2024 Presentation Recordings | Employment First Conference

Ian Clark

LLC Business Manager
Ian’s Game Palace

Ian is a lifelong Alaskan. What started as a small kiosk has become a full-scale store in downtown Anchorage. Operating for more than 15 years, they love helping as many other small businesses succeed and flourish. The shop, Ian’s Game Paradise, has partnered with dozens of small and large businesses and is always ready to support the community.

Demetria Veasy

Assistant Director
State of Alaska, Division of Employment & Training Services

Demetria has worked for the State of Alaska for 21 years with 14 out of those 21 years being with the Department of Labor & Workforce Development. As an Assistant Director, she oversees 13 Job Centers, the Employment & Training Technical Unit and Adult Education. Demetria has a passion for helping people and takes pride in the work she’s doing as a workforce development professional. She has worked in many different roles within the Department of Labor and has supported many individuals in successfully achieving their career goals.

Kathryn Duder

Division Director
State of Alaska, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation

Kate has worked in the field of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) for over 20 years, 14 of which have been at an administrative level. She has held many positions in this field, working in private, Tribal, and state Vocational Rehabilitation. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Purdue University and a Master’s Degree from St. Michael’s College.

Richard Toney

Deputy Director, Installation Support
673d Mission Support Group, JBER

Mr. Richard M. Toney is currently serving as Deputy Director of Installation Support, 673d Mission Support Group, Joint Base Elmendorf, Anchorage, Alaska as a member of the Air Force Civilian Strategic Leader Program (CSLP). As deputy to the commander, and senior civilian leader within the Group, he leads 1,947 personnel, executes a $12M budget, and oversees the execution of a $1B acquisition portfolio to provide agile combat support for the Alaska North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) region. In addition to supporting the host 673d Air Base Wing, major mission partners include the 11th Airborne Division, 3rd Wing, the 176th Wing, and 55 additional units. He is responsible for base defense, command and control communications, human resource management, morale, welfare, and recreation, and contracting and procurement capabilities in support of 37K active, reserve, civilian, dependent, and retiree members across a 73K acre installation.

Stacey Andrist

Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor 1
State of Alaska, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation

My name is Stacey Andrist, I was born and raised in Alaska and Michigan. I have lived and worked in the Mat-Su Valley for the past 15+ years providing employment services to job seekers from all walks of life. I have 2 cats named Winston and Shadow. I love crafting and learning new skills to keep me busy during the long Alaska winters. I am new to my current position within the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) and a new Business Engagement Services Team (BEST) member, I look forward to learning more every day.

Patrick Reinhart

Executive Director
Governor’s Council on Disabilities & Special Education

Patrick Reinhart has been a disability advocate in Alaska for over 40 years. He began his disability journey at birth having been born without a foot. He has been the director Challenge Alaska, the State Independent Living Council, Special Olympics of Alaska. Currently, he is Director of the Governor’s Council on Disabilities and Special Education He first started working for the Council in 2009 in charge of employment projects and helped bring Project SEARCH to Alaska, a program providing internship opportunities to young Alaskans who experience intellectual and developmental disabilities taking place in hospitals in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Matsu.

Michelle Brennan

Human Resources Director
The Lakefront

I am the current Human Resources Director for The Lakefront Anchorage Hotel. I have been with the Lakefront for nine-and-a-half years. I have been in Human Resources for over 20 years in a variety of positions and industries.

Philip Ayers

Anchorage Municipal Recruiter
Municipality of Anchorage

Philip Ayers was a U.S. Marine for more than 20 years. He is a local Employer Veteran Representative, where he has assisted in obtaining employment for more than 70 veterans. He was a recruiter for Non-Appropriated Funds Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, where he assisted in streamlining their employment process. He was a recruiter for the Municipality of Anchorage, where he assisted in bringing their total posting from 109 to 60.

Lynne Sauve

Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
State of Alaska, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation

Lynne Sauve is a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor with the State of Alaska, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. With a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Massachusetts, Boston. She is part of what is known as the Business Engagement Team, the goal of this team is to support businesses and provide information about working with those who experience disabilities. This team strives to promote both business needs and client skills and abilities to ensure strong and successful matches. Lynne is a lifelong Alaskan and is committed to the community. She has been working in Human Services for over 30 years.

Kathleen McArdle

President & Chief Executive Officer
Anchorage Chamber of Commerce

Kathleen McArdle joined the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce as President/CEO in October 2023 after a 13-year tenure with Verizon Wireless. Kathleen brings dual academic qualifications, first earning a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology, and later returning to graduate school for an MBA. Raised by entrepreneurial parents, she was exposed early to the realities of small business ownership and the value of resilience and creativity. Since moving to Anchorage from Phoenix in 2014, Kathleen and her husband, and their two dogs, have fallen in love with the vibrant and welcoming environment that Anchorage provides.

Deborah Morton

Supervisor II
Alaska Military Youth Academy

Deborah has lived in Alaska for over 34 years. She began her career with youth as a Chemical Dependency Tech II from 1999-2006, while completing her M.Ed degree from UAA. She started working for the Alaska Military Youth Academy in 2005. She has been on the National Youth Challenge Program Training Committee for over 5 years, developing and implementing best practices for the 41 Youth Challenge programs across the nation. Mrs. Morton earned the 2020 Mrs. Alaska Businesswoman of the Year and Volunteer of the Year awards, 3 Presidential Volunteer Service Awards and received the 2024 Achievement in Business award.

Dirk Craft

Executive Director
Alaska Workforce Investment Board

Born and raised in Alaska, Dirk Craft has 19 years of experience in public policy, state-level budget analysis, strategic planning, and communications. Currently serving as the Executive Director of the Alaska Workforce Investment Board, Dirk oversees the board’s strategic direction, policy development, and program implementation. He has recently worked to build relationships with key stakeholders, advocating for workforce development priorities, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.

Pamela Doerr

Business Owner
AK Namaste

I am the owner of AK Namaste. I created a healing space for our community. In addition to offering weekly yoga classes and workshops, I specialize in Intuitive, Integrative Bodywork that promotes deep relaxation, stress reduction, pain relief, emotional health, and injury and trauma recovery. This often looks like chronic pain, injury recovery, anxiety, surgery recovery, and trauma recovery. I offer several Ayurvedic treatments and coaching to balance, nourish, and bring the body to a state of relaxation and peace, triggering the body’s self-healing. I tailor each session to the individual’s specific needs.

Jessica Rafuse

Director of Strategic Partnerships & Policy for Accessibility
Microsoft

Jessica Rafuse is a leader in Accessibility and Disability Inclusion. As the Director of Strategic Partnerships & Policy for Accessibility at Microsoft, Jessica works with customers, partners, and policymakers to accelerate accessibility globally. Jessica is an attorney, who prior to joining the Microsoft team, promoted the principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action within multi-national corporations. Jessica began her legal career in government, including her work as an Administrative Judge for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Jessica earned degrees from University of Washington and Seattle University School of Law. Jessica has muscular dystrophy and uses a power wheelchair.

Cheryl Teller

Senior Stakeholder Relationship Tax Consultant
U.S. Internal Revenue Service

Cheryl Teller is a Stakeholder Relationship Tax Consultant for the IRS. She has spent 25 years working in free tax clinics, 17 of which were focused on military tax centers. Her current role includes facilitating the free tax program for the state of Alaska, educating the public about tax credits and their taxpayer rights, and recruiting for volunteers and tax locations. Prior to working for the IRS, Cheryl had an IT career in data conversion projects for databases and data analysis.

She enjoys fishing, running a free tax site in the Mountain View section of Anchorage, and is an active volunteer of the American Legion focusing on preventing veteran and active-duty suicide.

Tonie Protzman

Chief Executive Officer
Protzman Consulting

Tonie Protzman, whose Native name, Yethnhahnilats, means “makes her life strong,” is an enrolled descendant in the Turtle Clan of the Oneida Tribe in Oneida, WI. Tonie was raised and remains in Anchorage, Alaska with her Iñupiat Eskimo daughter, Paisley. Protzman, a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), holds a Master of Science (MS) degree in Clinical Psychology and a bachelor’s degree in justice and psychology, both degrees from the University of Alaska Anchorage. She was a PhD Candidate with the University of Alaska Fairbanks Clinical Community Psychology Program with rural and indigenous emphasis.

Kathleen West Evans

Director of Business Relations
Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation – National Employment Team

Kathy is the Director of Business Relations for the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR). CSAVR is the membership organization of the Directors of the 78 public Vocational Rehabilitation agencies across the country, including the territories and D.C. The program serves roughly 1.5 million individuals with disabilities a year as they prepare for, enter into, and retain their careers and independence. Kathy leads the National Employment Team (NET)- a team of national experts in Business Relations and Consultation.

Welcome Remarks

Successful Strategies Used by Microsoft that Helped to Build Their Business

Alaska Workforce Investment Board Update

Hiring and Retaining Employees

Lunch Presentation: My Journey as an Employer

Mental Wellness in the Workplace

The Wealth of Mental Health

Closing Remarks