Alaska State Community Service Commission Current Commissioners

If you are interested in applying for an appointment to this Commission, please visit the Governor’s Boards and Commissions website for application instructions.

Dawn Grossmann (Chair) was born to a large family of volunteers; she learned early on the power a helping hand can give. Dawn is a home schooling mother of 4 children, grandmother of one, and a resident of Delta Junction since 1981. She has been an active volunteer in the community with The Delta Home School Association, Eagle Forum, Deltana Fair, the Chamber of Commerce, several churches, the Alaska Mission for Christ, Ft Greely Chapel, The Delta Skating Association, The Delta Youth Court, the Fairbanks Crisis Pregnancy Center and several other small organizations. A preschool teacher for 15 years, she recently retired and is presently the supervisor for the contract Weather Observers Station at Fort Greely Missile Defense site. Presently serving her second term as a Commissioner to the Alaska State Community Service Commission she is also a Delta Junction City Councilwoman.

Date Appointed: April 29, 2003. Date Term Expires: March 10, 2011.

Angelina Estrada-Burney serves as the Special Projects Manager for Community Relations for the State of Alaska’s Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development. A large part of her duties revolve around assisting Alaskans from all walks of life and establishing effective dialogue with state leaders on a variety of issues. In this capacity, she serves as an important communications conduit between Commissioner Emil Notti and the constituency of Alaska. Previously she served in the Anchorage and Fairbanks Offices of the Governor, the United States Senate in Washington DC and in Anchorage and also at KTVA Channel 11.

She is active in the Anchorage Hispanic community and is the President of the Hispanic Affairs Council of Alaska. She was chosen to represent Alaska at the 2002 and 2004 National Hispanic Leadership Summit in Washington DC. Ms. Estrada-Burney’s strong sense of community and love for Alaska is demonstrated by the organizations she supports. She is a past Board member of Alaskans for Drug Free Youth, Anchorage Hispanic Cultural Committee, Healing Racism in Anchorage, the Municipality’s Committee for the Promotion of Tolerance and Diversity, the School District’s Minority Education Committee and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Fairbanks and Anchorage. She also currently serves as the Vice President of Public Relations for Bridge Builders of Anchorage, volunteers for Girl Scouts Susitna Council on their Board Development Committee and is the Chairperson for Governor Sarah Palin’s Anchorage Governor’s Picnic.

She has been recognized by both her peers and community leaders for her efforts to improve all Alaskan’s sense of unity through involvement and mutual respect. Past recognition includes her selection in 1997 to the inaugural class of “Civic Entrepreneurs” for the Alaska Humanities Forum’s Leadership Anchorage program and as a 1998 recipient of UAA’s Extraordinary Women in Extraordinary Times award. In 2002, she was an honored recipient of the Alaska Journal of Commerce’s prestigious Top 40 Under 40 award. Most recently, she was featured in the award winning film, “Anchorage is our Home,” a project for Healing Racism in Anchorage directed by Leadership Anchorage. She has been featured as Keynote Speaker for Hispanic Heritage Month festivities at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Fort Richardson Army Base and the University Alaska Anchorage.

Date Appointed: March 21, 2008. Date Term Expires: March 10, 2009.

Billie Joe Caldwell, Ex-Officio, has worked as the Alaska State Program Director since 1990 administering the VISTA, National Senior Service Corps and other national initiated programs.  He was instrumental in the formulation of the AmeriCorps*State Program in Alaska and has since served as the Corporation For National and Community Services Representative to the Alaska State Community Service Commission. Prior to his appointment as State Director, Billie served as a State Program Specialist in Washington State for 18 years in Eastern Washington and with special assignments to Native American and Prison Programs.

Date Appointed: October 1, 1993. Date Term Expires: May 21, 2010.

Denise Morris is the President of the Alaska Native Justice Center (ANJC), whose mission is to promote justice through culturally-based advocacy, prevention and intervention initiatives.  She earned her bachelor’s degree in Justice from the University of Alaska, Anchorage, and is the first member of her immediate family to graduate from college.  Denise is of Aleut descent and her family hails from the Pribilof Islands. 

She is a long time advocate and serves on various boards and commissions which promote social justice initiatives and victims’ rights.  She is a founding member of the Alaska Native Women’s Sexual Assault Committee which was created in direct response to the over-representation of Alaska Native women as victims of sexual assault.  She has chaired the Committee since 2001. 

Most recently Ms. Morris was appointed to serve on the Section 904 Violence Against Women in Indian Country Federal Task Force.   Other boards and committees she currently serves on are the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault – Domestic Violence Prevention Enhancement and Leadership through Alliances (DELTA) steering committee, the Anchorage Community Police Relations Task Force, the Alaska Pro Bono Program,  the Alaska Innocence Project, the Alaska State Commission on Communicty Service, Chanlyut Board, and Weed & Seed Steering Committee member.

She is the former chair of the Anchorage Equal Rights Commission and past board member of Standing Together Against Rape (STAR).

Date Appointed: April 11, 1997. Date Term Expires: March 10, 2009.

Elaine Dahlgren is President/CEO of Volunteers of America Alaska, a local affiliate of the national faith-based organization founded in 1896. Prior to this, Elaine was Director of the South-central Alaska Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, a Corporation for National and Community Service Program. Elaine remains one of the original Alaska State Community Service Commission members appointed by Governor Hickel when the Commission was formed.

Date Appointed: March 10, 1994. Date Term Expires: March 10, 2010.

Jeff Wheaton has worked as a teacher for Interior Distance Education of Alaska (IDEA), the home school support program of the Galena City School District, for the past ten years.  He previously taught in the elementary grades for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, and has also worked in the radio/television industry.  Jeff moved to Alaska from Chicago in 1984 and has lived in a variety of Alaskan communities besides Anchorage, which has been home for the past eleven years.  Governor Palin appointed him to the Alaska Council on the Homeless in February of this year as he hopes that partnerships between the education community, local and state governments, concerned groups and the faith-based community can make an impact on the homeless challenges in Alaska.  He has volunteered in various capacities through two Anchorage churches, Faith Christian Community and Change Point, particularly in children’s ministries and missions.

Date Appointed: August 4, 2008. Date Term Expires: March 10, 2011.

Judy Bredberg has lived in Alaska for 23 years and settled in Wasilla.  She taught school for the Mat Su School District for 17 years, and retired in 2003.  She worked as a special education teacher and student government advisor at Houston and Wasilla High Schools.  She is a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.  Judy was appointed to the Alaska State Community Service Commission in June 2007; she is also a member of the Daybreak, Inc. Board for the past 7 years.  Judy and her husband have raised two children and have five grandchildren.

Date Appointed: June 5, 2007. Date Term Expires: March 10, 2010.

Kathleen Bugbee currently works for the Alaska Regional Council of Carpenters as Business Development/Council Representative and also serves as a Trustee and Delegate.  In 1988 Kathleen joined the Carpenters Apprenticeship, worked fifteen years in the field, and served as a Trustee, Recording Secretary and Assistant Business Manager for Carpenters Local 1281.

Appointed to the Alaska State Community Service Commission in January 2006, she has also served with the Anchorage Building Trades, National Association of Women in Construction, Resource Development Council, Building Owners and Managers Association, and Alaska Workers Association.  Kathleen has volunteered her time for projects like Christmas in May, Habitat for Humanity, the Anchorage Zoo and sings in her church choir.  She is also a certified instructor for North Slope Training, OSHA and First Aid/CPR.

Date Appointed: November 22, 2005. Date Term Expires: March 10, 2010.

Kirsten Vesel, of Seward, has been assistant manager of the City of Seward since 2005. She previously worked as contract manager for the Alaska Sea Life Center from 2003-05, traveled around the world from 2001-03, was a project manager for Gilfilian Engineering from 1999-2001, and was a geological/environmental technician for Marathon Oil Co. from 1995-99. A lifelong Alaskan, Vesel serves on the Seward Community Foundation steering committee and the Alaska Municipal League education subcommittee. Vesel earned bachelor’s degrees in environmental science and in resource management from Alaska Pacific University, both in 1996, and a master’s degree in public administration in 2008 and another in environmental quality engineering in 2001, both from the University of Alaska. She is the wife to a life-long Alaskan Fisherman and has two young children. She was appointed to a seat representing local government.

Date Appointed: August 4, 2008. Date Term Expires: March 10, 2011.

Konnie Shuey is currently a realtor with Prudential Jack White Vista Real Estate and a member of the on-call staff of Horizons Catering. Konnie is a contributor to the Sunshine Kids Foundation and has served with MADD for five years. She speaks with youth in both middle and high schools about the dangers of the use of alcohol and other drugs and worked with MADD’s Youth In Action Program. For the past four years she has served on the Youth Court Advisory Board and is a regular volunteer in her children’s classroom and sports activities. She is past chair of the Twindly Bridge Charter School Advisory Board, and is currently chair of the PTSO for the Career and Technical High School in Wasilla. Presently Konnie serves as the Youth Development representative on the Alaska State Community Services Commission.

Date Appointed: January 16, 2004. Date Term Expires: March 10, 2011.

Lebron McPhail has worked for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District since 1984. During his 30+ year career he has served as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, principal and is currently the Director of Education. In a district that serves over 16,000 students within 43 schools, Mr. McPhail oversees charter, elementary, and high schools, and supervisors principals, and other support staff. Additionally, he serves as the military liaison for the district, providing support for students with deployed parents. In 2006 he formed a district-wide wellness committee to tackle student obesity and comply with the federally mandated student wellness initiative. He is a staunch supporter of student learning and co-curricular activities and currently volunteers to serve as the district's co-curricular team leader on the Program Based Budgeting committee. Mr. McPhail also volunteers his time within his community serving on a number of non-profit boards to include the Community Justice Coalition and as a director for the Alaska Family Services Board. He is a past president of Mat-Su Judo Club and continues to enjoy participating and coaching youth. As a coach he has served the Mat-Su School District by coaching football, basketball, wrestling, and track and field. He holds a Bachelor of Art degree from Eastern New Mexico University and a Masters degree from United States Sport Academy.

Date Appointed: June 6, 2007. Date Term Expires: March 10, 2010.

Melora Gaber has worked and volunteered as an educator for the past 25 years. Her current position oversees Head Start and Pre-School programs for the State. She has managed federal education programs for the State of Alaska for the past 10 years, most recently overseeing district programs supported through the No Child Left Behind Act, including education programs for neglected or delinquent youth and programs that provide education and support for homeless children and youth. Previously, Melora managed the school and district improvement programs for sites that failed to make adequate yearly progress as measured by state assessments. She has also managed English acquisition and multicultural education programs, comprehensive school reform projects, education for migrant children, and scholarship programs for the state. Melora began her 30 year Alaskan residency in Bethel where her experiences working and living along the Kuskokwim River sparked an interest in the field of education and developing a greater understanding of the unique challenges facing remote communities in Alaska.

Date Appointed: September 28, 2007. Date Term Expires: May 21, 2011.

Sharon White-Wheeler has been involved with volunteer activities since her teen years. While growing up in a rural community in Michigan she organized Christmas parties for low-income children and youth, established a Youth Center, and provided information and referral services to immigrant farm workers in rural parts of the state. In 1978 she was recruited to serve as a VISTA Volunteer in Alaska. She was responsible for developing and implementing an employment program for low-income women at the Alaska Women’s Resource Center. This program is still in operation. In 1989, she again served as a VISTA Volunteer at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). As a VISTA with BLM she was responsible for implementing a program to provide summer employment opportunities for Alaska Native youth with state and federal resource agencies. Additionally, Sharon has been very active in social and economic development activities in the community of Hope. She was instrumental in the development of the Hope Community Library, the Hope Chamber of Commerce and the Hope Chest, an arts and crafts cooperative. Sharon received a B. A. in Social Work and an M.A. in Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling from Michigan State University. She has been employed by the State of Alaska for twenty years as well as in the private sector for ten.

Date Appointed: March 10, 1994. Date Term Expires: March 10, 2009.

Wilson Justin was employed in the Big Game Guiding Business from 1966 to 1985.  He was employed with Alyeska Pipeline Company in Valdez as the Oil Spill Response Supervisor from 1989-1991, served as President of Copper River Native Association from 1987-1989, Tribal Administration from 1983-1985, and is currently the Executive Vice President of Mt. Sanford Tribal Consortium and has been in this position for the past 10 years.  Wilson was appointed to serve as a commissioner on the Alaska State Community Service Commission November 16, 1998, and was reappointed July 18, 2002.  He states, “My career path was never a choice on my part, since I was raised to do service first, then gains second.”

Date Appointed: November 16, 1998. Date Term Expires: March 10, 2011.