Board of Directors

The Juneau Economic Development Council (JEDC) annually has openings on its Board of Directors. JEDC Board members are recommended to the CBJ Assembly by the current JEDC Board and then appointed by the CBJ Assembly based upon their experience and expertise in fields relating to economic development, including but not limited to large and small business, entrepreneurship, mining, oceans products, tourism, research, banking and finance, engineering and construction, and government.

Interested parties should send a letter of interest and a recent CV/résumé to JEDC Executive Director, Brian Holst, bholst@jedc.org, or call for more information at 907-523-2333. Candidates should plan on participating in interviews with current members of the JEDC Board.

Applicants will also need to complete an application form here: https://juneau.granicus.com/boards/forms/466/apply?board_name=Juneau+Economic+Development+Council

According to JEDC Bylaws:

Section 1. The affairs of the JEDC shall be managed by its Board of Directors.

Section 2. Board of Directors.

A. The Board of Directors of the JEDC shall consist of eleven (11) members.

B. The eleven (11) members of the JEDC Board of Directors shall be comprised as follows:

i. The mayor of the City and Borough of Juneau or the mayor’s designee from the CBJ Assembly;
ii. The Chancellor of University of Alaska Southeast or the Chancellor’s designee from UAS;
iii. One member appointed by the CBJ Assembly representing organized labor;
iv. One member appointed by the CBJ Assembly representing a nonprofit environmental organization;
v. Seven (7) members appointed by the CBJ Assembly based upon their experience and expertise in fields relating to economic development, including but not limited to large and small business, entrepreneurship, natural resource development, tourism, banking and finance, engineering and construction, and government.

C. The term of each member of the JEDC Board of Director shall be staggered three (3) years.

D. No Director, except the Mayor and the Chancellor of UAS who hold permanent seats, may serve for more than two (2) consecutive terms.

E. The JEDC shall publish notice of vacancies on the JEDC Board of Directors. The JEDC Board or a recruitment committee will review and may interview candidates for the JEDC Board of Directors. The JEDC Board will forward the names of recommended candidates to the CBJ Assembly. The CBJ Assembly will appoint JEDC board members.

Garrett Schoenberger, Chair

Garrett Schoenberger is a Managing Partner at Alaska Legacy Partners. His background is in real estate, with more than $200 million in transaction volume over his career. Garrett has experience with lease and sale transactions, as well as real estate acquisitions with a private equity group. He worked as an industrial broker with Grubb & Ellis, based in Phoenix, Arizona, completing more than $39 million in lease and sale transactions ranging from 1,000 to 250,000 square feet, and providing transaction services for more than 50 clients.  He served as the Director of Acquisitions for Curtis Capital Group based in Bellevue, Washington, where over five years he was directly involved in the acquisition of 12 multi-family properties across five states, totaling more than $161 million. His responsibilities included sourcing, underwriting, negotiating and executing business plans with an average annualized return on investments of 29 percent. He earned a business degree from Arizona State University and was a proud member of the Sun Devil baseball program.

When not at work, Garrett is enjoying being back in his home state with his wife and new baby daughter, enjoying the abundant outdoor opportunities.

Chancellor Aparna Dileep-Nageswaran Palmer, Vice-Chair

Dr. Aparna Dileep-Nageswaran Palmer is Chancellor of the University of Alaska Southeast (UAS). Dr. Palmer previously served as a Vice President at Front Range Community College (FRCC), which is part of the Colorado Community College System (CCCS). She wass the chief executive of the Boulder County Campus and interim chief executive of the Larimer County Campus, and brings 25 years of experience in higher education. Before joining FRCC, Dr. Palmer was the Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs at Colorado Mesa University (CMU), an institution with a dual role and mission to serve both as a regional university with bachelor’s and graduate degrees and as a community college (Western Colorado Community College, WCCC) with associate’s degrees and technical certificates. During her 22 years at CMU as a Professor of Biology, she served as the Director of the Academic Honors Program, Faculty Senate President, and Faculty Trustee on the CMU/WCCC Board.

Dr. Palmer holds a Ph.D. in Zoology from Washington State University as well as a B.S. in Biological Sciences and a B.A. in English from Colorado State University. As a scientist, she studies the natural histories and molecular genetics of tardigrades (water bears) and polychaetes (seaworms). As UAS Chancellor, Dr. Palmer provides strategic leadership in fulfilling UAS’ mission, including budget development, academic planning and program assessments, student and enrollment services, administrative services, and community relations.

Melissa Kookesh, Secretary

Melissa M. Kookesh is the Tribal Liaison at the Alaska Broadband Office. Melissa was elected to the Kootznoowoo Board in 2016 and began serving as Board Chair. In addition to her role as Chairwoman, she also serves as ex-officio on all committees. From 2005-2014, Melissa worked in the Office of the President at the Central Council Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. Currently, she is employed as a Legislative Aide for the Alaska State Legislature. Melissa holds an Associate of Arts and Sciences and certification in Tribal Management from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Melissa is the daughter of Lena Woods and the late Floyd M. Kookesh and is the granddaughter of the late Matthew and Ramona Kookesh. She is Raven Dog Salmon from the Central House in Angoon, and her Tlingit name is X’eetoow.

Aaron Morrison, Treasurer

Aaron Morrison is the Mechanical Engineering Supervisor for the Southeast Alaska office of PDC Engineers/RESPEC. He currently serves as the Construction Administrator for the Juneau Int’l Airport Reconstruction Project. He is a past president and active board member of the Rotary Club of Juneau, and the current president of the Southeast Alaska Friends of Montessori (SEAFOM). Aaron holds both, a Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA) and a Masters Degree in Science (Engineering) from San Jose State University.

Jake Carpenter

Jake Carpenter is a technologist and entrepreneur from Juneau, Alaska. His love for Alaska and business has fueled his involvement in the startup community across Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. Jake has been interested in solving big problems for as long as he can remember. He has a BA in Liberal Arts and an Executive MBA in Entrepreneurship. His journey in technology has included stints in non-profits, government, and private industry.

When he isn’t stuck behind a computer screen solving his lastest programming problem, Jake enjoys spending time with his family. In particular, he enjoys learning Spanish with his daughter Eleanor and looking at pictures of baby animals with his son Marty. In his humble opinion, there’s no place better than Alaska to create the next big thing.

Trenton English, Organized Labor Representative

Trenton English is the Southeast Business Representative for the Alaska District Council of Laborers (AKDCL), where he is responsible for workforce recruitment, training coordination, contract negotiation and enforcement of contracts, and legislation tracking and advocacy. He also serves as the Recording Secretary for the Laborers Local 942 Executive Board; a Trustee to the Alaska Laborers Trust Fund; and the the current President of Juneau Central Labor Council.

Marc Guevarra

Marc Guevarra is Vice President & Branch Manager of Lending at First National Bank of Alaska in Juneau. Marc is a lifelong Alaskan who grew up in Kodiak and originally moved to Juneau in 2004.  In 2011, he moved to Ketchikan to pursue additional career opportunities, but eventually found his way back to Juneau in 2017.  Guevarra has worked as a banker in Alaska since 2001 and he has spent the larger part of his banking career in commercial lending.  The banking industry has taken him all over Alaska, including Anchorage, Petersburg, Ketchikan, Juneau, and other communities. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration Accounting degree from the University of Alaska Anchorage.

Marc is an active member of the Rotary Club of Juneau Glacier Valley and he has served on a variety of other volunteer boards in both Juneau and Ketchikan.  In his free time, he enjoys fishing, camping, and other outdoor activities with family and friends.

Brian Kleinhenz

Brian Kleinhenz is the President and Owner of Terra Verde, Inc., a forestry consulting company that operates all over the Pacific Northwest offering services in forest inventory, professional consultation and carbon offset development. He serves as Secretary of the Society of American Foresters Juneau Chapter. He has also served as the Treasurer of the Southeast Alaska Soil and Water Conservation District and was a former Alaska Forest Association Board Member. Prior to his current career as an entrepreneur and small business owner, he was the Natural Resources Department Sealaska Corporation. His education includes a BS in Biology and Environmental Studies, Ohio Northern University (1997) and MS in Forestry, University of Eastern Finland (1999).

Alexander Kotlarov

Alexander Kotlarov is an Operation Research Analyst at NOAA Fisheries. Alexander grew up in Southeast Alaska where he spent summers commercial fishing throughout high school and college years. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Pre-Law Criminal Justice from Northeastern University and a master’s degree in Sea Use Law and Policy from the London School of Economics. Recently, he completed his PhD in Natural Resources and Sustainability through the University of Alaska Fairbanks, in Natural Resources and Environmental Economics. He has worked for Trident Seafoods Corporations in Seattle for several years as their Operations Manager for the Far East Region in Russian before returning to Alaska. In Valdez, he worked as a Maritime Operations Project manager for Prince William Sound Regional Citizens Advisory Council. After returning to Southeast Alaska he worked for the State of Alaska as an Economist for the Department of Labor Research and Analysis section.

Alexander had the opportunity to have a work assignment in Rome, Italy for six months with his family which was an amazing experience and which the family all fell in love with Italy. His son, as a boy scout developed a business plan for an entrepreneur merit badge to start a wood-fired pizza business. The family decided to start, a wood-fired pizza truck business and have been running it for the past 4 years. Their business, Forno Rosso, was profiled on Food Network. Alexander spends his spare time with his family working the pizza truck, skiing, fishing and hiking.

Jill Weitz, Environmental Representative

Jill Weitz is the Natural Resource Manager for the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska.  Jill first moved to Juneau for “just nine months” in 2007 to complete a national term of service through AmeriCorps at SAGA’s Eagle Valley Center. During a brief hiatus to the lower-48, Jill earned her graduate degree in natural resources law and policy from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 2010, and promptly returned to Juneau to serve as a Compliance and Enforcement Officer with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. Since 2013, Jill has been working alongside tribes, local communities, fishermen, and business owners to defend and sustain Southeast Alaska’s largest salmon producing rivers and the livelihoods dependent upon them—formerly as the Director of Salmon Beyond Borders.

When she’s not working, Jill can be found exploring the offerings of The Tongass National Forest.

Mayor Beth Weldon

Beth Weldon serves as the Mayor of the City & Borough of Juneau. Beth’s roots are deep and strong in the Capital City. She is a lifelong Juneau resident, and fourth-generation Douglasite on her mother’s side. Beth is a graduate of Juneau-Douglas High School and the University of Washington where she received a BS in Fisheries. For seven years she owned and operated the gillnetter F/V Seven C’s. She started with Capital City Fire/Rescue as a volunteer in Douglas and became part of the paid staff in 1992. She was the first female officer in the department and retired as a division chief. During her career, she received seven awards for service.

Mayor Weldon served two years on the Juneau Assembly prior to being elected mayor. She and her husband, Greg, co-own Capitol Motor Supply/Glacier Auto Parts. They are the proud parents of two young adults. Beth enjoys reading, watching her children’s activities, hiking Juneau’s trails with her lab, Chloe, as well as boating and other outdoor activities on the Taku River.

Ella Adkison, Assembly Liaison