VOTE NOW for next year’s Anchorage Hockey Association Board of Directors. AHA is using ranked voting to select 4 Directors from this year's candidate list to serve 2-year terms. Electronic voting will close the evening of Monday, March 20, 2023.

Why do you wish to be an AHA Board Member? Please describe your qualifications and experiences, which would help you understand the needs of AHA membership and carry out its mission.

 I am currently an AHA Board Member serving as the Secretary and am looking to continue with the organization on the progress I feel we have made over the last two years. I believe AHA is the best organization in Alaska for hockey as it prioritizes all levels of the game including Learn to Skate, Learn to Play, Recreational, Comp and Girls Hockey. I am passionate about the state of hockey in Alaska as I have three kids that are in AHA hockey programs. My two boys have played at the Comp level, the Rec A and Rec B levels. My daughter will be a 10U hockey player this upcoming season. My family sees every facet of AHA hockey in our home and so the big picture matters and that is making sure all kids, no matter the skill level, are able to play this game. My biggest focus is making sure we are striving to make hockey affordable for all families. Hockey is not an inexpensive sport to play, and I think we have to start thinking outside the box a bit to make the game accessible for as many families as possible. Hockey is losing numbers on a Statewide level, and I believe costs are a primary function of that decrease. In my personal life, I work for Alaska Housing Finance Corporation as a Manager of a team of 16 supporting purchasing, risk management, and administrative functions. I believe in open communication and respect of peers. Working collaboratively to achieve common goals.

Why do you wish to be an AHA Board Member? Please describe your qualifications and experiences, which would help you understand the needs of AHA membership and carry out its mission.

I am applying to become an AHA Board Member because, like in so many families, hockey has taken over - in an amazingly productive way. My son has immersed himself in the sport and intends to do so for many years. Given his love of the game and the awesome impact it has had on his character and physical development, I hope to become more involved as well. In addition, I believe the quality of coaches and overall dedication of AHA to the sport is incredible. The organization is a model for how youth organizations should operate and how dedicated community members and parents can impact their communities through youth sports. Participating on the Board of Directors would be a privilege. I am currently an AHA Board Member. I served as a member for a partial term in 2022/2023 and, while the learning curve has been steep, have been able to assist the association in resolving an array of legal issues that have arisen. I also now appreciate many of the nuances that contribute to the success of a youth hockey association and am looking forward to carrying those insights into the next term.

Why do you wish to be an AHA Board Member? Please describe your qualifications and experiences, which would help you understand the needs of AHA membership and carry out its mission.
 

I am always an advocate for my kids. Hockey is extremely important to my son, and I want to be involved to help the kids find their passion and parents connect with AHA. I work as a bookkeeper for a local accountant in town and really enjoy my work and my co-workers!
 

Why do you wish to be an AHA Board Member? Please describe your qualifications and experiences, which would help you understand the needs of AHA membership and carry out its mission.
 

I am running for nomination of one of the available AHA Board seats for the soul purpose of being involved in making a difference in the youth of our communities. To assist in guiding our youth into becoming successful, professional, and whole community members. Being able to contribute on any level to the betterment of our kids and our Alaska has always been, and will continue to be, among my greatest goals and hopeful achievements.
 

My qualifications and experiences vary in relevancy from professional to personal, however those fields have always been greatly intertwined for me. I am a third-generation owner of a, more than, 50-year Alaska owned and operated business. I began working at the business (officially) at fourteen as it was impressed upon me from an early age, that nothing worth pursuing would be given for free. Being raised to know that anything you work for, put effort into, and apply your strengths to will always garner more personal satisfaction than something that you receive out of inheritance or “right” has guided me to the person I am today.

Why do you wish to be an AHA Board Member? Please describe your qualifications and experiences, which would help you understand the needs of AHA membership and carry out its mission.
 

I’ve been active in the Anchorage hockey community for over 30 years and desire to play a more active role off the ice to give back to the sport and organization that has given me so much. As mentioned, I have been a part of the Anchorage hockey community for more than 30 years as a player, coach, and recently as a referee. I have a solid understanding of the game, a desire to cultivate a positive environment for kids on and off the ice and have zero tolerance for hockey politics. Youth hockey is simply about the kids and growing the game for the next generation.

Why do you wish to be an AHA Board Member? Please describe your qualifications and experiences, which would help you understand the needs of AHA membership and carry out its mission.
 

I am currently in the middle of my second year as AHA Board President. Please rank me at the top of this ballot so that I have an additional two years to allow me to complete some of the initiatives we started while I served on this board. AHA is a large nonprofit youth organization. During the last year two years, AHA has faced challenges including the Covid 19 Pandemic, sharing a parking lot with the Sullivan Arena low barrier mass homeless shelter, the Municipality threatening to turn Dempsey into a homeless shelter and SMG’s contract to operate Dempsey and Ben Boeke expiring and weathering the selection of the O’Malley Group to manage our ice rinks. I appreciate working with the existing board in addressing these challenges and looking for opportunities to make AHA operate more effectively to serve our kids. Two projects that I am working on this year are rebooting the AHA Goalie Development Program and upgrading the association’s accounting software. It has been a privilege to volunteer with the AHA Program Directors, amazing coaches, and team managers as well as our hockey players. My years within AHA as a parent and coach combined with my most recent time on the board put me at that sweet spot where I can help the board as well as the Program Directors continue to improve to meet our mission for kids to “enjoy a positive, character-building sports experience while creating a passion for the game that will last a lifetime.”