UAA College of Business and Public Policy

I’m a fifth generation Alaskan born and raised in Anchorage. My great-great grandmother moved to Nome from the Lower 48 during the gold rush in the late 1800’s and opened up a dress shop. My family moved south to work on the Alaska Railroad and ended up in Anchorage where we stayed. Like most Alaskan kids in my age group, once I graduated from High School I headed out of state to see the rest of the world. I lived in Phoenix, Manhattan, and Portland, OR over the next few years. I liked seeing other cities, but I realized I kept comparing them to Anchorage and that they didn’t’ quite measure up. So when an old friend called me while I was living in New York and offered me a job back in Anchorage I jumped at the chance to come home.

I was working in the Alaska Legislature when I met my future wife, Juli. We decided to get married and knew that we wanted kids. We also knew that the nomadic life of a legislative staffer wasn’t going to be conducive to raising a family. I had been wanted to go back to school and get a degree for some time so I quit my job and enrolled at UAA. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, but I knew that I wanted a good paying job that would be intellectually stimulating and would allow me to stay in Alaska. I had given myself one semester to figure out a major while I completed the few remaining core curriculum classes that I had left to complete. One of them was a science course. By the time I got around to picking one, the only course left that qualified was Intro to Geology out in Eagle River. Sabra Reed was the professor and she was an amazingly passionate teacher with a deep love for geology in general and the UAA Geology program in specific. Her enthusiasm was so contagious that I couldn’t help but get excited about the subject as well. Once I realized that it met all of the criteria I had set (good pay, interesting, and Alaska compatible) the rest was easy.

I am currently the Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. I think I would describe the path to my current position as…circuitous. I went from Legislative Aide to Geologist to Economic Developer to Deputy Commissioner. That makes for a pretty odd looking resume. What’s interesting is how many skills I’ve learned from each job that I’ve been able to apply to other, seemingly unrelated, positions. As for mentors, I’ve had more than my fair share. From family and friends to professionals in my field to people in totally unrelated fields that I looked up to, I’ve relied heavily on others to keep me on track both personally and professionally, help me make decisions, and connect me with the people and resources I need to succeed.

I’m still not sure I’m a leader. I don’t know that that’s something you can decide for yourself. I know that I have a vision for what I want for the state and for my hometown so that my children and their children can have the same opportunities that I have had here. I do what I can to make that vision happen and when I’m lucky I convince others to help me. If getting people to be as excited about Alaska’s future as I am is leadership, than I suppose I’ve wanted to lead since I worked in the Legislature and realized how far one motivated and passionate person can get in this state.

When my wife and I had our second child, I was working as a geologist for a mineral exploration company. It was long weeks in the field with limited communications. Not a great schedule for a family with two young children, so I decided to find a desk job in Anchorage to spend more time with my kids. I quickly realized that geology jobs that didn’t require field work were hard to come by and that I would probably have to start a new career. It was terrifying and depressing at the same time. Terrifying because I had a family to provide for and no idea where I would end up. It was depressing because I had worked so hard for my degree and really enjoyed geology, but family comes first. I’ve found that the best way to deal with problems is to confront them head on, so when some people I worked with in the Legislature told me about a job opening at the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation I decided to go for it even though it seemed like it was outside my area of expertise. I interviewed for the position and realized that a lot of the soft skills that I had learned at previous jobs, even the geology jobs, could actually be applied to economic development. The interview went great and in a few weeks I had been hired on as the Director of Business and Economic Development. I went on to become the youngest Vice President in AEDC’s 25 year history, a Top 40 Under 40, NSLS’s Exceptional Leader of the Year and the International Economic Development Council’s Young Economic Development Professional of the Year. Not bad for a job I didn’t think I was qualified for.

It would definitely have to be my wife Juli Lucky. She’s a talented professional, an amazing mother and all around great person. I’ve never met anyone so capable of giving, or so dedicated to her family, friends, and community. It’s not an understatement to say that almost everything I’ve accomplished since coming back to Alaska has been because of meeting her. Whenever I wonder if I’m doing the right thing, being a good parent or treating others fairly all I have to do is ask myself what she would do. I would also have to say Senator Ted Stevens. He’s had an amazing influence on Alaska and its people. He was a tireless defender of this state as well as a visionary that brought telemedicine, internet, financing and other programs and infrastructure to urban and rural areas. He showed us and the rest of the United States what Alaskans are capable of and that was truly inspirational.

Alaska is a unique place. You can go farther faster here than almost anywhere else in the nation. You can effect more change, interact with more leaders and get more assistance than young professionals elsewhere. That’s partly because we’re a young state, partly because there’s an age gap and partly because Alaska is just plain different from elsewhere. If you have a dream, go for it. Don’t worry about being a leader, or failing or looking foolish. Figure out your vision for Alaska’s future, try to make it happen, and always be thankful and appreciative of anyone willing to go along with you.