanks pursing a degree in biochemistry with a minor in political science and justice. Haymans, a double major in political science and Spanish, is a senior at the University of Idaho.

The American Network of Community Options and Resources, a national providers association, has named Yuka Ungwiluk of Gambell as the Alaska state winner in its Direct Support Professional of the Year recognition. Direct support professionals provide services to seniors and people with developmental, intellectual and cognitive disabilities so they can live more independent, community involved lives. Ungwiluk has been caring for seniors and adults with disabilities for more than 10 years. She speaks the local dialect and works within the community to advocate for seniors’ needs through local IRA, city offices and agencies who serve the elderly population. Her relationship with National Health Services Corps and village clinics has fueled numerous programs for the elderly, including a lunch program and funding for activities.

The Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council board elected its seven-member executive committee during a recent meeting in Valdez. Dorothy Moore, who represents the city of Valdez on the board, was re-elected president. Pat Duffy, representing the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce, will continue as vice president and Thane Miller of the Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corp. will continue as secretary. Marilynn Heddell of Whittier was elected treasurer. The members at large are Amanda Bauer of Valdez; Diane Selanoff of Port Graham Corp.; and Steve Lewis of Seldovia. The council also seated three new board members at the Valdez meeting. James Kacsh will represent the city of Cordova, replacing Rochelle van den Broek. Amanda Bauer will represent the city of Valdez, replacing Stan Stephens. David Totemoff Sr. will represent Chugach Alaska Corp., replacing Sheri Buretta.

The Women in Transportation Seminar International formed an Alaska chapter in May and elected its charter board of directors. They are: Laurie Cummings (HDR Inc.), president; Van Le (CRW Engineering Group LLC), vice-president; Teresa Brewer (Municipality of Anchorage, AMATS), treasurer; and Julie Jessen (HDR Inc.), secretary. Other key sponsors of the Alaska chapter include: Gary Katsion (Kittelson & Associates), Jeff Miller (UAA, Computer Systems Engineering), Bart Rudolph (Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, Central Region), and Wende Wilber (CRW Engineering Group LLC).

Sen. Mark Begich has announced his summer interns. At the Washington, D.C., office are: Tessa Baldwin from Kotzebue, who graduated from Mt. Edgecumbe High School in Sitka. She is the founder of Hope4Alaska, a suicide prevention and awareness campaign. Kevin Groh is from Sitka and graduated from the Webb Schools in California. He is currently attending Brown University and majoring in political science and economics. Julia Caulfield is from Fairbanks and graduated from West Valley High School. She is currently attending Western Washington University and majoring in political science. Octavia Butler is from Anchorage, graduated from East High School and is currently attending Howard University where she majors in political science. Rebecca Dailey is from Anchorage and graduated from South High School. She is currently attending Boston College and majoring in political science. Interns at the Anchorage office are: Kyle Zencey from Anchorage and a graduate of West High School, Zencey is a student at the University of Virginia majoring in government and psychology. Katrina Hall is a graduate of Eagle River High School. Hall is a student at Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School, concentrating in environmental studies and economics. Inerns at the Fairbanks office are: Chelsea Holt is a junior majoring in political science at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. She is a graduate of Delta Junction High School. At the Juneau office is Heather Parker, is a graduate of Grinnell College with a degree BA in Spanish. She has worked as legislative information assistant for the Alaska Legislative Affairs Agency and as a job counselor and citizenship instructor for the Southeast Regional Resource Center.

The University of Alaska Fairbanks announced recipients of the 2012 Emil Usibelli Distinguished Teaching, Research and Public Service Awards. Debendra Das, professor of engineering and mines in the College of Engineering and Mines, received the teaching award; Sergei Avdonin, professor of mathematics and statistics in the College of Natural Science and Mathematics, received the research award; and Kenji Yoshikawa, research professor at the Institute of Northern Engineering, received the service award. Das joined UAF in 1984 as an assistant professor of mechanical engineering. Das holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Brown University and a doctorate in mechanical engineering from University of Rhode Island. Avdonin’s current research focuses on mathematical studies for glaciology and he has developed new methods that offer a major step toward predictive glacier models, which are important in the study of glacier-climate interactions, ice-core dating and assessment of natural hazards. Avdonin began his career in the late 1970s at the department of mathematical sciences at St. Petersburg State University in Russia, spent time as professor and chair of the department of mathematics at St. Petersburg University of Economics and Engineering, and as a senior research fellow at The Flinders University of South Australia. Since arriving at UAF in 1999, Yoshikawa has launched a research outreach effort on the study of permafrost for students and teachers in rural Alaska, Canada, Russia and other countries. Yoshikawa has created a comprehensive network of close to 200 communities and schools to monitor the state of permafrost across the circumpolar North. Yoshikawa received both his master’s and doctorate degree in environmental science from Hokkaido University.

Ashok K. Roy was selected to serve as vice president of finance and administration and chief financial officer for the University of Alaska System. Roy has more than 40 years of experience in banking, finance and administration in both the private and public sector, including higher education. Much of that career has been at the senior level of management. Roy will start at UA on June 1. Since August 2007, Roy has served as assistant vice president for financial services and chief financial officer at Kennesaw State University, in Kennesaw, Ga., where he also serves as associate professor of Asian studies. Prior to that position he worked as director of finance and administration for Indiana University in Bloomington. Roy was educated in India and the United States, and holds six university degrees and five professional certifications from the U.S., England and India. Roy earned a doctoral degree at Sardar Patel University in India; a Master of Arts at Utkal University in India; and two undergraduate degrees, also in India. In the United States, he earned a Master of Science and Master of Education from Indiana University and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, respectively.

Coffman Engineers General Manager Harold L. Hollis is retiring after 30 years of service with the company. Hollis was a senior vice president and served on the board of directors and as general manager of Coffman’s Anchorage office for 23 years. He was instrumental in guiding the growth and success of Coffman’s business in Alaska and expanding its services to the Pacific by opening offices in Honolulu and Guam. Hollis intends to remain in Alaska.

M. Probasco was appointed to the Board of Game. After spending four years in the U.S. Air Force and six years in agricultural education and production in Minnesota, Probasco came to Alaska in 1966. He worked in various capacities with the University of Alaska’s Cooperative Extension Service, eventually becoming a professor and associate director. Probasco also worked for the State of Alaska Division of Agriculture, and was named a professor of extension emeritus at the University of Alaska. Probasco, of Palmer, retired from his work as an insurance agent in 1995, though he spent most of his career involved with various aspects of agricultural development in Alaska. He holds a doctorate in education from the University of Minnesota where he also earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agriculture education.

The CFAB Scholarship Fund, Inc. announced the winners of its 2012 scholarships. The successful applicants for $2,500 scholarships are: Zackary Aspelund, Naknek; Cody Clark, Soldotna; Kari Gilman, Cordova; Shane Hautanen, Anchorage; Eric Hill, Naknek; Amanda Israelson, Yakutat; Angela Johnson, Nelson Lagoon; Katelyn Jane Reeves, Wrangell; and Dylan Spargo, Wasilla.

Crowley Maritime Corporation recently awarded Thomas B. Crowley Sr. Memorial Scholarships to University of Alaska Fairbanks students Caroline Hoover, Jennifer Martelle, Kelsie Maslen and Ralph Sinnok. They each received a portion of a $10,000 scholarship fund that Crowley donated to UAF in December. Hoover, a native of Kasigluk, is working towards her bachelor’s degree in elementary education and is a member of three UAF student organizations, including the Native Alaskan Business Leaders, of which she is currently vice president of fundraising. Martelle, a native of Barrow, is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business administration and has made the Chancellor’s list each semester of her college career. She recently graduated summa cum laude from the business administration Associate’s degree program. Maslen, a native of Kotzebue, is enrolled in UAF’s School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, where she is part of a marine and environmental research team, and is dedicated to finding methods of preserving a healthy and sustainable marine environment through her studies. Sinnok, a native of Shishmaref, is a civil engineering undergraduate student who has worked at the NOAA Fairbanks Satellite Operations and recently interned at the NOAAA Satellite Operations Control Center in Suitland, Md., for nine weeks.