Huggler, who is relocating from the firm’s Portland office, is a commercial litigator with a focus on transportation and insurance-related matters. After earning his juris doctorate from Lewis & Clark Law School, Huggler served as a law clerk for the Honorable Sharon Gleason of the US District Court for the District of Alaska before joining Lane Powell. He holds undergraduate degrees in economics and political science from Oregon State University and a master’s in criminal justice policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Strong focuses her practice on compliance, litigation, government affairs, and employment. She joins the firm from Bering Straits Native Corporation, where she served as chief ethics and compliance officer and associate general counsel. Strong also spent time as an assistant attorney general for the State of Alaska, where she was a trial and appellate litigator, and a tribal liaison and special assistant advising the executive branch on emerging Alaska Native legal and policy matters. Strong received her juris doctorate from the University of Washington School of Law, her master’s from UAS, and her bachelor’s from UAA.
Captain Leanne Lusk relieved Captain Sean MacKenzie as commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector Anchorage. Lusk was previously assigned as the deputy commander of Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She directed all Coast Guard operations in a four-state area on and around Lake Michigan and the Illinois Waterway. She led nearly 700 Coast Guardsmen on the Sector staff and at eighteen boat stations, two Aids to Navigation teams, Marine Safety Unit Chicago, Marine Safety Detachment Sturgeon Bay, and Sector Field Office Grand Haven.
Commander Brian McLaughlin relieved Captain Michael Frawley as commanding officer of US Coast Guard Air Station Sitka. McLaughlin arrived in Alaska after serving as executive officer of Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Mclaughlin was previously assigned to several different stations in the United States. He graduated from the Coast Guard Academy with a bachelor’s of science in government. McLaughlin also earned a master’s of science in aviation safety systems management and adult education technology from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
The Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska announced Roald Helgesen as Chief Operating Officer (COO). As COO, Helgesen manages Tlingit & Haida’s administrative and program operations to ensure all activities are consistent with the established goals and objectives of the Tribe’s strategic plan and within the framework of adopted budgets, applicable laws, regulations, policies, and procedures. Helgesen graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s in political science and minor in public administration from UAA in 1994 and earned a master’s in healthcare administration from Trinity University in San Antonio. Helgesen previously served as the CEO and hospital administrator for the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and president and CEO of the SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium.
Diamond Grid USA & Diamond Grid Canada appointed John Horjes to Executive Director of the businesses to facilitate their ongoing expansion targets. In his new role, Horjes leads the establishment and expansion of the Diamond Grid product into the US and Canadian markets. Horjes hails from a strong background of business development, investment banking, and mergers and acquisitions. Mayor Ethan Berkowitz announced the appointment of Heather Harris as the new Anchorage Health Department Director. She is an alumna of UAA and has an executive master’s in public administration from the University of Washington. Harris has dedicated her career to serving the Anchorage community, with a focus on children, homelessness, disease prevention, and disaster response. Brenda Miernyk has been selected to fill the position of Director of Sales for Alaska USA Mortgage Company. Miernyk is a trusted leader with more than twenty years of mortgage industry experience. She holds a bachelor’s in business administration from Colorado State University.
Koniag Government Services (KGS) promoted Aisha McGill to Chief Business Operations Officer. Since joining KGS in 2018 as senior vice president of operations, McGill has played a critical role in leading KGS’ “vision of aggressive growth” and supporting multiple business functions and areas. In her new role, McGill is focusing on the development of a KGS modernization roadmap for all business systems, processes, and IT infrastructure.
Jennifer Booz will become UAA’s first Chief Diversity Officer. She will lead UAA’s efforts to transform programs, services, and processes to support a vibrant campus life, a positive and equitable culture, a diverse curriculum, and the meaningful inclusion of UAA’s diverse population of students, staff, and faculty. Booz comes to UAA from the University of Toledo where she served as director in the office for diversity and inclusion. She has twenty years of experience as a postsecondary administrator, including as a dean of students.
Dr. Denise Runge has been selected as UAA’s next provost. She is currently the dean of the UAA Community and Technical College. Under her leadership, the college has sharpened its focus on academic advising and student support, resulting in increases in student retention and persistence. Her background includes academic leadership experience as associate director of academic affairs at Prince William Sound College, associate dean of academics at Helena College, vice president of academic affairs at Oglethorpe University, and dean of the College of Arts and Letters at the University of Southern Mississippi.
Alaska Executive Search (AES) welcomes its newest Associate Recruiter, Hannah Markwood. Markwood isn’t new to AES as an employee— before joining the recruitment team, Markwood served as temporary staff working for a number of clients and always received positive feedback. She quickly learned the ropes and has now been hired on full time.
Consul Masaru Aniya is the new Head of the Consular Office of Japan in Anchorage. Aniya graduated from Hiroshima University’s Law School in 1984 and joined the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) the same year. His diplomatic assignments took him to different locations around the globe. Aniya also held various positions at MOFA’s special focus departments including Arms Control and Disarmament, International Economic Cooperation, and Global Environment Division where he worked as the assistant director.
Anchorage-based NBC affiliate KTUU-TV is expanding its news operation to include a full-time reporter based in Juneau. Multimedia Journalist Sean Maguire, who joined the Channel 2 News team in 2017, will lead the Southeast Bureau. During his time at KTUU, Maguire has held several roles in the news department including weekend broadcast producer, digital reporter, multimedia journalist, and chief political reporter. The UA Foundation board of directors’ executive committee appointed Megan Riebe as Acting UA Foundation President. Riebe has served as UA Foundation executive director and associate vice president of development for the UA System for the past eight years. She has played a key leadership role in foundation operations and system-wide fund development efforts.
Riebe has twenty-seven years of experience in nonprofit and higher education management and fund development. She earned a bachelor’s in business administration and marketing from Washington State. 
