Alaska Humanities Staff

Shoshi has been working at the Alaska Humanities Forum since 2021. She manages the Forum’s Regrants and Stories programming and facilitates new program development, and also supports the Forum’s Board of Directors. In her role, Shoshi is grateful to connect with the inspiring work and stories of individuals and organizations across the state. She loves that her work allows her to dig deep into big questions about how the world works, from the smallest details to the biggest pictures. Shoshi grew up in northeast Ohio; since 2016, she has lived with her partner in Sitka, Juneau, and Anchorage. Some of Shoshi’s happiest moments are when she’s making things – working on a painting, building a shed, or finding her way through a sewing project.

Polly joined the Forum in February 2023. As Vice President of Programs, she’s energized to oversee and support our programs that cultivate leaders, connect people across difference, amplify underrepresented stories, and support resilient cultures. She is proud to live and raise her family on Dena’ina lands in Anchorage. Polly has twenty-five years of experience working as an outdoor educator, youth program director, foundation program officer, and nonprofit executive director. She’s been lucky to be part of many innovative and fun efforts, including the founding of a statewide youth organizing program, launch of a flat-track roller derby league, and creation of a locally-loved wine bistro. She’s a fan of staff leadership and organizational development, and is excited to bring these passions to work with the talented team at the Forum. When not doing Forum things, she’s learning fashion trends from her thirteen year old daughter, searching for a bottle of sriracha, mountain biking, or writing poetry.

Colton Chythlook is a Community Engagement Coordinator as a part of the C3 Programs, he works with the Northwest Arctic Borough School District out of Qikiqtaġruk (Kotzebue) to assist with the development of teachers coming into the region, primarily through integration with their communities. He was born in Bellingham, WA before his family moved back to Alaska at a young age to a house in Anchorage and has been living in town since. His family comes from Aleknagik and has heavy involvement in both the village corporation and regional corporation, making regular trips in the summer to participate or assist with commercial and subsistence fishing. Colton is currently studying Alaska Native Governance at Alaska Pacific University with aspirations of working in Alaska Native policy. He enjoys card games of all varieties (mostly collectable), tabletop RPGs, and collecting obscure musical instruments.

Gabbie Cruz is the Cross-Cultural Competence (C3) Program Manager at the Alaska Humanities Forum. Her deep appreciation for culture and passion for equity in education led her to teach in the Lake and Peninsula School District. During her time there, she developed a deeper understanding of teaching students as holistic beings, connecting with the community, and creating space for others. While teaching, she earned her Master’s in Teaching and Learning with a focus on culturally responsive education at UAA. Now, she helps teachers in rural Alaska feel more connected to their communities and students by guiding them through cultural experiences, mentorship, and deep conversations. Through these experiences, she supports educators in creating more inclusive and culturally sustaining classrooms. Inspired by her parents’ adventurous move from the Philippines to New Jersey, Gabbie moved to Alaska in 2019 and is thrilled to be based in Anchorage on Dena’ina land. Outside of work, Gabbie enjoys exploring the great outdoors, arts, music, poetry, and berry picking.

Amanda has worked in a variety of positions in AKHF, and it was her excitement about sharing stories of staff, participants and partners that led her to her current role overseeing development and communications. She was born and raised in Anchorage and chose to move home in 2017. She has two young kids and spends a lot of energy trying to ground them in this place and getting them to brush their own teeth. She's an introvert who’s happiest connecting people and ideas, but who has occasional bursts of large-crowd energy. Or as a friend once described her, a combination of wool and glitter.

Kari is the Director of Operations where she works on the behind the scenes to ensure the business end of the Alaska Humanities Forum is working smoothly. She likes to spend time in spreadsheets, reconcile bank accounts, and listen to webinars on Human Resources best practices. On the weekends she likes to bike, chop wood, fish, and play with her very bouncy puppy, Freya.

Katherine Paredes joined the Humanities Forum as a lead teaching fellow for Story Works on June 18th, 2024. She has been volunteering with Story Works ever since she first got introduced to the program, during her sophomore year of high school in 2018. She enjoys the idea behind inspiring youth voices within our community, and obtaining the opportunity to assist further projects. This encouraged her to stay involved for many years. Katherine moved to Alaska at the age of ten from Mexico City. She loves Mexico, and will forever remember where her roots are. Her interests outside of the Forum involve drawing cartoons, painting, attempting to bake, and sometimes if she feels outdoorsy she'll go out on hikes with her friends!

Originally from Utqiaġvik, Kameron Perez-Verdia has more than 30 years of Alaska nonprofit leadership experience. In addition to his nonprofit work, Kameron has served on the Anchorage Assembly since 2019 and previously spent four years on the Anchorage School Board. His commitment to community governance and strategic leadership extends to his roles in shaping policy and strengthening communities. Kameron is passionate about exploring Alaska's outdoors with his wife and two daughters.

At the Alaska Humanities Forum, Eiden works with youth as they explore their values and passions while considering the impact they would like to have on their communities after graduating high school. Eiden connects students with engaged community members and youth-serving organizations to support students as they plan for their futures. Eiden’s previous experience as an ELL (English Language Learner) Teacher and Academic Advisor have led him to the work that he does at the Humanities Forum. Growing up in a close-knit family in Anchorage, Alaska, Eiden’s sense of home has always been based in connection to people. Eiden lives in Northstar/Spenard with his spouse, dog, cat and three chickens; outside of his work at the Alaska Humanities Forum, Eiden is a professional musician, avid hiker, and aspiring urban gardener.

A third generation Alaskan born and raised on Dena'ina land, Ryan (he/him) earned his accounting degrees at the Foster School of Business in Seattle. He is a business professional who has spent the last decade working in corporate finance, public accounting, and operations management. After several years as an auditor traveling the state, Ryan ran operations at the largest automotive recycling facility in Alaska where his mission was to ensure every team member had the support necessary to thrive. At the Forum, Ryan serves as a member of the strategic leadership team and provides oversight of Forum operations including strategic planning, systems and policy development, oversight of financial processes, HR, risk management, internal control, contract negotiation, IT, federal compliance, and office management. Outside of work, Ryan loves the great outdoors and spending time with his wife Jessica as they introduce and share this great state with their two young children, Willow and Sterling. He can often be caught working on something mechanical or daydreaming about his next expedition style trip across remote Alaska.

Julie Rowland serves as the Director of Cross-Cultural Programs at the Forum, and works closely with educators new(ish) to rural Alaska to support them in developing culturally responsive teaching practices and bringing their whole selves into their classrooms. She is energized and awed by the deep, authentic conversations she has with those teachers and all the community partners she works alongside, and loves to find creative ways to ignite curiosity in learning about oneself and others. She is originally from New England, and first moved to Alaska as a Bethel-based Jesuit volunteer before moving to Anchorage 9 years ago. When not at work, Julie can be found traipsing all around the land with her kiddos, dog, and husband, admiring (and eating!) many of the plants and fungi that surround us.

Chuck was raised by the Kuskokwim River in Bethel and now calls Anchorage home. He is passionate about how our stories connect and build empowered communities and is lucky to get to do this as the Director of Leadership Programs. Chuck works in both professional and youth development with Leadership Anchorage, Thrive Together, and Story Works Alaska. Chuck’s experiences have led him to this work. He grew up in Bethel, where he graduated from Ayaprun Elitnaurvik (Yup’ik Immersion) & Bethel Regional High School. He went to Pomona College in Los Angeles and then moved back to Bethel, where he worked as a College and Career Guide at his old high school and served on the City Council. His journey then took him to the East Coast, where he earned a Masters in Public Policy at Harvard University. While there, he got involved in teaching Storytelling as a Leadership Practice and Adaptive Leadership and learned a great deal about building spaces where people can pause, share stories, and learn to more effectively impact their communities. He has worked at AKHF since moving home to Alaska in 2019 and spends most of his free time giggling with his toddler, wife, and two dogs.

Taylor thrives in a good conversation about how the world works and why we do what we do. For this reason, they love their work at the Alaska Humanities Forum as the Director of Conversation Programs. Taylor has a Master's in Social and Cultural Pedagogy with a focus on Indigenous education from Arizona State University and uses this to think about how we can bring folks from different spaces together to talk about change. Previously Taylor worked for the Gila River Indian Community supporting teacher preparation and the design of culture camps. Most recently, they serve on the Board of Black & Pink National and are engaged in conversations about queerness, community, and justice.

Molissa is a facilitator, educator, and creative who strives to help people build confidence through new experiences. She designs and leads place-based and experiential programs that connect participants to themselves, each other, and the community. Her work is deeply influenced by growing up in Alaska and her background in environmental and arts education. Before coming to the Forum in 2021, Molissa led programs in a variety of out-of-classroom settings including an outdoor school, museum, national park, and summer camp. Molissa lives in her hometown of Anchorage and can be found hiking and skiing its many trails. She also enjoys dance improvisation, board games, and baking.