Events

Katie first came to Alaska in the summer of 2010 as a seasonal worker on the Alaska Railroad. It wasn’t long before she fell in love with the magic of Alaska and decided to call it home for the next few years. She has spent the last decade living in the Blue Ridge Mountains and is excited to bring her love of adventure and hospitality back to Denali. Her career focus is on the growth and connection of the guest experience through travel and community. In her free time, Katie enjoys traveling, tending to her native plant garden, and cooking for family and friends.

Caitlin first came to Alaska and DEC in the summer of 2023 as a Youth Field Educator. Despite her status as a “bear-magnet,” according to some NPS rangers, she has returned to Alaska to stay year-round. As an avid traveler and passionate environmental educator, she’s worked with schools and youth programs across the country. Caitlin enjoys all things outdoors, from climbing to nature photography, and especially loves trying new activities. She has found Denali and the surrounding communities to be something truly special, whether it was exploring the backcountry of the park, appreciating the midnight sun, or blueberry picking with friends.

Ralph Clevenger holds degrees in both zoology and photography and was a senior faculty member at the prestigious Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, California for 33 years. He follows his passion for the natural world by specializing in photography and video projects of ecotravel, wildlife and the undersea world. Ralph has photographed assignments and led workshops around the world, and this will be his 9th trip to Denali. He is the author of the book Photographing Nature, a sponsored ambassador for Light & Motion, and is represented by Tandem Stills & Motion. Ralph’s publication credits include Audubon, Islands, Oceans, Outside, National Geographic, National Geographic Traveler, and many other national and international publications.

Princess Daazhraii Johnson (she/her) is Neets’aii Gwich’in and lives with her three sons, daughter, and partner on lower Tanana Dene lands in Alaska.  She is humbled to serve on the boards of Native Movement and NDN Collective, and the SAG-AFTRA Native American Committee since 2007. In 2015, she was appointed by President Obama to serve on the Board of Trustees for the Institute of American Indian Arts.  She is a Sundance Film Alum, a Nia Tero Storytelling Fellow, and Illuminative/Netflix Producers Program participant and is an Emmy-nominated screenwriter and former Creative Producer for Peabody award-winning PBS Kids series Molly of Denali.

Dr. Nikoosh Carlo is Koyukon Athabascan and CEO of North Consulting.  Dr. Carlo guides clients to develop a vision for their climate change and Arctic priorities and build momentum to achieve their goals. She has worked across political divides for state senators, ambassadors, and governors on issues of Arctic governance. Her true passions are working with organizations that support climate change equity and the well-being of Arctic residents and Indigenous peoples. In 2022, President Biden appointed Dr. Carlo to serve as an academic member on the US Arctic Research Commission, an independent federal agency that advises the President and Congress on domestic and international Arctic research.

James Edward Mills is a freelance journalist who specializes in telling stories about outdoor recreation, environmental conservation, acts of charitable giving, and practices of sustainable living.  He has worked in the outdoor industry since 1989 as a guide, outfitter, independent sales representative, writer, and photographer.  He is the author of the new book The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors, and the co-writer/co-producer of the documentary film An American Ascent.

Carolyn Finney, PhD, is a storyteller, author, and a cultural geographer.  She is deeply interested in issues related to identity, difference, creativity, and resilience. Carolyn is grounded in both artistic and intellectual ways of knowing-she pursued an acting career for eleven years, but five years of backpacking trips through Africa and Asia, and living in Nepal changed the course of her life. Motivated by these experiences, Carolyn returned to school after a 15-year absence to complete a BA, MA, (gender and environmental issues in Kenya and Nepal) and a Ph.D., where she was a Fulbright and Canon National Science Scholar Fellow.

Widely recognized for her research in Alaska, Sarah Roeske brings more than 40 years of experience studying Alaskan geology and Cordilleran plate tectonics. First introduced to Alaskan geology as an undergraduate, she did field studies on the Kodiak Islands for her Ph.D. at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She has conducted field work from Sitka in southeast Alaska to the Brooks Range in the north using everything from llamas to helicopters to access remote areas.  As a research faculty member, she has enjoyed the chance to introduce numerous students to the Alaskan wilderness and the wonders and mysteries of geology. Sarah’s research focuses principally on modern and ancient plate boundary faults and mountain-building processes, most recently focusing on the Alaska Range, which includes Denali, the highest peak in North America.

Susan Paskvan, known as “K’etsoo” in Denaakk’e (Koyukon Athabascan) is the daughter of Benedict and Eliza Jones of Koyukuk, Alaska.  She was the Native Language Coordinator of Yukon-Koyukuk School District, which serves ten interior Alaska Schools.  In this role, Susan taught Denaakk’e over two-way video conference, developed the curriculum lessons and materials, and coordinated professional development workshops for language speakers and educators.  She believes there is no greater joy than watching a child have fun learning their language. Throughout her 15 years at Y-KSD, Susan has worked with many elders, most often with her mother, Eliza Jones, to document Native place names throughout the interior.  These hundreds of hours of recordings have led to an increase in the number of people who are able to sing their traditional songs at memorial potlatches.

Dr. Jon Atwood recently retired from his position as Director of Bird Conservation for Mass Audubon where his work focused on grassland birds and full-life cycle conservation of Roseate and Least terns.  He has been a practicing ornithologist and conservation biologist for more than 40 years, using behavioral studies of rare and endangered bird species to inform conservation planning.

Roger made his first climb of Denali in 1975 when he was 21. He and seven others from Oregon State University ascended the seldom-climbed South Buttress route. They used information for their ascent from the 1954 Thayer expedition. On their way down they descended the popular West Buttress where they attempted to clean up garbage abandoned by climbers. Roger was on the mountain again in 1976 where he contributed to a major cleanup and set into motion a lifelong passion to educate and change the careless attitudes he witnessed. At that time the popular West Buttress was facing a crisis of rescues and was possibly the dirtiest mountain in North America.

Roger was hired as a Denali National Park climbing ranger for the 1980 season, which provided the opportunity to instigate the urgent changes needed to make climbing safer and slowly bring back a pristine mountain. In 2000 he tested a theory to remove all his NPS patrol’s human waste. With the success of this experiment he developed a portable toilet which became the Clean Mountain Can (CMC). Roger retired from Denali after working 40 seasons and contributed to many of the goals he set forth in 1976.

In between his many climbing exploits, Roger attained a degree in Resource Recreation Management from Oregon State. He was the 1999 recipient of the American Alpine Club’s David Brower Award for conservation and preservation of mountain regions worldwide, and is a recipient of the National Outdoor Leadership School’s Stewardship Award. He is also the co-founder of the Sustainable Summit Initiative, international conferences on environmentally sustainable solutions in mountain areas.

Roger met his wife Pam in 1983 on a Sierra Club Service project that involved the clean-up of an old mine within a remote western area of Denali National Park. For over 30 years, they have traveled together on dozens of remote backcountry patrols within the Park. They live in Talkeetna, Alaska, in a log house they built themselves. Pam worked 16 seasons for Denali at the Walter Harper Talkeetna Ranger Station. Their lives are chronicled in the 2017 book, Denali Ranger: A Life of Drama and Adventure on America’s Tallest Peak, by Lew Freedman. They are excited to share their love of Denali National Park with Camp Denali’s guests and employees during their stay.

Kellie headed north for Talkeetna in the summer of 2021 just because it seemed like the right place to be. It turns out that it was, and she began with Denali Education Center in early 2022. Prior to finding her place and her people, she spent time adventuring in various parts of the world and dabbled in multiple trades along the way including massage therapy, youth ministry, baking, farming, and customer service. The sense of “at-home” she’s found in Talkeetna is one to be savored and she’s hoping to make it the longest adventure yet.

James will tell you he grew up in the woods in Virginia. When his two kids were grown, he decided to attend the International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Charlotte, where he found his passion and calling as a chef and baker. Often using the ingredients he finds available to him in nature, you could say that he aspires to be a truly sustainable chef and subsistence hunter. James has spent the last few years cooking in Hawaii, but we sense that he’s found a home here in Alaska, as many of us do.

Born and raised in Alaska, Eli’s roots originate in the heart of Denali. Eli grew up on a bluff overlooking the Nenana River and has young memories of helping carve the logs used to begin building the structures on the campus of the Denali Education Center. He began his kitchen career in Denali where he first found his passion and curiosity for cooking. When Eli is not in the kitchen, you may find him out in the creeks of Alaska trout or salmon fishing and grinning ear to ear. He is enjoying being back home in Alaska and doing what he loves, cooking good food and seeing people come together for meals as a community.

Lauren is originally from Washington state where she earned her degree in Environmental Studies between training horses. She first ended up in Alaska due to a coin flip and after many back-and-forth trips (perhaps encouraged by a rugged Alaskan mountain man), finally decided to trade riding horses for riding snow machines and make Alaska home. Lauren is eager to try anything that involves recreating outdoors, then retiring inside to bake bread and dabble in arts and crafts. She is often found during the summer in her little vegetable garden or walking the dog to the beaver pond for a swim, and in the winter taking her snowmachine out to catch the sunset or cross-country skiing by moonlight.

Originally from Florida, Dave is now a long-time Alaskan resident. Dave is no stranger to the Denali Education Center campus as he served as our maintenance manager for six years before taking a two-year hiatus to work for an Alaska Native corporation. Dave has 35 years of experience as an ASE auto and truck-certified mechanic and has aviation repair/maintenance experience. Skilled in carpentry, electrical, and plumbing, he says he has the best job maintaining this wonderful place, nestled in this great land!

This is Katie’s third summer in Alaska, second season in Denali, first year as a full-time resident, and every day she falls more head-over-heels in love with this incredible place. Hailing from the Sunshine State, Katie is delighted to find that she enjoys the long Alaskan winters, especially when she can spot aurora shimmering overhead. Katie is an avid hiker, a wannabe chef, a huge bird nerd, a book devourer, and maker of strange faces. 

Keith first came to Alaska, and the DEC, in 2002.  He has spent many seasons frolicking in the summer sun and the snowy darkness and, after a decade of living in Pittsburgh, PA, is humbled and honored to call Alaska home once again! Keith has an MEd in Social and Comparative Analysis of Education, is an award-winning filmmaker, and fancies himself a savvy world traveler.  He has lived and worked in Antarctica, made documentaries in Japan, and tackled various long-distance hiking pilgrimages. In his spare time, Keith can be found chasing after his wide-eyed toddler, enjoying van life with his family, or scheming the next travel adventure.

Jill changed her life when she moved to Alaska in 1999. It only got better when she began working at the Denali Education Center in 2004. She lives with her husband Carl and a rescued German shepherd in view of Denali National Park in a home they constructed with the help of friends and family. Her favorite things include the return of daylight, singing avian migrants, emerging plants in the spring, endless summer days, the tapestry of the autumn tundra, and the quiet of winter that allows plenty of time for stargazing, dinners with friends, visits with family, and keeping the woodstove stoked. She enjoys traveling and exploring the world with an open, inquisitive mind and a pair of binoculars.

Jodi came to Denali in 1995 to work for a summer and has remained here ever since. She has a BS in geology from Montana State University and began her career at the Denali Education Center teaching about the Denali Fault Zone. She loves living in this wonderful community with her husband and daughter, who keeps her “old” parents young! In winter, she enjoys skiing on the dog mushing trails and playing pick-up hockey on a local pond.

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.”

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 seven 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.

Alex first visited Alaska in 2009, a summer trip that has never really ended. He quickly fell in love with Denali and soon began working for the DEC as a field educator. He is now an environmental philosopher and writer in Anchorage, where he teaches as a professor at Alaska Pacific University. Alex researches and writes about the ethics of environmental problem-solving. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College, completing a B.A. in Philosophy and Earth Science, and the University of Colorado, Boulder, earning a Ph.D. in Environmental Ethics. Alex is also an avid climber, skier, and wanderer – he still spends as much time as he can in Denali.

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.

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.

Originally from Pennsylvania, Blair first arrived in Alaska in 2006 for an internship with the Denali Education Center’s youth programs. She spent the next six summers sharing the wonder, might, and value of wild places (and honing her marshmallow roasting skills) with Alaska’s young people. In 2013, she moved to Pittsburgh to pursue an MBA in Sustainable Business Practices and spent the next 10 years developing expertise in community and economic development, impact finance, and sustainable food systems in jobs spanning the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. In 2023, Blair and her family moved back to Alaska and she joined the talented crew at Agnew::Beck, a multi-disciplinary consulting firm working to achieve healthy, equitable, thriving communities across Alaska and the Mountain West region.

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. After spending many years in the Denali area working for Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge, Bonnie now works for the parent company, Holland America Princess Alaska, as the Director of Sustainability and Community Relations.  This new role may take her around the state to many incredible communities, but she will always be a Denali Girl at heart!  In her off time, Bonnie enjoys traveling, yoga, and adventuring outdoors with her adorable cocker spaniel, Poppy Seed.

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, 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?”