About Us

Education:

Bachelor of Arts, Journalism with emphasis in Public Relations
Humboldt State University, California 1997.

United States Air Force, 4.5 years
Honorable Discharge

Biography:

Following high school graduation in San Diego, CA I escaped the city life for the remotes of Alaska by joining the US Air Force. Stationed at Eielson AFB in Fairbanks, Alaska I crewed KC-135 aerial refueling and reconnaissance aircraft.

Following my honorable discharge, I worked the summer on the "slime line" working in the canneries of Bristol Bay, Alaska to get the feel for Alaska life outside the military. Although the life of cannery work was never in my cards, I did enjoy the comradery of working in a fish camp, enough to return for several summers while pursuing my degree from Humboldt State University in northern California.

While attending Humboldt, I went on National Student Exchange to the University of Alaska Southeast in Juneau during my Junior year. Upon graduation from Humboldt, I returned to Juneau and have been working with UAS since. My role at UAS have varied from employment with student housing to manager of the recreation center to regional web coordinator. What attracted me to Southeast Alaska was the feeling I had as an exchange student. That was the feeling of euphoria one felt as a child upon waking up the morning of a trip to Disneyland. For the outdoor enthusiast, Juneau has just about everything for those who enjoy kayaking, hiking, hunting, camping, fishing, skiing...you name it.

My wife Lori also works at UAS. We have a wonderful son Garrett, who loves the outdoors and exploring our wonderful surroundings. To coin the term, "Life is Good".

Other:

Accomplishments while at UAS include:

Associate Director of Campus Recreation, University of Alaska Southeast: 2014 - Present

Regional Web Coordinator, University of Alaska Southeast: 2/2003 - 2014

• Created UAS course schedule. Resulted in one regional authoritative source for class information, saving UAS money in print production and mailing costs
• Designed UAS whale-tale logo in use regionally today (learn, engage, change later being added). New logo was recognized for excellence by Admissions Advertising Awards
• Researched and deployed content management system, insuring consistency of brand and reducing duplication of information
• Co-chair regional Web development group, recognized by the UAS Executive Cabinet
• Coordinated a complete redesign of the UAS website, bringing UAS into alignment with our accreditation goals and objectives
• Developed and manage UAS photo database, reducing our potential for copyright issues

Manager, Student Activities Center, UAS: 8/1999 - 2/2003

• Designed facility from the ground up with student input. While I managed the facility, it was largely operated and maintained by students
• Founded the Outdoor Recreation Center (ORC). The ORC rentals were self-supported through rental fees and use was coordinated with Outdoor Studies (ODS) program.
• Developed mechanical skills and saved money by learning to make many cardiovascular equipment and facility repairs
• Coordinated physical education classes, wellness programs and entertainment opportunities, logging record event attendance
• Created training manuals for all functions, including climbing facility, help desk and performance spaces. Although student staff turn-over was low, this was critical for safety and ease of new staff transition
  

Administrative Assistant, Student Activities/Student Government, UAS: 8/1996 - 9/1999

• Created outdoor gear rental program with seed money from the UAS Student Government Association. My close work with the USUAS-JC helped me to further refine my skills in oral and written communication and group dynamics
• Moved many services online, to include housing referrals, rates and event information
• Worked collaboratively with Facility Services and other stakeholders to fund and create the UAS ID system that utilized magnetic door locks, still in use today
• Worked with Student Senators and local businesses to create a student discount program, saving students money at places they visited while also promoting UAS in the community
• Served as technical consultant to the Whalesong student newspaper, moving their publication and advertisements online

Living Group Advisor & Community Advisor , Humboldt State University/UAS: 8/1994 - 8/1996

As an undergraduate, I served as a Living Group Advisor (2 years) at Humboldt State University and as a Community Advisor at UAS while on National Student Exchange. As anyone who has this experience will tell you, it was both challenging and rewarding and worthy of mention as it helped shaped me into the professional I am today.