Meet Our Panelists and Moderators

Executive Director, Best Beginnings

Amie Collins is the Executive Director of Best Beginnings, where she leads statewide efforts to strengthen school readiness, early literacy, and the systems that support Alaska’s young children and families. She is an active voice in early childhood policy and systems work across Alaska through numerous roles, serving locally today as the co-chair of the Anchorage Early Childhood Coalition and Board Chair of the emerging Alaska Children’s Museum. Amie earned both her B.A. in Political Science and M.B.A. from UAA and is a previous recipient of the Alumni of Distinction award. As the mother of three and wife of a public school teacher, her work on behalf of Alaska’s children and families is deeply personal.

Vice President, Anchorage School Board

Kelly grew up in California’s public schools and earned her PhD from the University of Michigan. Upon moving to Anchorage with her family, Kelly started to trade her expertise in 19th century US history for opportunities to volunteer in local elementary school classrooms.

These experiences prompted her to spearhead a grassroots effort focused on implementing an equitable, evidence-based recess and lunch framework for Anchorage students and, eventually, to run for the Anchorage School Board. Since being elected in 2021, she has worked to improve student learning by collaborating with state and local partners, bringing forward initiatives and policies spanning student wellness, literacy, and AI use, and advocating for adequate levels of education funding.

Director, Center for Alaska Education Policy Research

Dr. Dayna DeFeo joined ISER in 2014 and is currently a research associate professor of education policy and the director of the Center for Alaska Education Policy Research. She holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction form New Mexico State University. Dr. DeFeo’s primary research interests include education for workforce development; teacher turnover, supply, and demand; and representation and hegemony in the curriculum and institutional systems.

Dean, UAA School of Education

Tonia A. Dousay, Ph.D., is Dean and Professor of the UAA School of Education, where she leads educator preparation and workforce development across Alaska. She is a co-architect of SUNRAE, one of the nation's largest registered teacher apprenticeship programs, now serving nearly 100 apprentices statewide with a majority Alaska Native enrollment. A Google Certified Trainer and Innovator and Immediate Past President of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology, Dr. Dousay brings a national perspective to Alaska's most pressing education challenges. She holds a Ph.D. in Learning, Design and Technology from the University of Georgia.

UAA – Assistant Professor of Economics

Hannah Hennighausen is an Assistant Professor of Economics at the University of Alaska Anchorage whose research examines how natural disasters shape insurance markets, housing, and community well-being. Her work has been published in leading academic journals, and she is deeply committed to student engagement and mentorship. She also fosters dialogue beyond the classroom by actively participating in academic and community events.

Deputy Director of Community and Economic Development for the Municipality of Anchorage

Graham Downey’s work focuses on implementing the Mayor's 10,000 Homes in Ten Years strategy as well as making our roads safer for all. Graham holds a J.D. from Yale Law School and a B.A. from Virginia Tech.

Investigative Journalist

Emily Schwing is an award-winning investigative journalist with more than two decades of experience in print and radio. Her work reporting on a public health and safety crisis inside Alaska's rural public schools for ProPublica garnered eight awards in 2025, including an IRE, a Headliner and recognition from the Northwest Chapter of the SPJ. Her 2024 investigation into the fraudulent use of federal funds in the aftermath of typhoon Merbok resulted in federal policy changes at FEMA and a civil rights investigation at the US Department of Homeland Security. She was also part of the New York Times’ Covid Tracking Team, which won a Pulitzer Prize for Public Service in 2021. In 2019, Emily published an award-winning multi-year investigation for Reveal into clergy sex abuse and its repercussions in Indigenous communities in Western Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. Emily started working in radio while attending Carleton College. She has produced work in every major medium including, radio, television, print and online. She has also won awards for her photography. Emily is based in Alaska.

Associate Professor of Management, UAA College of Business and Public Policy

Terry Fields is the Program Director and Associate Professor of the University of Alaska Anchorage's Weidner Property Management and Real Estate (WPM+RE) Program. He is also a licensed real estate broker, investor, and provides real estate training for individuals and organizations through Fields Real Estate Education.

UAA - Research Professor of Public Policy

Robert Loeffler grew up in Minnesota, later moving to Alaska where he built a career bridging natural resource development, community interests, and environmental considerations. He holds master’s degrees in civil engineering from Stanford and Regional Planning from Harvard, and since 2010 has served as a Research Professor of Public Policy at UAA’s Institute of Social and Economic Research. In addition, he is a partner at Jade North, an Alaskan consulting firm specializing in mining and natural resource issues for industry, government, Native groups, and non-profits.

Partner | Seamark

Taylor Drew Holshouser is a partner at Seamark, an Anchorage-based consulting firm specializing in the seafood industry and sustainable resource development. Previously, he was an investor at Builders Vision, where he helped manage a $1.6 billion endowment and $125 million portfolio focused on ocean health and sustainable seafood. He advises several organizations, including the Prince William Sound Science Center and the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation, and holds a B.A. in Humanities from Yale University.

President & CEO, Anchorage Economic Development Corporation

Jon Bittner is the President & CEO of the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation, a member based organization made up of 300 of Alaska's largest employers and industry leaders. He has over 20 years of experience in business and economic development through his work at AEDC as well as serving as the State Director of the Alaska Small Business Development Center for 9 years and serving as the Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development under both Governor Parnell and Governor Walker. He also has a background in resource extraction through his work as an exploration geologist and public affairs manager at Millrock and MDF Alaska and has a Bachelor's of Science in Geology from the University of Alaska Anchorage. He serves on a variety of Boards including the Anchorage Community Land Trust, United Way Anchorage, Commonwealth North, Anchorage Chamber, Anchorage Community Development Authority, Anchorage Downtown Partnership, UAA's College of Business & Public Policy Advisory Board and several others. He is a fifth-generation Alaskan, and he has two amazing children, Charlotte and Atticus.

Director, UAA Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) | Professor of History, UAA

Dr. Hartman grew up and attended public schools in Western Pennsylvania and completed his Ph.D. at the University of Illinois in 2011. He has been a proud Alaskan and faculty member at UAA since August 2011. His research and teaching interests encompass political and cultural history in the United States. Dr. Hartman has published and writes on a range of topics related to race, power, and politics in Alaska, the American West, and the United States more generally. He teaches history from the bottom-up and stresses how regular people have changed the course of American history in ways both big and small. He has collaborated with the Anchorage Museum, the Anchorage School District, and state and local historical societies. Hartman takes seriously the role of history in public life and enthusiastically strives to take the academic discipline beyond the walls of the classroom and campus and into the community.

Research Assistant Professor of Applied Economics, ISER

I am an applied microeconomist that studies labor and public economics. I am broadly interested in studying policy that affects the labor market. My recent research has been on the effect of pension generosity on the labor market; understanding the impact of disability-based affirmative action; and the impact of retaliation law on firm dynamics. I use modern econometric tools and structural modelling to answer these questions.

Other current research interests include credit markets in developing countries, wildfire, and roadway safety. Prior to my graduate degree, I worked at the Federal Housing Financing Agency on housing research.

Assistant Professor of Economics and Public Policy, ISER

Spencer is an Assistant Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER) at the University of Alaska Anchorage.

His research focuses on topics in health and public economics. Broadly, he is interested in understanding how individuals make dynamic choices under uncertainty given the incentives and constraints introduced by public policy. He approaches this challenge with a variety of applied microeconomics methods including causal inference tools, surveys of preferences and beliefs, and structural estimation.

Prior to joining ISER, Spencer worked as a Postdoctoral Scholar at USC Dornsife’s Center for Economic and Social Research. 

He holds a Ph.D., in Economics from Arizona State University and a B.A. in Economics from Davidson College.

UAA - Professor and Chair of Economics (CBPP)

Dr. Kevin Berry is a Professor of Economics and Chair of the Department of Economics at the University of Alaska Anchorage, where he is also affiliated with the Institute of Social and Economic Research. His work focuses on environmental and resource economics, including the impacts of climate change, pandemics, and sustainability challenges in Alaska and beyond. He has been recognized with the Harold T. Caven Professorship for his contributions to understanding the intersection of economics, ecology, and public policy.

Thank you to the Alaska Native Professional Association (ANPA) for participating in this year's Showcase. ANPA’s mission is to build relationships, leadership, and community involvement among Alaska Native professionals and organizations. ANPA is here to continue networking today’s young and dynamic leaders by helping weave relationships and connect strong communities for a brighter tomorrow.

Learn more at ANPA.net

General Manager, Fairweather

Zach Dunlap is the General Manager of Fairweather, a wholly owned subsidiary of Doyon, Limited. Outside his corporate roles, he serves as an Adjunct Faculty member at Alaska Pacific University (APU) Institute of Business and Public Policy, where he shares his expertise with the next generation of business leaders.

Dunlap holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Alaska Native Executive Leadership (ANELP) graduate certificate from APU, complemented by a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management with a minor in Alaska Native Business Management from the University of Alaska, Anchorage (UAA).

In addition to his professional and academic pursuits, Dunlap is deeply involved in community engagement. He currently serves on the UAA Alumni Association Board of Directors. His board service also includes a tenure as Treasurer of the Alaska Native Professional Association (ANPA), during which he contributed to advancing Indigenous professionals and the broader community. He also serves as an ambassador of the Alaska Native Business Management program for the College of Business and Public Policy at UAA.

Dunlap is a proud Doyon shareholder who grew up in Anchorage, Alaska. He continues to reside there with his wife and two young children.

Journalist, Alaska Beacon

James Brooks Cascade is a longtime Alaska reporter who lives in Juneau. He previously worked at the Anchorage Daily News, Juneau Empire, Kodiak Mirror and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. A graduate of Virginia Tech, he is married with a daughter, identical twin sons and a small sled dog named Barley.

Professor of Education Policy, UAA Institute of Social and Economic Research

Diane Hirshberg is a Professor of Education Policy in the College of Business and Public Policy and past director of the Institute of Social and Economic Research at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Her research includes education policy analysis, Indigenous and circumpolar education issues, energy decision-making in the North and sustainable development in the Arctic. She has studied the boarding school experiences of Alaska Native students, teacher supply, demand, and turnover in Alaska, culturally responsive practice in early learning settings, and community decision-making around energy in Arctic communities, from renewables to nuclear. Her current work focuses on community efforts to build energy security and sustainability in northern and Indigenous communities. Dr. Hirshberg teaches in the Master of Public Policy Program at the UAA College of Business and Public Policy. She has a Ph.D. in Education from UCLA, a Master of Public Administration from Columbia University, and two bachelor’s degrees from UC Berkeley.