Serve Alaska Commission Members

Current Commissioners

Judy Bredberg

Judy Bredberg has lived in Alaska for 23 years and settled in Wasilla. She taught school for the Mat Su School District for 17 years, and retired in 2003. She worked as a special education teacher and student government advisor at Houston and Wasilla High Schools. She is a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. Judy was appointed to the Alaska State Community Service Commission in June 2007; she is also a member of the Daybreak, Inc. Board for the past 7 years. Judy and her husband have raised two children and have five grandchildren.
Date Re-Appointed: June 1, 2010. Date Term Expires: March 10, 2013.
Tracey Burke

Tracey Burke has been an associate professor of social work at the University of Alaska Anchorage since 2003, and a core faculty member of its Center for Community Engagement and Learning. Originally coming to Alaska in 1989 as a Jesuit volunteer, she worked for the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation in Bethel and at a women’s crisis center in Fairbanks. Tracey has published numerous academic papers on social work topics, including Alaska Native issues.
Date Appointed: December 24, 2009. Date Term Expires: March 10, 2012.
Elaine Dahlgren

Elaine Dahlgren is President/CEO of Volunteers of America Alaska, a local affiliate of the national faith-based organization founded in 1896. Prior to this, Elaine was Director of the South-central Alaska Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, a Corporation for National and Community Service Program. Elaine remains one of the original Alaska State Community Service Commission members appointed by Governor Hickel when the Commission was formed.
Date Re-Appointed: July 17, 2009. Date Term Expires: March 10, 2012.
Kathryn Dodge

Kathryn Dodge is Policy Research Director at the Cold Climate Housing Research Center, President of the Alaska Partnership for Economic Development and the Fairbanks North Star Borough VISTA Advisory Council Chair. Dr. Dodge works with state, national and circumpolar partners to develop policy that will lead to sustainable housing and communities. Dr. Dodge was formerly with the Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) Mayor’s office, as the FNSB Alaska Regional Development Director. During that time she maintained the FNSB Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, managed various economic development projects, and participated as a senior partner in many joint local, regional and state economic development projects. She has a Ph.D. in Human and Organizational Systems, MA in Human Development and Organizational Design and Effectiveness, and a BA in Organizational Management. Dr. Dodge has lived in Alaska since 1973, most of that time in the FNSB.
Date Re-Appointed: March 1, 2011. Date Term Expires: March 1, 2014.
Kirsten Franklin-Temple

Kirsten Franklin-Temple has served as the Alaska State Director for the Corporation for National & Community Service (CNCS) since January 2011. In addition to overseeing Alaska AmeriCorps*VISTA and Senior Corps programming, she also oversees programs in Washington State. Prior to working for CNCS, she worked as a recruiter for the Northwest Peace Corps Office in Seattle. Before moving to the northwest, she was a Volunteer Coordinator for a refugee resettlement agency and a Special Event Coordinator for the Children’s Museum of Richmond in Virginia. Out of college, Kirsten served for two years with the Peace Corps in Gabon, Central Africa. She enjoys hiking, biking, snowboarding and gardening. She also serves on the board of the Denise Louie Education Center, a non-profit that serves immigrant and refugee children in Seattle, Washington. Kirsten is also a mom to a young daughter and a misbehaved Australian Sheppard rescue dog
Appointed January 1, 2011 as Corporation for National and Community Service Representative.
Melora Gaber

Melora Gaber has worked and volunteered as an educator for the past 25 years. Her current position oversees Head Start and Pre-School programs for the State. She has managed federal education programs for the State of Alaska for the past 10 years, most recently overseeing district programs supported through the No Child Left Behind Act, including education programs for neglected or delinquent youth and programs that provide education and support for homeless children and youth. Previously, Melora managed the school and district improvement programs for sites that failed to make adequate yearly progress as measured by state assessments. She has also managed English acquisition and multicultural education programs, comprehensive school reform projects, education for migrant children, and scholarship programs for the state. Melora began her 30 year Alaskan residency in Bethel where her experiences working and living along the Kuskokwim River sparked an interest in the field of education and developing a greater understanding of the unique challenges facing remote communities in Alaska.
Appointed September 2007 as Commission Designee for the Department of Education & Early Development.
Myrna Gardner

Date Appointed: April 1, 2011. Date Term Expires: March 1, 2012.
Leona Grishkowsky

Leona Grishkowsky of Unalakleet, has been a Pen Air agent at West Coast Aviation since 2001, and worked in the office of the Bering Strait School District (BSSD) from 1988-2000 where she won the district Educator of the Year award in 1997-1998. Prior to that, she worked as a BSSD teacher from 1977-1988. She served on the Unalakleet City Council for more than eight years, and in numerous capacities within the community, including the Head Start Parent Committee and as a member of the Alaska Arts in Education.
Date Re-Appointed: June 1, 2010. Date Term Expires: March 10, 2013.
Dawn Grossmann (Chair)

Dawn Grossmann was born to a large family of volunteers; she learned early the power a helping hand can give. Dawn and her family have resided in Delta Junction since 1981 and is currently a Delta Junction City Councilwoman. A home-schooling mother of four grown children and a grandmother of one, she has been an active volunteer in the community with The Delta Home School Association, Eagle Forum, Deltana Fair, the Chamber of Commerce, the Alaska Mission for Christ, Ft Greely Chapel, The Delta Skating Association, The Delta Youth Court, the Fairbanks Crisis Pregnancy Center and several other small organizations. Dawn retired from teaching preschool after 15 years and is currently supervisor of the Weather Observers Station at Ft. Greely’s Allen Army Airfield. Dawn is serving her fifth term as commissioner and her second term as chair of Serve Alaska. In her free time, Dawn enjoys quilting, scrap booking, gardening, traveling, and her family and friends.
Date Re-Appointed: April 1, 2011. Date Term Expires: March 10, 2014.
Joelle Hall

Date Appointed: April 1, 2011. Date Term Expires: March 10, 2013.
Becky Judd

Becky Judd has been an advocate for Alaska youth since 1983. She has served in multiple roles as a teacher, trainer, outdoor instructor, coalition organizer, and more recently as the resiliency youth development specialist for the Department of Health and Social Services. The Assets or positive youth development framework provides the foundation for all of her work. Becky started several statewide youth empowerment-based efforts (e.g. student conferences, teen trainers program; statewide youth coalition with over 100 chapters.) Additionally she co-authored the nationally recognized publication Helping Kids Succeed~ Alaska Style, and co -founded the Spirit of Youth, organization as well as the Alaska ICE ten-year Assets initiative, with the Association of Alaska School Boards.
Date Appointed: July 17, 2009. Date Term Expires: March 10, 2012.
Mark Kelsey

Mark Kelsey is Communications Coordinator for the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development and the Department's designee to Serve Alaska. Mark has been in state government since 2007. Prior to that, he worked for 12 years as a journalist. Most recently, he was managing editor of the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, following tours of duty at the Nashua (NH) Telegraph, Homer News, Kenai Peninsula Clarion and Juneau Empire. Born and raised in Connecticut, and an alumnus of the University of Connecticut, Mark moved to Alaska in 1994. He lives in Wasilla with his wife, Lisa, and their son.
Appointed January 1, 2001 as Commission Designee for the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development
Denise Morris

Denise Morris is CEO of First Alaskans Institute and is an Aleut descendant whose family is from the Pribilof Islands. She is a longtime advocate of social justice and victims' rights, the issues that often beset Native communities. Denise is a founding member of the Alaska Native Women's Sexual Assault Committee. This group was founded to answer the high rate of Alaska Native women who face sexual exploitation. Morris remains heavily involved in community activities throughout Anchorage. Some include a place with the Section 904 Violence Against Women in Indian Country Federal Task Force; Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault – Domestic Violence Prevention Enhancement and Leadership through Alliances (DELTA) steering committee; The Anchorage Community Police Relations Task Force, the Alaska Pro Bono Program, the Alaska Innocence Project, the Alaska State Commission on Community Service, Chanlyut Board, and the Weed & Seed Steering Committee.
Date Re-Appointed: July 17, 2009. Date Term Expires: March 10, 2012.
Lebron McPhail

Lebron McPhail has worked for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District since 1984. During his 30+ year career he has served as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, principal and is currently the Director of Education. In a district that serves over 16,000 students within 43 schools, Mr. McPhail oversees charter, elementary, and high schools, and supervisors principals, and other support staff. Additionally, he serves as the military liaison for the district, providing support for students with deployed parents. In 2006 he formed a district-wide wellness committee to tackle student obesity and comply with the federally mandated student wellness initiative. He is a staunch supporter of student learning and co-curricular activities and currently volunteers to serve as the district's co-curricular team leader on the Program Based Budgeting committee. Mr. McPhail also volunteers his time within his community serving on a number of non-profit boards to include the Community Justice Coalition and as a director for the Alaska Family Services Board. He is a past president of Mat-Su Judo Club and continues to enjoy participating and coaching youth. As a coach he has served the Mat-Su School District by coaching football, basketball, wrestling, and track and field. He holds a Bachelor of Art degree from Eastern New Mexico University and a Masters degree from United States Sport Academy.
Date Re-Appointed: June 1, 2010. Date Term Expires: March 10, 2013.
Barb Nickels

Barb Nickels has been in Alaska for 25+ years and settled in Nome in 1999. She now has a large family in Alaska including 13 grandchildren. Barb is the Director of the Nome Chamber of Commerce Meetings and Conventions Division. She also served as the President and CEO of Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation Education Foundation. Extremely active in the Nome community, Barb is a past president and current member of the Nome School Board, the Nome Preschool Association, the Nome Parent Teacher Student Association and an Advisory Member of the local Boys & Girls Club. Additionally, she was a past supervisor of the AmeriCorps VISTA program in Nome, and served as director of the Alaska Regional Development Organization (ARDOR) and Community Planning and Development Division within Kawerak, Inc. Barb is also a founding member of the Alaska Partnership for Economic Development.

Date Appointed: April 11, 2011. Date Term Expires: April 11, 2014.
Rosemary Schneeberger

Rosemary (Rory) Schneeberger is a Hoonah resident and married to retired Postmaster Peter Schneeberger, the mother of four grown children and Mentor-Mom to numerous US and overseas K-University students. Rory is a retired educator, counselor, former Chief of Staff for a Colorado state senator and legislative staffer for an Alaska house representative. She and her husband volunteer throughout Hoonah on community plans, international student cultural exchange programs and around the world, primarily teaching English and assisting on rural construction projects.
Date Appointed: June 1, 2010. Date Term Expires: March 1, 2012
Kirsten Vesel

Kirsten Franklin-Temple, Ex-Officio
Appointed January 1, 2011 as Corporation for National and Community Service Representative
Steven Ricci

Steven Ricci first came to Alaska as an AmeriCorps volunteer in 2001. After completing his term with the Southeast Alaska Guidance Association, he decided to stay in Alaska. Steve transferred his studies to the University of Alaska Southeast and completed a degree in economics. While completing his degree he had an internship with the Department of Revenue and Marine Highway system, and worked for the Forest Service. Upon graduation Steve began a career as a commercial fisherman. He began as a hand troller with an old wood boat built in 1938, and progressed into power trolling. During the winter he began working for the legislature. While Steve is not on the water or working in the Capitol he loves to travel, hunt, hike and talking about fishing.

Date Appointed: January 1, 2011. Date Term Expires: March 10, 2012.
Jeff Wheaton

Jeff Wheaton has worked as a teacher for Interior Distance Education of Alaska (IDEA), the home school support program of the Galena City School District, for the past ten years. He previously taught in the elementary grades for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, and has also worked in the radio/television industry. Jeff moved to Alaska from Chicago in 1984 and has lived in a variety of Alaskan communities besides Anchorage, which has been home for the past eleven years. Governor Palin appointed him to the Alaska Council on the Homeless in February of this year as he hopes that partnerships between the education community, local and state governments, concerned groups and the faith-based community can make an impact on the homeless challenges in Alaska. He has volunteered in various capacities through two Anchorage churches, Faith Christian Community and Change Point, particularly in children’s ministries and missions.

Date Appointed: April 1, 2011. Date Term Expires: March 10, 2014.
Ron Yeager (Vice Chair)

Ron Yeager grew up in the Anchorage area to parents who had both served in the military. He attended University of Alaska Anchorage, where he received his Bachelors of Science in Civil Engineering. Ron's career has taken him through the surveying and O&G (oil and gas) industry, and he now works for ICRC, a Design Management firm overseeing the Port of Anchorage Intermodal Expansion Project. Most importantly, Ron loves to spend his time with his family; whether that time be spent reading, playing music, or hiking in the Chugach.

Date Appointed: July 17, 2009. Date Term Expires: March 10, 2012.

If you are interested in applying for an appointment to this Commission, please visit the Governor’s Boards and Commissions website for application instructions.