Sarah Erkmann

Adam Elliott Photography

Education: Bachelor's Degree in History from the University of Oregon

Community work: Food Bank of Alaska, The Catholic Anchor

Family: Husband Jason Ward, children Drake and Susie, Black Lab Day-z. Also a twin sister, Susie Whited

Hometown: Born in St. Louis, Mo., moved to Kodiak at 3 months old

Favorite lunch spot? Humpy's for Health Nut Halibut.

Best stress reliever? Wine. And hanging out with family. In that order.

Favorite place in Alaska? Anywhere in the Chugach Mountains. It means I'm home.

Your most memorable experience that could only have happened in Alaska. When I was in my young 20s, I staffed a board on which the lieutenant governor served. At a board meeting in Juneau, she mistakenly took my coat, then left for the Capitol. I spent the rest of the day running around Juneau tracking down my coat … from the lieutenant governor!

What is the strangest thing you've ever seen in Alaska? A very ticked off, grumpy-looking porcupine covered in snow making his way down our dark, snowy neighborhood street. He was just furious, you could tell. It still makes me laugh.

Name the person you most respect and why: My husband. For putting family first, and taking it one day at a time. Also, for making excellent blue cheese steaks.

How did you make your first dollar? Planting flowers at a local greenhouse for $4 an hour. I had to get a waiver from the Department of Labor to be able to work at age 14.

What did your pet or child teach you about business? When my 2-year-old nephew hummed the tune to the McDonald's jingle, I knew how important marketing and branding were. That and a multi-million dollar advertising budget.

What is the best moral lesson learned from a character in a book? From "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt" by Edmund Morris: Work hard. Don't give up. Challenge yourself. Love your family.

What was your biggest challenge in life and how have you overcome it? Math. And I have not yet managed to overcome it. Fortunately, I deal in words.

What was the least intelligent thing you've ever done or seen and what did you learn from it? Swearing that I was "done with Alaska" after high school. Four years later, I couldn't get back here fast enough. You can't quit Alaska. We're all inherently a bit odd.

Describe something you learned as a child that made a difference in your later years. A strong, healthy family sets up children for success in life. I owe this observation to the fine example set by my parents.