Our Mission & Vision
The Alaska Center’s Mission
We engage, empower, and elect Alaskans to stand up for clean air and water, healthy communities, and a strong democracy.
We believe that Alaska’s future depends on the health of the resources that sustain our diverse cultures and livelihoods and the power of our people to shape decisions that impact our communities.
Our Shared Vision
We envision a thriving, just, and sustainable Alaska for future generations.
Together with our sister nonprofit, The Alaska Center Education Fund, we are committed to building a future where Alaska’s people and resources thrive in harmony, supported by strong leadership and an engaged community.
Our Partnership
Two Organizations, One Purpose
The Alaska Center and The Alaska Center Education Fund work hand-in-hand to drive meaningful change.
The Alaska Center (501(c)(4)) empowers Alaskans to take bold action to protect our climate, our salmon, and the health of our communities. We work to elect leaders who stand up for our shared values and collaborate with community partners to pass impactful legislation.
The Alaska Center Education Fund (501(c)(3)) educates and empowers Alaskans through non-partisan civic engagement, voter education and outreach, and leadership development. Our youth programs, including Alaska Youth for Environmental Action (AYEA) and Trailside Discovery Camp, provide opportunities for young Alaskans to explore their environment, build leadership skills, and drive positive change in their communities.
We are proud members of the Alaska Just Transition Collective, and we approach our work with a just transition in mind—ensuring that the shift to a sustainable future uplifts workers, communities, and cultures while addressing systemic inequalities. By uniting education, leadership, advocacy, and collective action, we are building a thriving, just, and sustainable Alaska for all.
Meet Our Staff
Meet our team of passionate staff who stay busy year-round to advance our mission. With diverse talents, experiences, and deep connections to Alaska’s communities, we work together to build a thriving, just, and sustainable Alaska for future generations.

Victoria Long-Letter
Vicki is a critical partner in ensuring the organization runs efficiently and effectively and drives toward our vision. Vicki oversees our operations and finance department while also managing our youth programs, Trailside Discovery Camp and AYEA.
With a passion for outdoor education and youth leadership, Vicki strives to make a difference in the world. In 2017 Vicki moved to Alaska to work for The Alaska Center/The Alaska Center Education Fund and was blown away by AKC/EdFund’s commitment to creating a thriving, just, and sustainable Alaska for future generations. Previously Vicki worked as an educator, trainer, and mentor to youth and young adults. Born and raised in Felixstowe, England, Vicki now lives and works on the lands of the Dena’ina people, where she and her family are avid fisherfolk, hunters, and rugby players.

Kyla Kosednar
Kyla is a lifelong Alaskan and UAA alum. She started volunteering with The Alaska Center in 2015, as a member of the organization’s Volunteer Leadership Committee. Working alongside community organizers, she helped fight the Pebble Mine, the Chuitna Mine, and engage community members during state and local elections. In 2016, she became the Deputy Canvass Director and has knocked on thousands of doors all across the state. She is passionate about giving Alaskans a voice and has spent countless hours talking to community members about the issues they care about. When she isn’t scrolling through social media, she enjoys fishing, hiking, and solving puzzles.

Alison Lum
As the Development Director, Alison is dedicated to implementing equitable and inclusive fundraising practices. She strives to ensure that community and equity are reflected in all fundraising efforts. Drawing from her wealth of experience in community development, philanthropy, and grant-making, spanning both the public and private sectors, she actively supports the Center’s vision of fostering a thriving, just, and sustainable Alaska for future generations.
Born and raised in Hawai’i, Alison and her family now reside on Dena’ina lands. They have deep family ties to Alaska and are grateful to be living full-time in its wide-open spaces, breathtaking beauty, and wild abundance.

Jenny-Marie Stryker
Jenny-Marie Stryker (she/her) is the Political Director for The Alaska Center. She leads The Alaska Center’s work to elect leaders that will champion our values, which includes assisting the Board of Directors with the endorsement process, leading collaboration on elections with our many partner organizations, and running The Alaska Center Independent Expenditure program. Jenny-Marie also helps guide our political strategy on the many levels we work on, including legislative, local municipal, and utility boards.
Jenny-Marie joined The Alaska Center after working on over a dozen Alaska campaigns and briefly as a journalist. She joined the organization to make longer-term positive change that doesn’t stop after each election cycle. She loves spending every day focused on helping elect, support, and hold accountable leaders across the board in our state. She gets immense joy from seeing Alaskans feel empowered to engage in our democracy.
Outside of work, she can be found walking her Malamute pup Nala, hiking (slowly), and cooking. She is honored to live and play on Dena’ina land but originally grew up on Coastal Miwok land in the Bay Area, CA.

Alex Petkanas
Alex grew up on Paugussett, Wappinger, and Schaghticoke lands, spending a lot of time in the woods and on lakes in Connecticut and upstate New York. They worked in public policy and communications before studying at Brooklyn Law School, where they met their partner who was born and raised on Dena’ina land. While visiting their partner’s family for a month in 2020, Alex fell in love with Alaska’s communities and lands and has been here since.
Alex is excited to be a part of The Alaska Center’s team focusing on clean energy and climate work that centers a regenerative future for all of us. Outside of the office, Alex can be found running, hanging out with dogs, or sharing food.

Zoe Cramer
Zoe/Ze (he/they/she), is an artist, musician, and intersectional environmentalist originally from Homer, Alaska. They write and produce indie/alt/bedroom math rock music, create mixed-media abstract collages, and have volunteered and worked for many organizations including Cook Inletkeeper, Environment America, and The Pratt Museum. He graduated from Kachemak Bay College in the spring of 2021 as valedictorian and moved to Anchorage in the fall to further pursue music and activism.
He’s lived in Homer most of his life, Ze has also lived in Easport, ME, Pittsburgh, PA, and Portland, OR. Although each place has its own charm, Alaska is their home. The sweet smells of puski, alders, and raspberries on seaside cliffs are a blissful comfort. Clear winter nights that reveal the intricacies and hues of the Milky Way, and occasionally the dancing greens, purples, and reds of the Northern Lights fill their heart with wonder and appreciation. This indescribable beauty has inspired her to dedicate her life to protecting, restoring, and advocating for Alaska and the many intricate systems that work together to support life here. They’re so honored to be a part of The Alaska Center and to make a positive impact in our communities and ecosystems.

Jenny Hyde
Jenny Hyde serves as Federal Infrastructure Coordinator for The Alaska Center. In this role, she champions federal investments in clean energy. Jenny works to communicate the success of green infrastructure funding in Alaska through different storytelling initiatives. She also serves as a point of contact for legislators and communities interested in safeguarding environmental protections at the federal level.
Originally from the Boston area, Jenny now lives in Fairbanks, Alaska. As a resident, she is passionate about caring for Alaska’s lands and diverse natural resources.
Jenny holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy with a concentration in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from George Washington University. Before coming to The Alaska Center, Jenny worked on water and sanitation access policy and awareness-building in the U.S. She brings several years of experience writing for policy-focused publications.
Outside of work, Jenny curls at the Fairbanks Curling Club and is an avid reader.

Carissa Larson
Carissa is Sugpiaq/Alutiiq and has roots in Kodiak and the Bristol Bay region. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from Hawai’i Pacific University and brings valuable communications experience from her Native Corporation background, as well as her entrepreneurial venture, Alaska Exquisite Travel.
In her role as Communications Manager, Carissa is responsible for spearheading and enhancing our communication strategies. She is dedicated to advancing The Alaska Center’s mission and is committed to elevating our outreach efforts.

Kristal Perez
Kristal works closely with the Development Director on fundraising events to support Alaska’s climate and democracy. She also advocates for a diverse and active donor program through acknowledgment and appreciation. Kristal is grateful for a hard-working team that engages the community and strives for a better Alaska. She came to this organization after taking a gap year to travel around the United States in a campervan. Kristal holds an International Studies degree and a Dance minor from the University of Alaska Anchorage, which have both helped her foster an interest in politics, translation, diversity, and immigration law. Outside her role at AKC, she enjoys dancing in nature, adventuring with her dog Couscous, and visiting her family in Puerto Rico. She was born and raised on Taino lands and now lives and works on Dena’ina lands.
Meet Our Board
The Alaska Center is fortunate to have a passionate and dedicated board of directors made up of talented individuals from across the state with diverse experiences to help guide our organization.
* Asterisks denote The Alaska Center Education Fund crossover board member

Carly Dennis
Anchorage
Carly joined The Alaska Center board in 2024. Born and raised in Chugiak, she is grateful to live on Dena’ina lands, and is passionate about conservation, equity, and access to these lands. She is an alumna of Alaska Youth for Environmental Action (AYEA), where she found community with other young Alaskans, and began her journey of politics and activism. She continued her work with The Alaska Center canvassing for clean water and salmon habitat, and later worked with the organization as an Alaska Fellow, helping with state and local elections.
Carly studied politics at Pitzer College in Los Angeles, where she gained an understanding of the difficult history of the conservation movement and deep appreciation for the unique politics of place that makes Alaska so interesting. Throughout college she spent summers working at the Sitka Conservation Society, and Sitka and Southeast Alaska hold a special place in her heart.
Currently, Carly works as staff in the Alaska Legislature. She loves wild foods, craft nights, and a good dog.

Gavin Dixon
Anchorage
Gavin’s time with the organization has its roots as a member of Alaska Youth for Environmental Action, where he worked on air quality campaigns and fundraising efforts to support the recovery of the community of Banda Aceh after a devastating Tsunami.
Gavin has worked for over ten years fighting the impacts of climate change and developing renewable energy and energy efficiency projects for rural Alaska Native communities. Most recently his time has been spent as a Project Manager overseeing the relocation of the Yup’ik community of Newtok, which must move to a new location due to the accelerating impacts of climate change.
In his free time, you can find Gavin sharing his passions for biking, skiing, paddling and running with friends and loved ones through the unique and irreplaceable wilderness of Alaska.

Genevieve Mina
Anchorage
Genevieve joined the Alaska Center board in the spring of 2019. While her family hails from the Philippines, it was the fishing industry that brought her family up north. Born and raised in Anchorage, she has since worked on over 10 successful campaigns, interned for Alaska State Representative Ivy Spohnholz in 2017, and leads a local youth organization focused on political empowerment.
In 2018, Genevieve began her involvement with The Alaska Center as a Democracy Fellow, engaging historically low-voter turnout areas in Fairview and Mountain View through nonpartisan voter education. Genevieve graduated from the University of Alaska Anchorage with a BA in Political Science and Biological Sciences and a minor in Communications; she is also a Seawolf Debate alumna.
Currently, she works as a communications specialist for Alaska Primary Care Association, a nonprofit that represents community health centers and promotes advocacy in Alaska health policy. She is also a 2018 graduate of the Alaska Women Ascend program, a member of the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum – Anchorage Chapter, and serves on the Public Transit Advisory Board for the Municipality of Anchorage. Outside of obsessively following health policy and #akleg on Twitter, she enjoys thrifting, karaoke, learning about Alaska political history, and amateur birding.

Dave Musgrave
Mat-Su Valley
David Musgrave joined The Alaska Center board in 2024. He brings experience in oceanography, environmental sciences, and outdoor education.
After graduating from Caltech with a BS in chemistry, he moved to Fairbanks to pursue a graduate program in oceanography at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), where he earned his MS and PhD in Oceanography in 1983. Following this, he completed a post-doctoral fellowship in physical oceanography at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. In 1988, he returned to UAF’s Institute of Marine Sciences as a professor of physical oceanography. After retiring in 2007, Dave relocated to the Mat-Su Valley to enjoy the recreational opportunities in the Chugach Range and Hatcher Pass.
Throughout his time in Alaska, Dave has embraced the Alaskan lifestyle, undertaking numerous backcountry adventures, including sea kayaking, canoeing, packrafting, and whitewater kayaking in Glacier Bay, Prince William Sound, and the Brooks Range, among many other locations in Alaska and beyond. He continues to enjoy backcountry and Nordic skiing, hiking, mountain biking, and snow biking. In the past decade, he has embarked on long bikepacking trips, including rides from Banff to the Mexican border along the Continental Divide, San Diego to the tip of Baja through the mountains, and a ride through the backcountry mountains and beaches across Cuba.
Dave’s passion for outdoor recreation has led him to serve on the boards of the Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks, the Valley Mountain Bikers and Hikers, and the Mat-Su Ski Club. He founded and developed the Mat-Su Junior Nordics and the VMBAH SprocKidz programs to teach kids cross-country skiing and mountain biking. Both programs now serve hundreds of children. He has contributed his oceanographic expertise to the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens Advisory Council as a member of their Scientific Advisory Committee and continues to consult on oceanographic projects in Alaska waters.
Dave enjoys spending time at his log home near Hatcher Pass with his wife, two dogs, and a cat who thinks he’s a dog.

Griffin Plush
Juneau

Sally Rue
Juneau
Sally Rue joined the Alaska Center board in 2018. She has 40 years of experience in Alaska in natural resources planning and policy, community development, youth engagement, and Alaska public education. She worked two stints in the Alaska Governor’s Office (1977 to 1982 and 1995 to 2002), as special assistant for natural resources, and finally as chief of staff to Lt. Governor Fran Ulmer. From 2003 to 2014, she served as director of the Alaska Initiative for Community Engagement, a statewide initiative at the Association of Alaska School Boards to engage adults, organizations, communities and young people in actively supporting youth success.
Sally has been an active volunteer in public schools, served on the Juneau School Board for two terms and on the Alaska State Board of Education and Early Development. She volunteered with Big Brothers/Big Sisters as a Big Sister, and as a board member for Alaska Geographic from 2006 to 2015.
She has a BA in Urban Studies from the U. of Pennsylvania and a Masters in Regional Planning from the U. of Massachusetts. She and her husband Frank live in Juneau and spend as much time as they can enjoying Alaska’s wild lands and waters.
Contact Sally at sarjesrue@gmail.com.
Interested in joining our board?
The Alaska Center Board of Directors is accepting applications for new board members. Currently, we are seeking additional board members from specific regions – the Interior, Southeast, and Southwest – to enhance our statewide perspectives and representation. Ideal board candidates will have a statewide perspective on conservation and social issues, have an interest or background in Alaska politics, support the mission and priority issues and strategies of The Alaska Center, and be willing to leverage their networks to support positive changes focused on our mission throughout our state.
Our volunteer board provides leadership, governance, and support to The Alaska Center. We are currently developing a multi-year strategic plan to achieve our vision of a thriving and sustainable Alaska for future generations. We need thoughtful individuals to join us in this work. Our board meets monthly in Anchorage with a Skype/teleconference option. In addition, board members participate in committee work. Alternatively, if you are interested in participating in a more focused way, contact us to become part of one of our committees.
For more information and to apply (attach cover letter and resume or CV), please send your application to Becky Judd at bjuddak@gmail.com.