Judith Anderegg and David Pelto have more than 100 years of life in Alaska between them. Judith came to Anchorage with her family in 1957; David's family arrived in Juneau in 1966. Both attended colleges in the lower forty-eight before returning to Alaska to live. Judith worked in the Hammond administration for the Coastal Zone Management program. In 1980, Judith received her teaching certificate and began a teaching career, joining David in Kake, where he had been teaching since 1978. Judith and David moved to Palmer in 1982. Judith returned to the Alaska state government and worked three years for then Senate President Jalmar Kerttula. David taught English and theatre for 20 years in the Mat-Su Borough. He taught there until his retirement in 2002. Judith returned to teaching in 1985 and taught fourth grade until her retirement in 2003. Judith and David moved south in 2019 to Washington, but they still have their remote cabin. They return to Alaska to enjoy the cabin in the fall to hear the leaves fall off the trees, and in the spring to cross-country ski. While they enjoy their life in Washington, they feel blessed to have lived for so many years in Alaska.

Slides - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/zamt60zmw5phj8k6jy4df/Slideshow.pdf?rlkey=x2shoofr2x9jdrq9apdx0ynxi&dl=0

Sophia is a coach, athlete, bodyworker, and lifelong learner. She is passionate about human resilience, building teams, and uplifting passionate people. After several years of rowing competitively in flat water, Sophia set her eyes on the ocean, and in 2022, she and her team, Latitude 35, set the world record for the fastest women's team to row from California to Hawaii. A seasonal resident of Palmer, along with her commercial pilot husband, Logan Walters, Sophia currently serves as head coach of the Anchorage Rowing Association.

Slides - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/bx4jjn00xetaskwwrf93m/Anchorage-Unitarian.pdf?rlkey=xw9murcktovspgpv82oqes4hj&dl=0

Rose O'Hara-Jolley is state director of Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates, working to protect and promote reproductive and LGBTQ2+ health, rights, and justice. They oversee statewide advocacy programs, policy and legislative efforts, and Planned Parenthood’s local and state electoral programs, including ballot initiatives. Rose began as the Fairbanks organizer and then became Field Manager for Planned Parenthood before becoming State Director. Rose grew up in north Florida, one of the first on their dad's side to graduate high school, and attended the University of Florida. They earned bachelor's degrees in Special Education and Early Childhood Education, and then a master's degree, focusing on hope in young children. Rose moved to Brooklyn and helped create New York’s first fully inclusive public school focused on an integrated constructivist curriculum. Rose continued as a kindergarten teacher and curriculum developer in New York City until a short visit to Alaska in their early 30’s led them to buy their first car and move to Cantwell, close to Denali National Park, where they learned to mush, ice skate, chop wood, and snow machine.

Planned Parenthood - Great-Northwest-Hawaii-Alaska-Indiana-Kentucky https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-great-northwest-hawaii-alaska-indiana-kentuck

Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates - https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/planned-parenthood-alliance-advocates/about-us

Plan "C" - https://www.plancpills.org/

Northwest Abortion Access Fund - https://nwaafund.org/

Daniel Gwynn was sentenced to death in Philadelphia in 1994 after being convicted of first-degree murder, arson, and aggravated assault in the death of Marsha Smith. Thirty years later, in February 2024, the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office dismissed all charges in the case, acknowledging that Gwynn was wrongfully convicted and unjustly imprisoned for nearly three decades. According to the DA-s Office statements at the lime, Gwynn's case offered "a cautionary tale of tunnel vision in policing and prosecution.

Daniel's slides - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/rkdkzerlkpf7ha1ap16zh/slideshow-presentation.pdf?rlkey=6kqfemkp190n60r29bxgty1d0&dl=0

Flyer for Fish Fry, Thursday, July 31, 2025 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM at Lidia Selkregg Chalet, Russian Jack Springs Park, Anchorage - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/yzshisup32bazhioswqtk/FishFry.pdf?rlkey=6rwzpciajnge1i4ihuxkahksh&dl=0

Dennis Arashiro is a longtime member of AUUF and is the Executive Board President of the Alaska Japanese American Citizens League of Alaska.

Laura Norton-Cruz is a licensed master social worker (LMSW), Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC), lifelong advocate for children and families, former teacher and victim advocate, artist, and a mother of two wonderful elementary-aged children. She grew up in Anchorage, and attended Mount Holyoke College for undergrad and University of Michigan for graduate school. Laura has lived in Oaxaca, Mxico, and Bogot, Colombia, and taught 3rd grade in a Spanish-English dual immersion program in Californias Bay Area. Laura has also worked and traveled extensively throughout rural Alaska. She has received arts awards, an Alaskas Top 40 under 40 award, and is the only Alaskan to have been selected to Robert Wood Johnson Foundations Culture of Health Leaders program. She is part of the Early Childhood in Alaska Documentary Series Team, working together with Joshua Albeza Branstetter on creative photography and film projects.

The video that Laura used - https://vimeo.com/1078648558?share=copy

NOTE: Laura showed the video she made about the Infant Learning Program (ILP) with Josh Branstetter. When the film starts (at he 9'35" mark of the podcast), and you are listening to the podcast recording, you can pause the audio podcast and move ahead the 31'35" mark. You can start the video (link above) to get the full visual effect.

Laura's website about page - https://www.lauranortoncruzconsulting.com/about

Webpage on Laura's website with links to other videos - https://www.lauranortoncruzconsulting.com/our-team

Laura was joined in her Forum presentation by Amy Simpson, executive director of Programs for Infants and Children (PIC). https://www.picak.org/

Kay Brown is a former state official, political strategist and media specialist who moved to Alaska in 1976. Kay has broad experience in political, non-profit and public arenas, including 10 years of service as an Alaska State Representative. After leaving the legislature, she helped assemble and lead a large coalition of Alaska environmental groups, the Alaska Conservation Alliance and Voters. She also served as Director of Oil and Gas for the State of Alaska, and Executive Director of the Alaska Democratic Party. She currently chairs the Alaska Progressive Donor Table and works as Arctic Policy Director for Pacific Environment. A journalist by training, Kay is the founder of Alaska Women Ascend, a training program for progressive women candidates and campaign staff. Kay was inducted into the Alaska Womens Hall of Fame in 2017 for achievement in public policy and politics. She has a B.A. in journalism from Baylor University. After living in Alaska for 48 years, she and her husband Mark Foster recently moved to Palm Springs, CA.

Larry Michael is a retired school psychologist who landed in Bethel, AK in 1982 answering a newspaper ad. For half his career he traveled to villages by airplane and for the other half he drove a car to schools in the ASD. He now runs a B&B with his husband in downtown Anchorage. Their modern family is comprised of five children and two grandchildren from diverse backgrounds. Raised conservative Christian, Larry now challenges Christian Nationalism for its threats to religious liberty and pluralistic democracy. His favorite podcast, Straight White American Jesus, ignited his knowledge on the topic. One does not have to be straight, white and a Christian to be a true American! Larry is an elder at First Presbyterian and involved in many community activities and organizations including the Anchorage Downtown Partnership, Center for Psychosocial Development, and the Third Avenue Radicals.

Slides - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/3vjj57pzk0vm8q60k8qfr/ChristianNationalism.pdf?rlkey=0yfvb6zkoqks76zcgfhg5v7xg&dl=0

Heba El-Hendi is the Senior Director at CSS’s Refugee Assistance and Immigration Services, bringing over a decade of experience in international development, refugee rights advocacy, and program management. She has worked with UNHCR and USAID, focusing on service delivery, community relations, and partnerships—including work in Western Sahara and Algiers. A Fletcher School graduate from Tufts University, she holds a master’s in human security, refugee & migration studies, and development economics, and earned her bachelor’s at Emory University. She held a Fulbright Teaching Assistantship in Morocco, and was a PeacePlayers International Fellow in Jerusalem. More recently, she served as Leadership Academy Director for PeacePlayers International. Passionate about supporting vulnerable populations, she has dedicated her career to addressing global inequality and conflict.