Kameron H. Perez-Verdia

Adam Elliott Photography

Education: Certificate in Strategic Leadership for the 21st Century from Harvard Kennedy School, Masters of Business Administration with an emphasis in Executive Leadership from the University of Denver, Graduate coursework in Adult Education: Human Resource Development & Leadership from the University of Alaska Anchorage, Bachelor's Degree in Communication, with an emphasis in Human Resource Management and Professional Training from the University of Puget Sound

Community work: Food Bank of Alaska, Smithsonian Institution's National Science Resource Center

Family: Wife Monica, children Isabel and Mariela

Hometown: Barrow

Favorite lunch spot? Middle Way Cafe

Best stress reliever? Running.

Your most memorable experience that could only have happened in Alaska. Hiking with my wife and a friend to the base of a glacier and pack-rafting downriver to where we started. The trip took over 20 hours, but because it was in the middle of the summer, the sun was shining the whole time.

What is the strangest thing you've ever seen in Alaska? I was 14 years old, living in Barrow. I rode a snowmachine across the freshwater lagoon. I stopped and looked up to see the most brilliant green strip of color in the sky ... it was the northern lights. It was moving and dancing. It felt like it knew I was there and was performing for me.

Name the person you most respect and why. My mother, Shirley Holloway, is my mentor, my hero, someone I trust and depend on. My wife Monica is one of the most amazing people I have ever known. Her ability to give and care is without end, she challenges and cherishes me every day. She is an amazing mother. I am wowed by her patience, love and commitment to our family.

Famous quote to live by: "The first rule of holes: when you're in one, stop digging."

How did you make your first dollar? Delivering newspapers in Barrow when I was in seventh grade.

What did your pet or child teach you about business? My dog was always bursting with happiness and excitement. It was impossible to not feel good when you were around him. It taught me that positivity and good energy are catching. They can do amazing things in a workplace.

Favorite superhero? Spider-Man. "With great power, comes great responsibility." He is complex, troubled, yet ultimately wants to do the right thing. He is messy, like all of us.

What is the best moral lesson learned from a character in a book? Sam-I-Am from the Dr. Seuss book "Green Eggs and Ham." He is cheeky and persistent, with a child-like optimism that cannot be deterred from seeing the positive. He finds the good in everything.

Describe something you learned as a child that made a difference in your later years. As a child I spent a great deal of time around adults, mostly teachers visiting our house. I engaged in conversations and discussed big complex topics about work and life. This gave me great confidence in my later years that I could talk with anyone, regardless of their perspective, status or age. It also taught me to listen and adapt my communication style to the circumstances. Today, I feel like one of my strengths is my ability to talk and relate to a wide variety of people.