A Man of Iron: The Turbulent Life and Improbable Presidency of Grover Cleveland by Troy Senik.
What charity or cause are you passionate about?
Children in need… We’ve given charitably to places like Covenant House and MyHouse (in the Mat-Su).
What vacation spot is on your bucket list?
I would love to be able to spend more time in, oh gosh, from France to Italy to Eastern Europe. That area.
What are you superstitious about?
Not much.
If you could domesticate a wild animal, what animal would it be?
How about those that cause harm and I’d like them not to cause harm? [he laughs] Any kind of snake.
A Man of Iron: The Turbulent Life and Improbable Presidency of Grover Cleveland by Troy Senik.
What charity or cause are you passionate about?
Children in need… We’ve given charitably to places like Covenant House and MyHouse (in the Mat-Su).
What vacation spot is on your bucket list?
I would love to be able to spend more time in, oh gosh, from France to Italy to Eastern Europe. That area.
What are you superstitious about?
Not much.
If you could domesticate a wild animal, what animal would it be?
How about those that cause harm and I’d like them not to cause harm? [he laughs] Any kind of snake.
Off the Cuff
oward the end of his term as governor of Alaska, someone showed Sean Parnell a word cloud compiled from his public addresses. The largest, most frequent word turned out to be “opportunity.” That theme connects his current role as UAA chancellor through his years in elected office and his career as a commercial attorney.
“Because every client is with you because they want to create something different for themselves or their business,” he says, “I saw those as creating opportunity for the client.”
Parnell might’ve never gone into law, instead pursuing his dream to become an Air Force fighter pilot, were it not for a pivotal conversation with Renita Yahara, his French teacher at Anchorage Christian School. He recalls her saying, “You were meant to be around people continually during the day. I really don’t see you in a cockpit.”
Applying his interpersonal skills to politics, Parnell spent eight years in the Alaska House and Senate, eight more as lieutenant governor and governor, and he continues to draw a state paycheck today, hired in 2021 to lead UAA’s five campuses.
Sean Parnell: Besides putting my name and face out there for public office? [he laughs] Raising two daughters.
AB: What do you do in your free time?
Parnell: I love to hike and walk. I love to spend time with my grandchildren. I love to just be with my partner in life and wife, Sandy, and with friends.
AB: What’s the first thing you do when you get home after a long day at work?
Parnell: [he laughs] If Sandy’s there, I give her a great big hug and tell her, “I love you and it’s great to see ya,” and then we start making dinner together.
AB: Is there a skill you’re currently developing or have always wanted to learn?
Parnell: I’m a beginner woodworker… I would love to develop that into more of a furniture making type skill for myself… I have a basement to go down and make some noise in. [he laughs]
AB: What’s your favorite local restaurant?
Parnell: Sorrento’s on Fireweed… Don’t get me wrong: there are a lot of restaurants, and I could name about five that I frequent regularly, but that one comes to mind as a historic Anchorage spot.
AB: Dead or alive, who would you like to see perform live in concert?
Parnell: You’re gonna laugh, but I would love to go see a Luke Combs concert… I was a rock ‘n roll kinda guy until about 2015, and I got switched to more modern country… I love acoustic guitar.
AB: What’s your greatest extravagance?
Parnell: Both Sandy and I love being able to bring gifts to others, so that for us is an extravagance.
AB: What’s your best attribute and worst attribute?
Parnell: [he laughs] As a positive attribute, my care and concern for the others I work with and the people that we work for… Worst attribute? I like to disappear for an hour to take a walk during the day. My schedule is usually such that it’s back-to-back-to-back-to-back, and if there’s an hour in there and I can slip out and go for a walk, it gives me time to think. 
