The University of Alaska Board of Regents selected US Army Colonel Russell “Russ” Vander Lugt as the next UAF Chancellor. As of publication, Vander Lugt commands the 11th Airborne Division’s Arctic Aviation Command at Fort Wainwright, and he has academic experience teaching history at West Point and as department chair at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Arizona. Vander Lugt earned a bachelor’s degree in music and historical theology from Wheaton College in Illinois. He holds master’s degrees in management science from Embry-Riddle and in Arctic and Northern studies from UAF, where he also earned a PhD in Arctic and Northern history.

The Alaska Native corporation for the Nome and St. Lawrence Island region, Bering Straits Native Corporation (BSNC), made two administrative promotions.

Johnathan Sommer is promoted to Human Resources Director, bringing more than two decades of HR experience, including seventeen years supporting Alaska Native corporations. He is known for his collaborative approach and commitment to advancing BSNC’s mission.

BSNC promoted Brittany Daletas to Vice President of Operations, responsible for operational improvement, cross-functional alignment, improving efficiency, and supporting strategic growth. Daletas has more than fourteen years of experience in process improvement.

The Wasilla-based heavy civil contractor Qayaq Construction has a new General Manager. Blake Anderson is promoted to lead the division of Alaska Civil Construction, an arm of UIC Commercial Services, itself a business line of Ukpeaġvik Iñupiat Corporation. Anderson holds a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering technology from Montana State University in Bozeman. He joined Qayaq in 2021 after several years as a project engineer and project manager for oil field support services and heavy civil construction.

The American Red Cross of Alaska brings Bryce Sitter to the state as its new Regional CEO. Sitter comes to the Alaska Region after serving as the regional chief development officer in the Idaho, Montana, and East Oregon Region. Sitter holds a master’s degree in humanitarian leadership and spent a decade in East Africa collaborating with the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Kenyan Red Cross, and the Tanzanian Red Cross.

Mat-Su Health Foundation (MSHF), the nonprofit co-owner of Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, elevated some new leaders.

Ashley Peltier becomes Director of Philanthropy, leading the team that seeks grant funding. She most recently served as director of Connect Mat-Su, a health and social services hub that she led from concept to implementation. Prior to her six years with MSHF, Peltier served as director of programs with the American Lung Association, and she spent portions of her professional career at Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and Southcentral Foundation.

MSHF promoted Jessica Clarkson to Director of R.O.C.K. Mat-Su, a collective impact model organization of local stakeholders committed to ending child abuse and neglect. Clarkson previously served as associate director of R.O.C.K. Mat-Su, which MSHF started ten years ago. R.O.C.K. Mat-Su now partners with more than seventy local organizations and agencies. Clarkson has worked as a school social worker, a children’s clinical therapist, and a coordinator for Valley Court Appointed Special Advocates.

The oldest and largest full-service local community bank in Fairbanks, North Pole, and Delta Junction named some new chiefs upon the retirement of longtime CEO Patty Mongold.

The new President and CEO is David Durham, who has been with Mt. McKinley Bank since 2011. He was promoted to bank president in January 2025 in advance of this year’s leadership transition. Durham holds an associate degree from Antelope Valley Community College and a bachelor’s degree in business management from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He graduated from the Pacific Coast School of Banking in 2014. Durham began his banking career in 1992 as a teller with National Bank of Alaska.

The bank appointed Allison “Alli” LeBon as Executive Vice President and COO. LeBon earned a bachelor’s degree and MBA from UAF. She also graduated with honors from the Pacific Coast Banking School and completed the Certificate in Foundational Commercial Lending through the American Bankers Association.

Jeremy Pletnikoff becomes Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Administrator, ensuring strong lending practices, portfolio quality, and prudent risk management. Raised in Fairbanks, Pletnikoff earned a bachelor’s degree in Russian studies with a minor in criminal justice from UAF, and he graduated from Pacific Coast Banking School in 2021.

The developer of a graphite mine near Nome hired an executive from the regional Alaska Native corporation to serve as Vice President of Community Relations. Lucille Carter comes to Graphite One from Bering Straits Native Corporation, where she served as senior vice president of regional and shareholder services. She spent her childhood in Nome and Teller and earned an MBA from Western Governor’s University.

The developer of an Alaska LNG pipeline hired Anchorage’s municipal manager to serve as Head of Alaska Legal and Corporate Affairs. Becky Windt Pearson comes to Glenfarne Alaska LNG after two years as municipal manager; her successor is Bill Falsey, who held the municipal manager position from 2017 to 2020 and was the city’s chief administrative officer under Windt Pearson. An attorney and former corporate counsel for GCI, Windt Pearson is directing corporate and legal affairs as Glenfarne closes in on a final investment decision.

First Alaskans Institute (FAI), a statewide nonprofit advancing Alaska Native voices in decision-making roles, hired Carissa Larson as Communications Director. A member of Afognak Native Corporation’s board of directors, Larson comes to FAI from The Alaska Center, where she served as communications manager. Larson first connected with FAI in 2017 as a communications intern.