Alaska Conservation Blog

An interview with Trey, new Alliance summer intern

Q: Are you originally from Alaska?

Trey: I was born and raised in Anchorage.

Q: What is your favorite part about Alaska?

Trey: Easily the best aspect of Alaska is the bountiful trails through our national and state parks. The great thing about them is they are well maintained but go straight into the heart of Alaskan nature, providing a first-hand view of the wild. Sometimes this view is a little too close for comfort but that has just made me a faster runner (laughing).

Q: What are a few of the differences between Alaska and other states that you have noticed?  Similarities?

Trey: There are few political decisions upon which the majority of Alaskans agree. Unlike many states, Alaska has a dichotomized political spectrum—radical liberals and right-wing conservatives make their opinions known. This provides an always interesting, or at least heated, debate on almost every issue. The wildlife and nature enthusiasts of Alaska are particularly passionate because of the plethora of available opportunities to engage. Similar to the west coast, Alaska has an active population, amongst youth and adults.

Q: Why is conservation in Alaska so important to you?

Trey: The significance of conservation here derives from Alaska’s past as well as from the potential of the future. In the mid and late 1900s, our state was exploited for her resources. I don’t think it’s unfair to say our land was pillaged by the pursuit of wealth.  We have a chance, and dramatic steps have already been taken, to enact policy and a lifestyle that will sustain Alaska’s wildlife and natural resources. It’s exciting to potentially be a part of this movement. The stakes here are very high due to the beauty and magnitude of what Alaska offers.

Q: What other issues are you passionate about?

Trey: I have always been particularly disturbed by youth warfare—children under 18 fighting for rebels, a cartel, or a dictator. As a young person myself, I can’t imagine growing up only knowing extreme violence, having to fight for my own safety, even killing to provide food for my siblings. Every time we read an article about another revolution in Africa, the lives of many children are in peril. Even if they are not killed or maimed, I feel their lives are forever stained by the experience. It is alarming that in the twenty-first century there are countries where children must fight for their freedom, a freedom with which I was born.

Q: What attracted you to the Alaska Conservation Alliance? 

Trey: The ideals pursued by the Alliance, namely energy efficiency, have always been important to me. As a non-profit the organization also offers a glimpse into a new field. I’m hoping to learn about the day-to-day workings of a non-profit in the politics and advocacy realm.

Q: Which parts of being an Alliance intern do you like the best?

Trey: Well, it’s a little soon to know this one for sure. Two weeks in I would say the coolest aspect so far has been crafting literature, such as the blog and the action alert, that people all over the state will read. I think that sort of statewide connection is exciting.

Q: Tell us one interesting, previously unknown, fact about yourself. 

Trey: In 1994 I lost the majority of my vision. At two years old I had suffered an allergic reaction to the MMR shot, rendering me legally blind. I now have a corrected vision of 20/200. Despite this impairment, I have succeeded academically and athletically with a dedication to not be harnessed by my vision. I’ve descended from the slopes of Alyeska and hiked mountains in Washington. Doctors wondered how I would learn to read and my father worried I wouldn’t be able to count my money. I may trip over a few more misplaced objects than the average person, but with a determined smile I continue forward.

Read more about Trey on our website by clicking here.

As many of you might know the Alaska Conservation Alliance’s executive director Caitlin Higgins left us for greener, warmer pastures in Florida.  Her last day was Friday.  Mike Coumbe is filling in as the interim executive director in her place.

Mike was born in Seward, Alaska when this was the Territory of Alaska.  He spent his 4^th birthday watching the big bonfire on the Anchorage Park Strip celebrating the U.S. Senate vote for Alaska Statehood.  Soon after, his family left the state but he returned in 1973 and has been here ever since.  He loves that there is so much wild, open land and water in Alaska available to explore.

When asked about the differences and similarities between Alaska and other states, he tells this story.  “Alaska is full of land to explore.  I still remember my first trip to New Jersey and how amazed I was to see the natural beauty there.  On that first day, being stunned by the landscape, my friend and I pulled over and walked to a waterfall we could see from the road to admire it.  As we were looking at the waterfall, we heard a voice saying ‘guess what?  You are busted!’ It was a policeman that wanted to fine us for being on private land.  It turned out that nature belonged to a country club there.  It never occurred to me I was trespassing.  It was a big lesson for me on the difference between Alaska and other states.”

Mike feels strongly about conserving Alaska because “this place is a gift that we have been given.  Rather than kids with a toy to wear out, we have to leave this gift in good shape for the next generation and the next generation after that.”  He was attracted to the Alliance because of the fact that it is a statewide location for gathering strategic thinking on conservation issues and then acting.  He feels that this is critical in order to make headway.  Mike is all about making headway.  He loves that as interim executive director, he will be able to interact with people, see them connect with others and watch them in their successes.

Mike also loves exploring other cultures- how they live and think. He is fascinated by how people experience their lives in other places.  One little known fact about Mike, in the 80’s he started a restaurant in Cordova named Ambrosia and operated it for 3 years. Ambrosia is still there!

Welcome Mike! 

In November we welcomed Sonya Wellman to the Alliance as our new Development Director.  Sonya is originally from Anchorage and grew up here before leaving the state to go to the University of Oregon and then relocating to Washington State in 2006.  She moved back to Anchorage early last year.

Sonya loves many things about Alaska including the can-do attitude of the people and how laid back Alaskans are.  She especially loves the history of the area and she enjoys the outdoor opportunities that are always available and very close.  When asked about differences and similarities she sees between Alaska and other states she says ‘I have to be honest – Alaska is a breed all of its own—and I love it.  I found some similarities in

Seattle, Bellingham and Vancouver, but Alaska is a wild card in any equation.’

Conservation in Alaska is vital to Sonya given the beauty and abundance of natural resources.  She feels that if we aren’t proactive about protecting our environment, it will take much longer for it to recover later.  Sonya is also a big advocate of eating and buying local foods whenever possible.  She always wants to know where the food she is eating came from and where the waste from the production of items she purchases is going.  Other causes she is passionate about include stopping the widespread use of rape in Congolese warfare and human trafficking.

Sonya was attracted to the Alliance because of our belief that a healthy environment and a strong economy go hand in hand.  She was looking for a development opportunity in the non-profit realm but wanted the challenge of working on issues she previously had not worked with.  The part of her job that she enjoys most is meeting new people and branching out into different aspects of fundraising.

In her spare time, Sonya is working on completing several pieces of fiction, one set in Alaska just prior to and during World War II.

Welcome Sonya!

Dave Theriault joined Alaska Conservation Alliance and Voters in November as our new Legislative and Outreach Director.  He is currently in Juneau getting ready to represent the conservation community to the legislature there!

Dave has been in Alaska for a number of years but he does not originally hail from Alaska.  ‘I was raised in Maine where the winters are cold, the lobsters are delicious, and people like to put R’s in words that don’t need them and take out R’s in those that do,’ says Dave.  He’s found a home in Alaska and loves the small towns and the colorful people that live in them.  About the differences between Alaska and other states, Dave says ‘People take their trucks more seriously here than almost anywhere else I’ve been; lift kits rule the streets.’   He also feels that Alaska is far more culturally diverse than anywhere else he’s lived and finds that Alaskans are very eager to share their hobbies with others.

Dave would like to see Alaska learn from other parts of the U.S. and develop a sustainable economy. He worries that Alaska’s fisheries will be destroyed or be plagued by the same problems that Maine’s fishing fleet experienced. When asked about other issues he feels strongly about, Dave expresses a wish for Alaska to expand their early education opportunities.  Dave attributes much of his current successes to a great education beginning with an excellent preschool program and thinks that many Alaskan children are missing out on the benefits.

Dave is excited about joining the Alliance team because he enjoys working in state politics and loves that he will, in addition, get the opportunity to focus on issues important to him.  He is especially thrilled about working directly with legislators and their staff.  To him, trying to get a bill passed is an intellectual and social challenge and he loves the exhilaration of it.

One thing that you might not know about Dave is that he was an amateur engineer as a child.  He and his brother once tried to dig a hole to China in the field behind the house where he grew up.  His father quickly ended their ambitions after they had dug about 5 feet as he didn’t like the idea of the boys designing structural supports before they were 10. 

Welcome Dave! To read more about Dave, please click here to be directed to our staff bios.

Caitlin is originally from New Jersey but arrived in Alaska in January of 2005.  She received her Masters of Public Administration from UAA and bought her first home here so she doesn’t plan on going back to New Jersey any time soon.  She loves the wild, rugged beauty of Alaska, the Alaskan people, and the ‘magic’ of Alaska- from the sunlight in the summers to the Northern Lights.

Why does she think conservation in Alaska is important?  She says ‘Conservation everywhere is important, but here in Alaska we have the opportunity to learn from other places and not make the same mistakes they have.  We can choose to live in a place that supports people, families, jobs, and is clean and safe.  Conservation in Alaska is so important because Alaska is so spectacular and everyone deserves to experience the magic of this place.’   She was first attracted to the Alliance because it allows her to connect with Alaskans on the conservation issues they care about like clean energy, good jobs, and healthy salmon.  Her favorite part of being the ED here is working with different constituencies and finding common ground on conservation issues.

Caitlin also is passionate about protecting our democratic rights and likes to give blood which literally saves someone’s life.  A previously unknown bit of trivia about her; in Australia she once rode a camel named Bundy that was scheduled to race in the international camel cup!

Meet Kate McKeown, Alaska Conservation Alliance’s new Energy Efficiency Coordinator!

Kate McKeown is originally from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and moved to Alaska in April 2010, just in time to witness the ‘Midnight Sun’. Prior to moving to Alaska, she graduated from the University of Portland with a BS in Civil Engineering and worked as a civil engineering designer in the Portland, Oregon area. She also received a MS in Strategic Leadership Toward Sustainability from Blekinge Institute of Technology, located in Sweden.

Kate says that Alaska is one of the most beautiful places that she’s ever lived and revels in the fact that she can drive 15-20 minutes outside of the city to hike, bike, and camp.  It’s one of the great Anchorage amenities that not many U.S. cities can claim.  When asked about the differences and similarities she sees between Alaska and other U.S. states she says ‘Like many other states, Alaska is full of wonderful people and great communities.  However, unlike many states, Alaska is HUGE!  Because of this, transportation is vital.  I’ve never lived in a state where every time I look up I see at least three planes in the sky.’ 

Kate feels that conservation is essential to preserving our world as best as we can for future generations.  She wants to preserve the biodiversity and natural wonders that we have now.  She doesn’t want to only be able to read about them 50 years from now.  Kate is passionate about many issues but she feels the most strongly about women’s rights and promotion of diversity. 

She was attracted to the position with Alaska Conservation Alliance because she is excited about contributing her own voice to that of our other approximately 40 member groups and combined membership of 38,000 Alaskans to work collaboratively to achieve the goals of the conservation community.  She is looking forward to helping the conservation community accomplish the energy efficiency goals that the state has outlined and seeing the positive results. 

One interesting fact about Kate, she was a sea-kayaking guide and has kayaked in Hawaii, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Oregon, Idaho, and now- Alaska!  She hopes to sea-kayak in New Zealand one day!

Welcome Kate!