Kim Reierson, President

 

Patty Linville, Vice President & Grant Team Lead

Phyllis Shoemaker, Secretary

In the winter of 1977, Phyllis loaded her VW Beetle onto the ferry in Seattle and sailed to Alaska.  She got a “temporary” summer job in Seward working for the University of Alaska Fairbanks at the Seward Marine Center. Nearly 40 years later she retired from the Seward Marine Center and now has more time for her hobbies which include hiking, biking, music, sewing, and reading.  Phyllis enjoys a lot of family time. Besides her role as secretary on the Seward Community Foundation board, Phyllis is a board member of the Seward Community Library Association and a member of several other nonprofit organizations in Seward. She believes that the Seward Community Foundation is a wonderful way to formalize and streamline funding for local organizations and projects, as well as manage donations from people in the Seward/Moose Pass area who want to contribute to the community financially.  Alaskans are incredibly generous and Phyllis feels very lucky to be part of this organization and this community.

Melody Spangler-Hatch, Treasurer

Melody has lived in Seward for forty years.  A retired speech and language pathologist, having served ages three through twenty-one at KPBSD, Melody currently works seasonally in Seward in the tourism sector. “It’s the visitor comments I hear every day that remind me how lucky we are to live in this beautiful Alaskan town and can call this special place home.”, says Melody.   Melody enjoys eating chocolate, family genealogy, and traveling to find the sun.  Melody loves the community foundation concept and finds it an honor to serve.

Katie Cornwell

 

Mark Kansteiner

Seward has been Mark’s home since 1979. Mark worked as an aquarist at the SeaLife Center for 7 years, preparing for the grand opening and collecting and caring for the fish and invertebrates in the center.  Mark then joined Kenai Fjords National Park working for 12 summer seasons as a logistics coordinator.  Mark retired in 2017.  Mark says, “I am glad to be a part of SCF because it’s an opportunity to be involved in the improvement of the overall health and welfare of our community. The SCF endowment helps all the nonprofits in the Seward/Moose Pass area by offering financial support that they need to meet their mission. Being able to participate in this process is an honor.”

Rodger Painter

Through his Aleut, Athabaskan, Russian, and European gold seekers and fishermen, Rodger’s Alaska roots are very deep. Rodger was born in Seward and moved to Ninilchik at 6. He lived in Southeast Alaska for more than 40 years before moving to Moose Pass six years ago.  Rodger has served on numerous private non-profit groups most of his adulthood. In addition to serving on the SCF Board, Rodger is president of the Moose Pass Public Library, Chair of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute’s Shellfish Committee and a member of ASMI’s Technical Committee. In his retirement, Rodger has made it a priority to help others and has been a very active community volunteer since he arrived in Moose Pass. Rodger loves helping out on the SCF and sees it as a very important funding source for local non-profits.

David Paperman

 

Ryan Fisher

Ryan moved to Seward 18 years ago from West Virginia and was immediately devoted to the mountains and glaciers.  After graduating from West Virginia University he came north seeking larger mountains and less crowded spaces.  While the rugged terrain of Seward was the initial inspiration, the community soon became his home.   What inspires Ryan about the Seward Community Foundation is that it allows him to be involved and give back to the community outside of the purview of the business.  The Foundation’s humble, broad approach to giving resonates with how Ryan considers a strong community to be.  Ryan says, “I look forward to meeting and connecting with locals through the foundation, furthering a connective education of the communities needs and strengths.”  Ryan co-founded Exit Glacier Guides.

Amy Hankins, Program Manager

Moving to Alaska with her husband in 1998 to work in commercial fisheries, Amy cannot imagine living anywhere else to raise her family. Amy’s passion for non-profit work and volunteerism is reflected throughout her community.  Amy loves finding new ways to better the place she calls home and she believes anyone of any age can make a positive impact in their community.  Amy enjoying her garden, getting lost in the backcountry, sport fishing, biking, and spending time in her studio as a ceramic artist.  Amy serves as Arts Chair with Seward PTA.

Robbie Huett – not pictured

Contact us via email.

Advisory Board Login