The Denali Education Center board is a dedicated group of individuals who work to support the Denali Education Center’s mission to promote understanding and appreciation of Denali through informative and inspiring programs. The board supports and oversees Denali Education Center operations, finances, and engages in strategic planning.
Current Board:
Greg LaHaie, Chair
Greg LaHaie joined the Denali Education Center board in 2006 and loves supporting an educational nonprofit he considers vital in the community. He owns and operates Kantishna Air Taxi and Skyline Lodge, both located at the end of Park Road in Kantishna. LaHaie studied business finance at Michigan State University but changed paths before finishing, completing his commercial pilot’s license and starting his air taxi business in 1992. During Denali’s winter months, Greg travels around the world. “I love Alaska for its vast untouched wilderness,” Greg says. “As I travel the world it makes me appreciate [Denali] more every year and realize what a gift it is and how important it is to take care of it and preserve it for the future.” Some of his favorite past times include flying (of course), surfing, yoga, organic farming, and sustainability practices. His favorite motto comes from famous ice cream makers, Ben and Jerry: “If it’s not fun, why do it?”
Bonnie Westlund, Vice Chair
Originally from Utah, Bonnie came to Denali for a seasonal summer job in 2001; never did she think Alaska would become her home! She has attended many events and activities at the Charles Sheldon Center over the years and has always been impressed with the mission of the Denali Education Center. Bonnie joined the board of directors in 2013 and she enjoys being a part of this inspiring organization. Bonnie is the General Manager of the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge, living in Denali in the summer and Anchorage in the winter. She spends her off time traveling or adventuring outdoors with her sweet chocolate lab, Lola.
Blair Schoenborn, Treasurer
Originally from Pennsylvania, Blair joined the staff of the Denali Education Center in 2006 as an intern, having just completed her BS in Environmental Science at Allegheny College. She spent the next six years leading DEC’s Youth Programs. Her time in Denali shaped her passion for ensuring the long-term sustainability of wild places and the organizations that support them. Blair left Denali in late 2012 to pursue an MBA Sustainability degree from Duquesne University but maintained her connection to the Denali Education Center by joining the board in 2013. She worked as a senior analyst at BNY Mellon where she was instrumental in launching the global Social Finance initiative before joining Bridgeway Capital as the Healthy Food Financing Specialist. She and her husband, Keith, who was also a long-time employee of the Denali Education Center, have made Pittsburgh their home base and enjoy biking, planning future adventures, and exploring Pittsburgh’s burgeoning food scene.
Tennelle Peterson Wise, Secretary
Tennelle earned a BS in International Hospitality from the School of Hotel and Restaurant Management at Northern Arizona University. She has extensive experience in Alaska’s tourism industry having worked with CIRI Alaskan Tourism Corp., Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Residence Inn by Marriott, the St. Thomas Restaurant Group, and currently Grande Denali, LLC. Being closely tied to the Denali National Park area through the hospitality industry, she believes it is important to promote and educate visitors and residents of Alaska about the area, the park, and everything it has to offer. Tennelle is passionate about leadership and service, as well as the park, the area, and supporting community activities and education.
Eric Filardi
Eric is a high school English and Engineering teacher at Nenana City Public School (9th through 12th grade). He holds degrees in English, Theater, and Business Administration, and enjoys working with children to help them reach their dreams through education. As an English teacher, and a finalist for the 2017 Alaska State Teacher of the Year, Eric wants his students to be able to examine critically the relationship between man and nature, and debate the juxtaposition of knowledge and instinct. As a lover of the outdoors, Eric has a considerable instructional background in the sustainability of natural environments and experience applying technology and mixed media to enhance student learning. In his teaching duties, he enjoys educating students and the community about parks wildlife, and environmental issues. In that regard, Eric has been involved in the design of informational and educational materials for distribution to the public and forming educational partnerships with our community.
Dr. Michael Kaplan
Michael Kaplan was born in Connecticut and raised in New York. In 1994, he moved to Alaska in pursuit of a career in outdoor education. At Reed College, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in anthropology, in 1991. At the University of Alaska Anchorage, he earned a Master of Arts degree in interdisciplinary studies, in 1997. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Washington, in 2008.
From 2002-2007, he was an assistant professor and program chair of outdoor leadership at Sheldon Jackson College, in Sitka, Alaska. In 2008, he was appointed the assistant professor of outdoor studies at Alaska Pacific University.
Margi Dashevsky
Margi grew up in Fairbanks with a love for the outdoors, social justice, and environmental conservation. Margi has been working in Denali as a naturalist guide since 2010 for the Murie Science and Learning Center, the Denali Education Center, and Traverse Alaska. Margi has a master’s in education equity, has facilitated statewide youth advocacy through Alaska Youth for Environmental Action, and has taught place-based field ecology and outdoor leadership skills on extended wilderness expeditions at the High Mountain Institute. On most winter days you can find her out on the ski trails, and in summer months she enjoys romping in the tundra, especially in the golden light of endless Alaskan evenings.
Suzi Reichert
Suzi grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and graduated college in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in education. She moved to Alaska in 2003 to work for ‘just one summer’. Immediately, she was in awe of the beauty of Alaska’s nature which inspired and grew her desire to travel and find adventure. She spent the next 7 years traveling the world in the winters and working in Talkeetna in the summers. She loves experiencing new cultures and languages. In 2014 she settled in Talkeetna and became a preschool teacher at Talkeetna Elementary School. She worked as a Denali Discovery Camp instructor one summer and fell in love with the mission and programs that Denali Education Center offers. Currently, Suzi teaches second grade at Talkeetna Elementary and is a mom to an almost-three-year-old daughter Penelope. She loves outdoor adventures with her family and has a passion for igniting the love of learning in children.
Faith Allard
Faith comes to DEC with a Master’s Degree in Business Administration and over 20 years of healthcare industry experience along with several years of experience working in secondary education as well as higher education institutions. Faith has a passion for the environment and working with youth and adults that share that passion. During her career, she has worked with organizations in operations, strategic planning, organizational development, quality assurance, and instruction. Faith is excited to be part of the DEC family and stated “I have always been an advocate for education and programs that are dedicated to the enrichment of individuals and our environment. I am an avid outdoors person and have always enjoyed and respected the ability to fish, hunt, camp, hike, and, in general, enjoy the great State that we live in.”
