31 Hometown: Salt Lake City, UT Current City: Anchorage, AK Education/Degrees: B.A. in international studies and B.A. in psychology, University of Denver; Master of Science in management and leadership, Pepperdine University Highlight your community work: Leadership seminar chair, Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) Alaska; corporate campaign leader, United Way; big sister, Big Brothers Big Sisters for seven years; ski coach, Challenge Alaska; member, 100+ Women Who Care of Anchorage What has been your most rewarding community service? Leading the HOBY Alaska organization. Each spring putting together a three-day seminar on leadership, volunteerism and community for high school sophomores from around the state of Alaska. What was your first job? Figure skating coach. In your professional life, what project or achievement has been most fulfilling to you? Two come to mind - Anytime I work with employees and supervisors and hear someone say “you helped me and my team be better” especially when facilitating team workshops; and I’ve led tours of portions of the 800-mile-long pipeline to 150+ employees to date, often their first time seeing the pipeline and being up north of Fairbanks.
Erin Orchard Development Manager, Alyeska Pipeline Service Company Briefly tell us about your family: Grateful to be married to my lifelong adventure teammate, and to have my parents - married 40 years! - and brother far away in distance but close through technology and travel. Name the person who influenced you the most: Margaret Dammarell. My grandma Margy led an incredibly full life into her mid-90s. Upon graduating high school in rural Idaho, she took a train by herself and got a college degree in teaching in the 1940s. She raised nine children and approached every single day with optimism and faith. Her motto was “find one happy every day” and that’s how I try to approach my life. Favorite place in Alaska, and why: Seward. Specifically, early mornings waking up in my tent. The small-town charm and the drastic landscape where the mountains meet the sea are unmatched. What is your favorite pastime or hobby away from work? Traveling with a backpack and no plans other than to talk to as many strangers as possible and say yes to, almost, every opportunity. I also love to camp and firmly believe camping is best when sleeping in a tent on the ground. If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be? Keep making life fun and living out your values. You’ll continue loving life if you do that. And always book the trip; you’ll never regret a trip you take.
“Hakuna Matata” - Timon and Pumbaa, The Lion King
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