Meet Some of Our Speakers

President Alaska Growth Capital BIDCO, Inc

Logan is President of Alaska Growth Capital BIDCO, Inc., a subsidiary of Bristol Bay Native Corporation and the leading provider of SBA loans in Alaska, where he focuses on business acquisitions and economic development in rural and Alaska Native communities. He also serves as an Operating Partner with McKinley Alaska Private Investment and is an active investor in several Alaska small businesses. A lifelong Alaskan with an economics degree from the University of Washington, Birch previously held senior leadership roles at Arctic Slope Regional Corporation and Wells Fargo and today lives in Anchorage with his wife and two children.

President McKinley Research Group

Katie is President of McKinley Research Group and a lifelong Alaskan who leads teams conducting economic and social research on the industries, communities, and people of Alaska. She produces annual forecasts for the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation and Alaska’s construction spending and frequently presents on workforce trends and the state’s economy. Berry has also directed major economic impact studies across key sectors, including oil and gas, mining, seafood, and construction.

Chief Executive Officer and President/ Partner
McKinley Alaska Private Investment, LLC.

Robert (Rob) is Chief Executive Officer of McKinley Management, LLC and President/Partner of McKinley Alaska Private Investment, LLC, where he has led investment innovation and strategy since joining the firm in 1994. He has spearheaded initiatives ranging from global equity and healthcare transformation strategies to the creation of McKinley’s Scientific Advisory Board, and under his leadership, McKinley Management expanded to include McKinley Research Group and other affiliates. A third-generation Alaskan and Chartered Financial Analyst, Rob serves on several corporate and nonprofit boards, and lives in Anchorage with his wife and two sons.

President and CEO Alaska Railroad

Bill has served as President and CEO of the Alaska Railroad since 2013, leading daily operations and advancing the corporation’s mission to provide safe, reliable transportation and drive economic growth across the Railbelt. He previously held leadership roles as Chief Operations Officer and Vice President of Finance/CFO, overseeing functions from transportation and safety to finance and human resources. A lifelong Alaskan and Certified Public Accountant, O’Leary was born in Fairbanks and earned his accounting degree from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Co-Founder & CEO of Applied Atomics

Ben is the Co-Founder and CEO of Applied Atomics, a deep tech startup advancing nuclear technology to deliver affordable, clean, and reliable energy. He previously worked at SpaceX, where he helped build the Vandenberg launch site and led the development and operations of rocket-landing barges. Kellie later founded The Launch Company, which provided launch systems and hardware to aerospace ventures before its acquisition by Voyager Space in 2021.

Senior Director of Corporate Communications at GCI

Megan, Senior Director of Corporate Communications at GCI, leads the company’s internal and external communications strategy. An Alaska native, she grew up on the Kenai Peninsula and earned a journalism degree from the University of Arizona and an MBA from the University of Alaska Anchorage. Before joining GCI in 2020, she spent nearly a decade as a reporter and anchor at KTVA 11 News, and she now serves on the boards of the Resource Development Council and PRSA Alaska.

Financial Analyst

Natasha is a lifelong Alaskan with an MBA in finance and a background in public service and community leadership. She served three years on the Anchorage School Board and six years in the Alaska State Senate, focusing on education, budgeting, and economic development. She currently serves on the boards of the Rasmuson Foundation, Atwood Foundation, and Alaska State Chamber of Commerce.

Business Development TOTE Maritime

Jesse D. Carlstrom is a lifelong Alaskan and Business Development Executive with TOTE Maritime, where he helps connect Alaska’s industries to global markets. He earned his MBA from the University of Alaska Anchorage in 2012, an experience that continues to shape his leadership and approach to solving complex challenges. A former two-time NCAA All-American cross-country skier, Jesse brings discipline, enthusiasm, and deep connections across Alaska’s energy, business, and political communities.

UAA - Professor and Rasmuson Chair of Economics

Mike Jones is an applied economist at UAA’s Institute of Social and Economic Research, focusing on transportation, infrastructure, food systems, and the role of supply chains in economic development. He collaborates widely with public and private partners in Alaska’s aviation sector and brings a global perspective from fieldwork in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. He holds a PhD in Economics from North Carolina State University and an MS in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University.

UAA - Research Professor of Public Policy

Robert Loeffler grew up in Minnesota, later moving to Alaska where he built a career bridging natural resource development, community interests, and environmental considerations. He holds master’s degrees in civil engineering from Stanford and Regional Planning from Harvard, and since 2010 has served as a Research Professor of Public Policy at UAA’s Institute of Social and Economic Research. In addition, he is a partner at Jade North, an Alaskan consulting firm specializing in mining and natural resource issues for industry, government, Native groups, and non-profits.

Moderator

Shareen is Partner and President at Brilliant Media Strategies, where she leads strategic communications and public relations efforts for clients across Alaska. She brings extensive experience in public policy, having served as chief of staff to an Alaska State Senator and as Infrastructure Coordinator in the Office of the Governor. Active in the community, Shareen is a longtime Anchorage South Rotarian and serves on the boards of the UAA Alumni Association and the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce.

Moderator

Ava is the morning news host at Alaska Public Media, where she also reports on local and economic trends. Born and raised in Anchorage, she graduated from the University of Alaska Anchorage in 2024 with a degree in journalism and public communications. She enjoys exploring the human stories behind entrepreneurship in Alaska and, outside of work, loves baking key lime pies and cookies.

Moderator

Lori is the chief editor, senior vice president of journalism, and senior host at Alaska Public Media, where she leads the newsroom and hosts Talk of Alaska and Alaska Insight. With nearly 30 years in print and broadcast journalism, she began her career in Wisconsin and has worked in Alaska media since 1999. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, gardening, and exploring the trails around Anchorage and Southcentral.

Moderator

James is a veteran Alaska journalist who has reported for the Anchorage Daily News, Juneau Empire, Kodiak Mirror, and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. A Virginia Tech graduate, he lives in Juneau with his wife, daughter, and their sled dog, Barley.