Send us Fan Mail

Gregg Brelsford grew up in Denver. After visiting his parents in Anchorage on a college break the year before, Gregg drove the Alaska Highway in 1972 with his brother Jim to begin a life in Alaska. He earned his B.A. and a Master's in Public Administration from UAA while working full-time, and then a law degree from Harvard Law School. He is a former Alaska prosecuting attorney, a British solicitor, and a former international lawyer. He was the manager of the two largest municipalities in Bristol Bay (during COVID), the Bristol Bay Borough and the City of Dillingham. Gregg served as the CEO of the Aleutian/Pribilof Islands Association, one of Alaska's twelve Alaska Native regional tribal governing bodies. For five years, he served on the Alaska Federation of Natives board and is an adopted member of two tribes. Gregg has been blessed with three wonderful children. He and his wife, Puyong, have been married for 37 years.

Meda DeWitt is a lifelong Alaskan, born on Prince of Wales Island, and Tlingit from the Naanya. aay clan in Wrangell. She is the senior state manager for the Wilderness Society in Alaska and president of Yak-Tat Kwan Inc., the village corporation for Yakutat. Meda is a Lingt traditional healer who harvests local plants for traditional medicines and foods. She earned a master's degree in Alaska Native traditional healing from Alaska Pacific University and is currently in an Indigenous studies doctoral program at Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi, New Zealand. She has taught Traditional Health Practices at the University of Alaska for over ten years. Meda has 20 years of experience as a community and political organizer. She spearheaded the Campaign to Recall Governor Dunleavy six years ago, served as President of Stand Up Alaska, co-founded the Civics Academy through Alaskans Take a Stand, and continues to mentor emerging leaders in both Native and allied communities.

James William Parkin IV (JP4) was born and raised a military dependent, and first came to Alaska in 1968 when his dad was stationed at the naval base on Kodiak Island. After leaving Alaska to serve in the military and earn bachelor's degrees in Biology and in Natural Sciences Education, he returned 35 years ago. JP4 worked as a teacher and principal for 30 years in rural Alaska, along the way earning Master's Degrees in Educational Technology and in Educational Leadership, and serving as NEA President among other positions. For the last eight years, he has worked in the mining industry. His government and business experience includes serving on the Angoon City Council and coordinating programs with Native associations, corporations, city, state, and federal government agencies, and commercial businesses. He and his wife of 45 years have lived in Adak, Anchorage, and Angoon, and have six children, 25 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

In this election year, the Forum is providing an opportunity for numerous candidates for various statewide offices and advocates for ballot propositions to speak with us. This is a continuation of our year-round mission to help attendees become better informed about the people and issues that will affect the future of our community and our state. AUUF does not support or oppose any candidates for public office or ballot measures.

Send us Fan Mail

John McKay, our beloved Forum facilitator (and a poet in his own right), had the idea of celebrating Poetry Month by having members of the fellowship read inspiring poetry selections, rather than inviting a handful of poets to present their own work.

John's outreach included the following phrase - "This is the first time we have tried an entirely 'democratic' poetry Forum, rather than lining up all participants in advance," and it worked out well.

You can read more about Poetry Month here -

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/articles/1783559/the-poetry-foundation-marks-national-poetry-month-with-free-programs-new-video-series-and-special-offers

and here -

https://poets.org/national-poetry-month-turns-30-join-celebration-april

Send us Fan Mail

Sandy Harper, with her late husband, actor and director Jerry Harper, co-founded Cyranos in 1987. Five years later, they launched Cyranos Off Center Playhouse as the home of Eccentric Theatre Company, which later became Cyranos Theatre Company. Sandy is now Cyranos producing artistic director emerita, and the legacy and impact of the Harper's efforts to create an artistic community are captured in her newly published memoir, The Little Theatre That Could and Did. Sandy has served as president of the Anchorage Cultural Council, and on the boards of the Last Frontier Theatre Conference (now the Valdez Theatre Conference), the Anchorage Downtown Partnership, the Rasmuson Foundation, and the Anchorage Downtown Association. Among the numerous honors she has received are an honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Alaska Anchorage, the Contribution to Literacy Award, recognitions by the Soroptimist Society for advancing women in the arts and as a YWCA Notable Woman of the Year, the Lorene Harrison Lifetime Achievement Award, and induction into both the Athena Society and the Alaska Women's Hall of Fame. For more information, visit sandyharperauthor.com.

Send us Fan Mail

Pamela Miller founded Alaska Community Action on Toxics in 1997 and serves as its Executive Director. Pam works passionately for environmental and reproductive justice, health, and human rights, with more than 35 years of research, education, and advocacy experience. She was elected in 2016 as Co-Chair of the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN), a network of more than 600 environmental health and justice organizations working in 124 countries. Among her honors are the Meritorious Service Award from UAA, the Alaska Conservation Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Olaus Murie Award in recognition of her “long-term outstanding professional contributions to the conservation movement in Alaska.” She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Wittenberg University and a master’s degree in environmental science from Miami University. Pamela came to Alaska in 1989 following the Exxon Valdez oil spill to serve as a research biologist for Greenpeace. Prior to coming to Alaska, she was director of a marine science education center in Puget Sound, served as Washington’s Ocean Issues Technical Coordinator, and received the Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence in Washington State.

Slides - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/zwjyl4p7rju49bn85eym5/PresentationForAUUF20260412.pdf?rlkey=0699op1ocaupe3ip747486klp&dl=0

Alaska Community Action on Toxics (ACAT) - https://www.akaction.org

ACAT Legislative Priorities February 2026 - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/nx7rohbdf6rjyb9ntuxa1/ACAT_Legislative_Priorities_2026_Revised_2-26-26.pdf?rlkey=t5x3v05wkbtbd9o614x2j6bmd&dl=0

What you can do to reduce plastics - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/x8a2qh94hbawniobmx9na/What-_you_can_do_to-reduce_plastics.pdf?rlkey=cse7hf1ewcssrh75g2xarkkxz&dl=0

IPEN - FOR A TOXICS-FREE FUTURE - https://ipen.org/

Send us Fan Mail

Matt Claman first came to Alaska in 1980 to work in a mining camp. After graduating from law school, Matt returned to Alaska to make his home, raise his family, and establish his career. Matt was elected to the Alaska House of Representatives in 2014, the Senate in 2022, is currently chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and is a candidate for Governor in 2026. Prior to service in the State Legislature, Matt served on the Anchorage Assembly beginning in 2007 and served as the Acting Mayor of Anchorage in 2009. An attorney for over 37 years, Matt owned a small law business, taught law classes at the University of Alaska Anchorage, and served on the Board of Governors of the Alaska Bar Association and as President of the Board in 2007-08. Matt and his wife, Lisa Rieger, raised their two children, Maia and Ben, in Anchorage, where they both graduated from West Anchorage High School. Along with his public service and work as an attorney, Matt is a licensed Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and accomplished commercial river guide in the Grand Canyon. And in the 1990s, Matt served several years on the Board of the Anchorage Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, including one year as our president.

In this election year, the Forum is providing an opportunity for numerous candidates for various statewide offices and advocates for ballot propositions to speak with us. This is a continuation of our year-round mission to help attendees become better informed about the people and issues that will affect the future of our community and our state. AUUF does not support or oppose any candidates for public office or ballot measures.

Send us Fan Mail

Tom Begich is a candidate for Governor of Alaska in the 2026 election. Tom served in the Alaska State Senate from 2017 to 2023 and was the Senate Minority Leader from 2019 to 2023. In the past, he served as a staff assistant to two Majority Leaders in the Alaska State House and Chief of Staff to the Caucus Chair in the State Senate. He has served on numerous boards and commissions in Anchorage and Alaska since 1983. Through his firm CW Communications, Tom has engaged for three decades in strategic planning, community development, facilitation, communications, and training in Alaska and throughout the country in the areas of juvenile justice, restorative and community justice, education, government relations, and media relations. Begich is also a professional musician, writer, and poet.

My Focus For Alaska - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/b124joqyy32oxzgf273ic/MyFocusForAlaska.pdf?rlkey=mnojosise0m3z6rcqrm1bq8v0&dl=0

In this election year, the Forum is providing an opportunity for numerous candidates for various statewide offices and advocates for ballot propositions to speak with us. This is a continuation of our year-round mission to help attendees to become better informed about the people and issues that will affect the future of our community and our state. AUUF does not support or oppose any candidates for public office or ballot measures.

Send us Fan Mail

Wesley James Furlong is a Senior Staff Attorney at the Native American Rights Fund. Wess practice primarily focuses on protecting Indigenous cultural resources and traditional cultural places and landscapes. Much of this work involves representing Tribal Nations, Tribal consortia and organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations in large-scale and highly controversial natural resource development and infrastructure projects throughout Alaska, the Lower 48, and Hawai'i. Wes's practice also includes defending Tribal sovereignty, treaty rights, repatriation, environmental and natural resources law, voting rights and redistricting, and subsistence rights. Wes grew up outside Seattle, Washington, and lives in Anchorage with his wife Carrie and their dog Skadi.

Slides - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/hrnitfn9xv1lpqocr5qhe/AUUF-Presentation_Furlong.pdf?rlkey=riu56d81lnibyxk9fe0vqzpq3&dl=0

Send a text

Willie Hensley is an Alaska statesman and Native Elder. He was instrumental in the creation of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, which became law in 1971. He is a co-founder and currently serves as Chair of the First Alaskans Institute. Willie served as Distinguished Visiting Professor in the Department of Business and Public Policy at UAA. He also helped found, and headed, both the Alaska Federation of Natives, and the Northwest Alaskan Natives Association (NANA), an ANCSA regional corporation encompassing his home community of Kotzebue. Willie received his high school diploma from a boarding school in Tennessee, attended the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, and graduated from George Washington University with a degree in Political Science. Months after he graduated, he was elected to the Alaska State House of Representatives, where he served from 1967 to 1970. He also served twice in the Alaska Senate. His book, Fifty Miles from Tomorrow: A Memoir of Alaska and the Real People, recounts his childhood growing up in rural Alaska and his journey as an Alaskan politician and native rights activist. Willie and his wife, Abbe, have six children and fourteen grandchildren.