Great Alaskans - Sean Parnell, 10th Governor of Alaska

Ethel Lund

Ethel Lund of Juneau, founder of Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium, has dedicated decades of her life to bettering the health of Native Alaskans. She has mentored many youth into careers in health care.
Walter Soboleff

Walter Soboleff dedicated his life to taking care of the people of Alaska and promoting Alaska Native culture and language. He was an inspiration to Sandy and me, and many Alaskans.
Cody Gaines

Cody Gaines of Homer obtained a grant to help a man with vision impairment learn to use a screen reader, which reads content on the computer out loud, and then spent several hours a week helping the man learn to access the Internet, email his family and friends, and use the computer to record his music.
Julia Smith and Nelson Kanuk

Julia Smith with Sitkans Against Family Violence, and Nelson Kanuk of the Sitka Youth Leadership Committee were among dozens in Sitka who helped celebrate the completion of a community mural representing the values of Choose Respect.
Ben Grussendorf

Representative Ben Grussendorf, with whom I served in the Legislature, was a man who treated all respectfully while maintaining a sense of humor, even when opinions differed. He will be missed.
John Katz

John Katz has served Alaska for more than 32 years, working with eight of Alaska�s Governors. For many of those years, he has represented our state in Washington, DC. He retires at the end of the month with the well wishes and fond regards of thousands of Alaskans.
The 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division

Alaska is so very proud of the thousands of men and women of the Stryker Brigade who are deployed to Afghanistan. We are grateful for their dedication and service.
Frances Macon

Award recipient for the Lewis Hine Award for Volunteers, Frances Macon has devoted her life to working with troubled youth in Alaska. An Alaskan since before statehood, she has been a committed foster parent for at-risk youth in Anchorage for almost 40 years.
Cody Dennis

Cody Dennis of Wasilla was an avid young basketball player and an inspiration to his community. He passed away this year after a 10-month battle with cancer. In his memory, Cody�s family established a nonprofit organization called �Cody�s Wish� to bring together and support families of children facing cancer.
Heidi Haas

A tireless advocate for individuals with autism and their families, Heidi Haas established the Autism Society of Alaska. For the past three years she has coordinated Autism Awareness walks across the state.
John Baker

A true inspiration to all, John Baker won the 2011 Iditarod in record time. The Kotzebue musher is the first Alaska Native musher to win the Iditarod since Jerry Riley did it in 1976, and he is the first Eskimo to win since the 1,150-mile race began in 1973.
U.S. Coast Guard

We appreciate our Coast Guardsmen for protecting our shores and rescuing many from Alaska�s unpredictable waters. Semper Paratus!
Tomodachi Daiko

The Tomodachi Daiko Japanese drumming group performed in Anchorage this past year. The performance was part of the Tomo No Kai event to raise money for the Japan Relief Fund of Alaska to support victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Watch the performance on YouTube
Alaska Aces

The Alaska Aces were the 2011 Kelly Cup Champs. Congratulations on an exciting season, and thank you for your tremendous community involvement.
Alaska State Troopers

Alaska State Troopers: We thank you for answering the call of duty and protecting Alaskans every day. You are Alaska�s finest.
Leslie Proehl and Steve Quintana

We appreciate the efforts of Leslie Proehl and Steve Quintana of Anchorage. Each year they help Santa and Mrs. Claus and the Alaska National Guard bring cheer to Alaska villages during Operation Santa Claus.
Marilyn Freitag

For more than 25 years Marilyn has volunteered with Providence Alaska. She is also an active volunteer in her community, volunteering with the Anchorage Pioneer Home, Clare House, Brother Francis, and Lutheran Social Services.
Cara Heitz

Cara Heitz is the 2012 Alaska Teacher of the Year. She teaches science and health at Cordova Jr./Sr. High School in Cordova. As the son of a teacher, I know the value that teachers bring in making Alaska a great state.
Matthew Mark Elfstrom

Matthew Mark Elfstrom received the 2011 Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award for Alaska. He teaches seventh grade math at Romig Middle School in the Anchorage School District. What an well-deserved honor for a teacher who goes the extra mile for his students!
Lt. General Dana and Mrs. Laura Atkins

After three and a half years of leadership as the commander of Alaska Command, Lt. General Dana Atkins finished up his military career and bid farewell to Alaska. Thank you for your service.
Gilford Mongoyak, Jr.

Last January, Gilford Mongoyak, Jr., a carver from Barrow, found a suitcase containing $50,000 and no identification. He turned it into Barrow police, who were able to get the suitcase back to its owner. A good Samaritan!
Kevin Murphy

Firefighter Volunteer Captain Kevin Murphy was presented with a fire ax mounted on a plaque for his 45 years of volunteer service to the citizens of Bethel.
Rebecca Steadman

The volunteer administrator for the Valdez Community Food Bank for more than seven years, Rebecca Steadman has helped the Food Bank flourish, and she has increased the number of volunteers that help with this important service.
Eva Kinneeveauk

Point Hope resident Eva Kinneeveauk was among ten Alaskans recognized by the National School Board Association for exceptional local leadership.
Brianna Jeffers

Brianna Jeffers of Nenana managed a soccer team this year and helps elementary students study science. She volunteers for school, civic and cultural events, and at Head Start.
Ernestine Hayes

Ernestine Hayes wrote what is said to be the first original Tlingit children's book: Aanka X�odzi ka Aasgutu X�odzi Shkalneeg�, (The Story of the Town Bear and the Forest Bear).
Joey Valadez

Joey Valadez received the EMT of the Year Award at the Bethel Volunteer Emergency Services Association annual event. He�s a life saver!
Kyong Hollen

Kyong Hollen has dedicated her time and treasure to strengthening education at UAF. She was named UAF�s Business Leader of the Year.
Bobbie McCreary

Bobbie McCreary has been an active voice for the children of Ketchikan. She established the Ketchikan Youth Initiative to promote constructive activities for children and assist young adults transition into the workforce and has made a lasting impression on the future of Ketchikan.
Keegan Messing

Keegan Messing of Girdwood won first place in the short program and fourth in the long program at World Junior Figure Skating Championships. Great athlete!
JBER (Joint Base Elemendorf Richardson)

We thank the brave men and women serving our country at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson. You contribute so much to our Alaskan community, and our nation.
Wendi Shackelford

Officer Wendi Shackelford is an Anchorage police officer who leads the Anchorage Crisis Intervention Team, which equips officers to assist mentally ill Alaskans or intervene with them competently. That�s heart!
Alaska National Guard

A salute to the members of the Alaska National Guard for your selfless service, dedication, and patriotism.
Freya Chay

Freya Chay, a Kenai teenager, helped change the State tax code to allow any municipality in Alaska to exempt residential renewable energy systems from property taxes. A bill containing Freya's amendment passed, and I proudly signed it into law.
Students from Highland Tech Charter School

Students from Highland Tech Charter School spread an anti-bullying message in schools and around the community.
Bruce Bowler

Bruce Bowler of SEADOGS � Southeast Alaska Dogs Organized for Ground Search - was a finalist for the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation's Citizen Service Before Self Honors award for search and rescue work.
Village Public Safety Officers

We thank the Village Public Safety Officers, brave men and women who work to keep people safe in rural Alaska.
Debby Hudson

A Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) volunteer since 1994, Debby Hudson has invested her time protecting and ensuring the safety of Alaskan children who come from troubled homes. In addition to her volunteer service, she is an active fundraiser for CASA.
Michael Blakeney

Michael Blakeney stepped up this spring with a bright idea, Alaska Summer Food, to help spread the word about summer food programs for children. It allows providers a way to keep information up-to-date. Michael, who works with Grandview Baptist Church, designed the website, demonstrated its use to Food Bank of Alaska, and launched it.
Deb Vanasse

Deb Vanasse encourages learning in Alaska and this year published a children's book, titled �Lucy's Dance� in both English and in Yup'ik. This book is believed to be the first of its kind.