In the new role of Marketing Assistant, Tiffany Whited not only manages social media feeds but coordinates broader efforts to put Alaska Business in front of as many readers as possible. With a background in social media management and consulting, Whited knows how to captivate audiences and maximize brand exposure. She previously ran a social media consulting business, which led to joining the staff of a construction firm that wanted to boost its social media platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Having previously worked for a publishing company in London, Whited has returned to the world of print. 
The title of Web Manager encompasses only part of what Patricia Morales does for Alaska Business Publishing Company. In addition to maintaining the website and weekly newsletter The Monitor, Morales assists the art director with photo selections and graphic design. Morales earned an associate degree in graphic design from Tidewater Community College in Norfolk, Virginia. She served in the US Army for five years and trained as a civil engineer. She finished a bachelor’s degree in graphic design from Full Sail University online. Morales was previously a designer for JBER Life, a magazine published by the marketing department of the 773rd Force Support Squadron.
The CIRI Foundation, the nonprofit educational arm of the Alaska Native corporation for the Anchorage and Matanuska-Susitna region, has a new President and CEO. The board selected Connie Wirz, an original CIRI enrollee who has previous experience with CIRI’s family of socially driven enterprises. She was a healthcare administrator at Southcentral Foundation and a tribal representative on the Cook Inlet Tribal Council (CITC) board of directors. In 2015, Wirz joined CITC full-time as senior director of Clare Swan Early Learning Center. Wirz has also served as the executive director of Kenaitze Indian Tribe and Cook Inlet Native Head Start/Early Head Start.
The Palmer-based telecom promoted Ryan Ponder to Vice President of Legal, Regulatory, and Government Affairs. His previous title was director of legal and regulatory affairs; in his new position, Ponder continues to advance MTA’s tribal and government relations strategies. Ponder is dedicated to navigating the complex regulatory landscape, and his leadership has enabled his team to excel.
Jess Gilbert is now Director of Marketing and Communications, after she served as corporate communications manager since 2019. In this new role, Gilbert oversees marketing efforts and all external and internal communications at MTA, including initiatives involving the MTA Foundation and MTA Gaming.
Carin Yeh, previously a grants officer, is promoted to Manager of Grants and Regulatory Affairs. Since joining MTA, Yeh has demonstrated an exceptional level of expertise and dedication to ensuring MTA’s regulatory compliance. The Palmer-based co-op says her new leadership role will yield opportunities to make positive impacts on the telecom regulatory environment.
A former executive who stepped away from the Alaska Travel Industry Association (ATIA) for a couple of years is back, with a promotion. After a nationwide search, ATIA selected Jillian Simpson as its next President and CEO. Simpson has worked in the Alaska tourism industry for more than twenty years and spent much of her career at ATIA, from 2004 to 2021, rising from director of travel trade and international marketing to vice president in that time. Simpson began her career in 2000 at the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward before joining ATIA in 2004 to manage the travel trade and international marketing program. In 2013, she transitioned to overseeing ATIA’s membership and tourism policy initiatives and was promoted to vice president in 2016 and was tasked with overseeing the State of Alaska’s destination marketing program. Simpson is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Arctic and northern studies at UAF. Sean Christian is now SVP, Strategic & Planning Manager. Christian has been with Northrim Bank for nearly eighteen years and has twenty-three years of experience in accounting. He earned his MBA from UAA.
Eileen Kehoe becomes VP, Mortgage Servicing Manager. Kehoe began her career at Northrim in January 2020 and has twenty-one years of experience in the mortgage industry. She attended Iowa State University.
James Larson is promoted to VP, Special Credits Officer & Loss Mitigation Supervisor. Larson started at Northrim in 2019. He attended UAA and was part of the inaugural cohort of Northrim Bank’s Management Academy.
Joe Moran is now VP, Loan Officer – Construction. Moran has been with Northrim for ten years and has worked in loan servicing, credit administration, and construction lending. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Portland and an MBA from Alaska Pacific University.
Heather Rowland becomes VP, Mortgage Applications Manager. Rowland started at Northrim’s subsidiary, Residential Mortgage, in 2006 and transferred to the parent bank in June 2019.
Samantha Schemm is promoted to VP, Deposit Applications Manager. Schemm joined Northrim in 2022 and has more than fifteen years of experience in the financial industry.
Delores Siah is now VP, Branch Manager at the Fairbanks Financial Center. Siah has been with Northrim for ten years. She holds an associate degree in business administration from Shawnee State University, graduated from the Northrim Management Academy, and won the Customer First Service award.
Kristen Bush becomes AVP, Loan Review Officer. Bush joined Northrim Bank in 2016 and has twenty-two years of experience in the banking industry. She holds an associate degree in occupational safety and health from UAA.
Megan Liska is promoted to AVP, Lending Applications Manager. Liska joined Northrim as the corporate training manager in 2019.
Dorothy MacKenzie is now AVP, Commercial Loan Portfolio Manager. MacKenzie started at Northrim in 2019 as a credit analyst. MacKenzie has a degree in economics and art history from Smith College in Massachusetts.
Kiersten Russell becomes AVP, Loan Officer – Commercial. Russell began her career with Northrim in 2013 and has worked in retail banking and as a credit analyst. She holds degrees in business management and accounting from UAF.
Corrine Wiseman is promoted to AVP, Payroll & Benefits Manager. Wiseman joined Northrim as payroll and benefits manager in 2020. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Wiseman won the Northrim Bank President’s award in 2021.
Salvador Garcia Cervantes is now Business Applications Project Administrator. Garcia Cervantes earned his MBA from UAA with a focus in business intelligence and analytics. Garcia Cervantes has been with Northrim for four years and was a part of the inaugural cohort of Northrim Bank’s Management Academy.
RESPEC welcomes Mike Rabe as the new Director of Transportation in its Infrastructure business unit. In this role, Rabe works out of the Anchorage office, managing air- and land-based transportation projects. Rabe has thirty years of experience in Alaska infrastructure. He earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from UAA. Rabe takes over from Keith Hanneman, who has served in this position for the past seven years. Hanneman will now focus on technical and business development support for RESPEC’s Transportation market.
An electrical engineer at Coffman Engineers earned her Alaska Professional Engineering (PE) license. Deanna Nielson has been with Coffman’s electrical engineering department for more than seven years. Nielson was first mentored by Coffman as a high school student through the Anchorage School District’s Gifted Mentorship Program. She interned in the civil and structural departments but settled on electrical engineering. She earned her bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering while also playing Division I volleyball for Gonzaga University. Nielson’s background includes designing medium- and low-voltage power distribution systems and industrial instrumentation and control systems, primarily for the oil and gas industry but also for commercial and residential projects.
The Interior Gas Utility (IGU) has a new General Manager. The board of directors unanimously selected Elena Sudduth, who has been the utility’s director of public relations and customer service. Sudduth has been with IGU for the last three years. In her most recent position, she successfully managed the utility’s external communications and community relations. In her new position, Sudduth will oversee all aspects of IGU’s operations and administration. Sudduth is also responsible for executing the utility’s strategic plan, pivoting to North Slope natural gas instead of supplies from Cook Inlet.
An engineer in Juneau is moving to NORTECH’s Anchorage office. By relocating, Haley Michael enables the environmental engineering firm to expand its services. Michael directly manages and assists NORTECH’s engineers with spill prevention, control, and countermeasure plans; hazardous materials project design; land farm design; and more. Michael graduated from the Northern Arizona University honors program with a degree in environmental engineering.