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Campus Leadership

Overview

Leadership at UAS is built on a collaborative model that includes top administrators from the three campuses as well as faculty, staff and students in leadership positions. Several regional planning and management groups assist in the development and implementation of policies and initiatives, and participate in the day-to-day operation of the university.  The UAS organizational structure for leadership can be found on theUAS Organizational Chart.

Executive Cabinet

The executive cabinet is composed of the senior university administrators who serve as the university's officers and who report directly to the chancellor.  They work closely together with the chancellor, president, board of regents, and academic leadership to provide advice, develop and implement university-wide initiatives, and oversee operation of the university. This group meets weekly and includes:

Aparna D. Palmer, Ph.D. (she/her)

Aparna D. Palmer, Ph.D.

Chancellor

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Carin D. Silkaitis, M.F.A. (they/them, she/her)

Carin D. Silkaitis, M.F.A.

Interim Provost, Dean of Graduate Studies, and Dean of Research & Sponsored Programs

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Jon Lasinski, M.B.A.

Vice Chancellor for Administrative Service

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Lori A. Klein, M.S. (she/her)

Lori A. Klein, M.S.

Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs

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Ronalda Cadiente Brown, M.A.

Ronalda Cadiente Brown, M.A.

Associate Vice Chancellor for Alaska Native Programs and Director of PITAAS

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Christopher R. Natynski, J.D. (he/him)

Christopher R. Natynski, J.D.

Executive Director of Advancement

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Elizabeth Cornejo, M.Sc. (she/her)

Executive Director for Community Relations and Strategic Partnerships

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Chancellor's Cabinet

The Chancellor's Cabinet is responsible for strategic planning and budgeting, Enrollment Management, Student Success and the regional Teaching and Learning Roundtable. This cabinet meets monthly on the second Monday of each month, and includes all Executive Cabinet members (listed above) as well as: 

Deans and Campus Directors

Paul Kraft, Ed.D.

Paul Kraft, Ed.D.

Sitka Campus Director

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Alison K. Staudinger, Ph.D. (she/her)

Alison K. Staudinger, Ph.D.

Interim Dean of Arts & Sciences

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William Urquhart, Ph.D. (he/him)

William Urquhart, Ph.D.

Ketchikan Campus Director / Professor of Sociology

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Carin D. Silkaitis, M.F.A. (they/them, she/her)

Carin D. Silkaitis, M.F.A.

Interim Provost, Dean of Graduate Studies, and Dean of Research & Sponsored Programs

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Cory Ortiz, Ph.D.

Cory Ortiz, Ph.D.

Dean of the School of Career & Technical Education

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Carlee Simon, Ph.D.

Carlee Simon, Ph.D.

Interim Dean of Education

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Elise Tomlinson, M.P.A., M.L.I.S. (she/her)

Elise Tomlinson, M.P.A., M.L.I.S.

UAS Library Dean, including the Learning, Testing, & Writing Centers, & the Center for Excellence in Learning & Teaching (CELT)

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Chancellor's Direct Reports

Abi Spofford, B.A. (she/her)

Abi Spofford, B.A.

Executive Assistant to the Chancellor

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Mitzi B. Anderson, J.D., L.L.M. (she/her)

Mitzi B. Anderson, J.D., L.L.M.

Director of Equity and Compliance/Title IX Coordinator/ADA and Section 504 Coordinator

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Department Leads

Trisha Lee, B.L.A. (she/her)

Trisha Lee, B.L.A.

Registrar

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Christopher R. Natynski, J.D. (he/him)

Christopher R. Natynski, J.D.

Executive Director of Advancement

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Janelle Cook

Janelle Cook

Financial Aid Director

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Kristen Handley, M.S.

Institutional Effectiveness Director

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Sean McCarthy (he/him)

Sean McCarthy

Director of Residence Life

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Nathan C. Leigh

Nathan C. Leigh

Director, Facilities Services

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Julie Vigil

Director, Budget, Grants and Contracts

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Mitzi B. Anderson, J.D., L.L.M. (she/her)

Mitzi B. Anderson, J.D., L.L.M.

Director of Equity and Compliance/Title IX Coordinator/ADA and Section 504 Coordinator

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Alison Krein

Alison Krein

Creative Manager

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Louisa Cryan (she/her)

Louisa Cryan

Director of Business Services

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Brenna Heintz, M.S.Ed. (she/her)

Director of Admissions

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Damian Medina

Damian Medina

Dean of Students

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Mark Thompson

Mark Thompson

Acting Chief Information Officer (CIO) & Infrastructure Manager

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Faculty Senate President, Faculty Senate President-Elect, and Staff Council President:

Faculty Senate President, Faculty Senate President-Elect, and Staff Council President:

Brian Blitz

Brian Blitz

Professor of Mathematics, Faculty Senate President

He enjoys teaching all levels of mathematics courses. His areas of interest include geometry, graph theory and algebra.

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Ashley J. Morehouse, M.Ed. (she/her)

Ashley J. Morehouse, M.Ed.

Academic Advisor

Ashley is excited to be advising at the Technical Education Center and looks forward to working more with the programs.

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The Governance Committee meet once a semester with the Extended cabinet and are invited to the Chancellor's Cabinet meetings determined by agenda topic(s). 

  • Brian Blitz, Faculty Senate President
  • Ashley Morehouse, Staff Council President
  • Student Government President or Designee