Beacon’s ShineYourLight Campaign
Rachel Kallander was just three years old when the Exxon Valdez, an oil tanker, struck the Bligh Reef and spilled 10.8 million gallons of crude oil into the Prince William Sound. At the time, Rachel lived in Cordova, Alaska, which was practically ground zero for the spill. Cordova being a commercial fishing community, Rachel belonged …
David “The Coffee Boss” Booker is a locally famous mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter, but what most people don’t know is that his biggest impact happens outside the ring. As a mentor, husband, and father, David thrives by caring for the people around him in his local community. Many of the men who fight in …
Throughout her professional career, Panu Lucier has always focused on promoting the advancement of youth and children. When she heard about the opportunity to work with Thread Alaska and Alaska SEED to advocate and support the early childhood workforce, she was all in. Alaska System for Early Education Development (SEED) is Alaska’s statewide system for …
“My work career has always been about public service. It began as that kid knocking on the neighbor’s door, asking them to give to this or that. I was raised with a sense of social obligation, that I should give back to my community. For a long time, I worked in the government on a …
Chaplain Richard Koch grew up in the Midwest in Wisconsin as a military history buff who also felt a calling into ministry. After college, in the early 80s, Koch followed his calling and began ministry work. He became ordained and he and his wife co-pastored a church. But when an opportunity came up for Koch …
Judy Berry and her husband Reed Smith moved from Binghamton, New York to Anchorage in 2014 to take up executive positions with the Anchorage Opera. They both brought impressive careers in the industry, appearing in performances internationally as singers, and holding executive positions with Tri-Cities Opera in their hometown! Today, the Anchorage Opera is a thriving …
Today, Sherrie Laurie is the Executive Director of the Downtown Soup Kitchen Hope Center, a faith-based center where over 500 homeless and low-income individuals receive their lunch every day, and women in distress come to find shelter and training for job skills. But it wasn’t always this way. When Sherrie was young, she had an …
Kelli Toth was born around the water, growing up on and around boats as a third-generation Alaskan in a very active family. That’s why, when given the opportunity, she joined the Alaska Department of Natural Resources Office of Boating Safety, an office dedicated to ensuring safe and enjoyable recreational boating in Alaska. “I had almost …
The mission of the Alaska Youth and Family Network (AYFN) is to “strengthen, preserve, and unify families through advocacy, peer-to-peer support, education, and connections to community-based services…” Their work focuses on Alaskan families who have children with behavioral, emotional, and mental health challenges. Alicia Cornils, now the Operations Manager for AYFN, joined out of experience …
Margaret Griffo and her Keeshond, Waverly are a certified National Crisis Response Canines team, answering calls for situations that need the comforting presence a dog provides. Margaret says Waverly has a profound effect on people in crisis, breaking the ice and allowing for professional help where it was formerly rejected. We asked Margaret what inspired her …
