November/December New Hires and Promotions

My name is Terrell Jones, and I am Iñupiaq from the village of Deering, Alaska. In 2018, I graduated from the University of Alaska Fairbanks with a Bachelor Of Arts in Rural Development. Growing up in the village, I’ve been instilled with traditional Iñupiaq values. However, my mother encouraged me to pursue academic success instead of being a hunter-gatherer. With her guidance, I decided to attend school outside my village to prepare for college at Mt. Edgecumbe High School, where I graduated in 2014. With no specific goal in mind other than to do something for my village, I initially applied for a degree in Computer Science and later switched to Rural Development, where I found my true calling. Later on in my college career, I chose my concentration in Rural Business and Economic Development. I am the Workforce Development Specialist for the University of Alaska Fairbanks, but for the past 6 years, I’ve mainly worked in the rural Alaska energy industry. Growing up without basic necessities like stable power or running water and sewer systems, I have a personal understanding of the needs of rural Alaska. My professional goal is to play a role in addressing issues related to building capacity, whether in people or infrastructure, within rural Alaska. In terms of capability, I don’t believe I am different from most villagers. It is my belief that many of the real leaders in rural Alaska are those who live in their communities, and my role that I play is to help them make the changes that they want in their communities without compromising on traditional native values in the process.

My name is Hudson Bolduc. I’m originally from Chino Hills, California, but I moved to Alaska in 2016 to attend UAF. I graduated with an undergraduate degree in Interdisciplinary: Horticulture Management in 2020 and a Master of Business Administration in 2022. Recently, I’ve been working with the Nanook Diversity and Action Center, where I focused extensively on social change and advocacy programming within the University. Outside of work, I am a small business owner and avid farmer. I’m currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Natural Resources and Sustainability, while conducting research with the USDA and Alaska Department of Agriculture on geodesic domes to extend the Alaskan growing season through vertical hydroponics. At home, I have two energetic Golden Retrievers who keep me on my toes. In my free time, I love snowboarding in winter and honing my skills on the Blackstone grill in the summer. I’m passionate about the outdoors, and I’m very excited about this new chapter in my career.

Audrey Ranstead recently joined the College of Indigenous Studies at UAF as the Marketing and Communications Manager. A proud UAF alumna with a degree in Business Administration, Audrey brings over 16 years of experience in business ownership and strategic marketing, specializing in branding, audience engagement, and impactful storytelling. Passionate about supporting Alaska’s rural and Indigenous communities, she is eager to enhance the college’s visibility and promote its mission of empowering self-determination, leadership, and education. Audrey looks forward to fostering meaningful connections, highlighting the college’s culturally relevant programs, and helping expand access to education throughout Alaska.

Donald, born and raised in Kotzebue, Alaska, is the Student Support Technician at UAF – Chukchi Campus and loves helping people develop, grow, and succeed. He has spent the majority of his career in the airline industry, gaining experience in areas such as professional job coaching, developing curriculums, and crew management. While Student Support is his primary job function by day, Donald also enjoys making special memories with family, subsistence, and traveling the world. 

Kelli Caseman is an experienced nonprofit professional with over 20 years of expertise in grant writing and management. Most recently, she co-founded and served as the executive director of Think Kids, a statewide nonprofit dedicated to advocating for the health and well-being of children in her home state of West Virginia. She is a former fellow of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Interdisciplinary Research Leaders program, which advances and expands action-oriented, community-engaged, and equity-focused research to foster healthier communities. New to Alaska, Kelli is honored to work as the grant manager for the Drumbeats Alaska Consortium and support place-based solutions for Alaska Native food and energy sovereignty. She resides in Fairbanks with her husband, Mike, and their dog, Bear.

I am originally from Kenny Lake, Alaska, a tiny community on the road to Chitina and McCarthy. After many years of seasonal work and wandering, I settled in Fairbanks in 2023 and began an Interdisciplinary Bachelor’s in Multimedia Storytelling and Data Visualization at UAF. I joined the CIS communications team last July as a student assistant, and am thrilled to now serve as Visual Communications Specialist while continuing work on my degree! Outside of work, you’ll find me immersed in personal art and writing projects, exploring the Interior with my partner, and trying to keep our rescue dogs, Taz and Lyca, entertained.

Strengthening Security: New Passphrase Standards Coming in January

• Workshop: Counseling & Therapy, Demystified, January 23, 2025

• Personify Health

Each month, Personify Health adds new short videos to their media page on our wellness platform. Watch these short videos (often 5 minutes or less) to get quick insights into daily habits including sleep, exercise, and more.

• Wellness Events

Earn the Wellness Program Triple Tracker Point!

Want to earn a wellness program point? Join the 20-day Triple Tracker activity! The 20-day Triple Tracker requires that you meet one of the following measurements for the day:

• 10,000 steps, or

• 30 workout minutes, or

• 30 active minutes

Then, as the name suggests, this must be done 20 times over a calendar month. This challenge starts every month and can be completed up to 4 times for a total of 4 points toward the wellness program incentive. Add the monthly reminder to your calendar!

• Staff Alliance offers professional development support and Spring 2025 semester fee support.