Anchorage Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Forum Podcasts

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Ian C. Hartman is the Director of the Institute of Social and Economic Research and Professor of History at the University of Alaska Anchorage. His scholarship focuses on Alaska, the American West, and the history of politics and public policy in the United States; he has authored, edited, or co-edited five books and written numerous articles and book reviews. The National Park Service, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Atwood and Rasmuson Foundations have supported Hartman's work. He has collaborated extensively with the Anchorage Museum as a guest curator on exhibitions examining Alaska's Black history, the Alaska Railroad, and the Cold War in the Arctic; his most recent exhibition on the history and culture of the Alaska Highway opens later this year. Hartman is a former President of the UAA Faculty Senate and a recent fellow of the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education's Academy of Leaders in the Humanities. After completing his PhD at the University of Illinois, he arrived in Alaska in August, 2011. He's been here ever since. 

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Daniel Bentle serves the Food Bank of Alaska as Chief Philanthropy Officer, leading fundraising, donor relations, marketing and communications, and volunteer efforts in support of the organization's mission to eliminate hunger in our state. Daniel joined the Food Bank from the private sector in 2024, bringing a diverse career spanning public and private sector work across early- and growth-stage ventures in agriculture, community and economic development, management consulting, and higher education.
Before moving to Alaska, Daniel taught at the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis and served as Director of the Center for Experiential Learning, providing faculty-guided, student-driven services to public and private sector partners, non-profits, NGOs, and social entrepreneurs worldwide. Born and raised in the Midwest, Daniel and his wife Heidi, a native of Anchorage, have two girls in elementary school at Grace Christian and enjoy ample time out on the slopes and the trails here on the Last Frontier.

Slides - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/yjyz1cnsexe0pldilmuq1/Unitarian-Universalist-Fellowship_09.27.26.pdf?rlkey=33whp9db9jf07xxmzd30agfka&dl=0

Website - https://foodbankofalaska.org

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Wendy Turner grew up in the South, living in Atlanta, New Orleans, Charleston, and Nashville before heading west in her late twenties. After a 14-year stop in Oregon, she and her family settled in Anchorage in 2012. Wendy holds degrees in urban studies and planning and architecture. Her professional and volunteer experiences have ranged from architectural education and community outreach to supporting programs at Anchorage Waldorf School, West High School, and APUs Spring Creek Farm. The settings have varied, but her work has consistently centered on people, education, and community. Personal experiences with the deaths of close family members led Wendy to become more comfortable discussing death and its effects on individuals and families. She has completed training as an end-of-life doula and serves as Assistant Treasurer on the board of End-of-Life Options Alaska. She believes thoughtful, informed conversations about death can help people understand their wishes and the choices available to them.

Slides - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/hmo1ixofnjeezy47m9kmk/MAiD_AUUF_Sept_20_2026.pdf?rlkey=gdtpnm0rhpp32s2an9f4sgz50&dl=0

Website - https://www.eoloptionsalaska.com

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A lifelong advocate for public spaces and community engagement, Beth Nordlund has served as Executive Director since Anchorage Park Foundation's inception in 2004. Many of her greatest joys come from convening with community leaders and working with volunteers, working together to make something magical out of an idea. Beth lives with her husband Jim and daughter Ella next to a great sledding hill at Balto Seppala Park.

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Jared Huffman is a member of the United States Congress, representing California's 2nd Congressional District, which stretches from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border. His book, No Prophets: The Fight to Save Democracy from Christian Nationalism, was published in August. With Rep. Jamie Raskin and a handful of others, Jared founded the Congressional Freethought Caucus to promote sound public policy based on reason, science, and moral values while protecting the secular character of government and championing the value of freedom of thought worldwide. First elected in 2012, Jared serves on the Natural Resources and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committees. Before serving in Congress, he represented the North Bay for six years in the California Assembly. Before that, he worked as a Senior Attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) after a successful stint as a public interest attorney. Jared graduated magna cum laude from U.C. Santa Barbara, where he was a three-time NCAA All-American volleyball player. He played for the USA Volleyball Team, ranked #1 in the world, before graduating cum laude from Boston College Law School. Jared lives in San Rafael with his wife, Susan, a teacher, and their two children, Abby and Nathan.

No Prophets: The Fight to Save Democracy from Christian Nationalism - https://ffrf.org/news/releases/no-prophets-an-exclusive-book-offer-and-conversation-between-rep-jared-huffman-and-ron-reagan/

MSNOW interview - https://youtu.be/qnqKQoMQAdw?si=c1INynU330-VwH9I

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Mike Shaffer has been a practicing Alaska attorney for more than 25 years and was a law clerk for the Honorable Morgan Christen at the Anchorage Superior Court from 2002-2003. After a short time working in general civil practice, he was a prosecutor for over 15 years, during which time he handled several thousand cases as the primary assigned prosecutor, including trying more than 100 cases to jury verdict.  He also worked for three years at the Alaska Native Justice Center, where he represented indigent victims of domestic violence and sexual assault through grant funding provided through the federal Violence Against Women Act.  Most recently, since coming to the Alaska Office of Victims Rights (OVR) in 2022, Mr. Shaffer has represented hundreds of crime victims across the State in numerous felony case matters, and has also presented on OVR's role in Alaska crime victims' rights advocacy to a variety of law enforcement, victim services, and other criminal justice-related agencies.

Slides - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/6ldq6jskmnyrow28pv5sl/OVR_8-30-26_Unitarian_Fellowship.pdf?rlkey=fiuh786vu93qbu1bb5gegl2jc&dl=0

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Gene White is a 50-year-plus Alaska resident. He served in the Coast Guard in the 1960s and 70s, and upon release from Active Duty, he went on to Eastern Oregon State College (now Eastern Oregon University. After graduating in 1975, he came to Alaska and has been here ever since.  After a relatively brief three-year stint as Community School Coordinator, he entered an apprenticeship in the IBEW.  He retired from Alaska IBEW as an electrician, and then served as a Legislative Aide in the Alaska Legislature for 4 years. One of his many hobbies during retirement has been Coast Guard history, and especially Alaska Coast Guard history.  2017 was the sesquicentennial of the Coast Guard's presence in Alaska, coinciding with the Alaska Purchase. After not seeing any celebrations of this Coast Guard event, Gene developed a slide show to showcase the Coast Guard's long presence in Alaska.

Slides - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/c4edi7t1atrg0git52lhm/UU_2026_CG_slideshow.pdf?rlkey=c2dp1ygj029ex7gxufs2cn36l&dl=0

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Pat McGee and Adam Linkenhelt are award-winning documentary filmmakers and Co-Directors of the Anchorage International Film Festival. Based in Los Angeles, they have collaborated for more than a decade, creating documentary films and series for HBO Max, Warner Bros. Discovery, Vice TV, Peacock, A&E, Discovery, and YouTube Originals. Together, they directed the award-winning feature documentary American Relapse, which the Los Angeles Times praised, writing that "in the measured hands of directors Pat McGee and Adam Linkenhelt, its emotional and humanistic qualities transcend ...." Their three-part documentary series The Prisoner of the Prophet was told through the lens of the 65th wife of Fundamentalist Church of Latter-Day Saints leader Warren Jeffs. Bernie Blackout chronicled behind-the-scenes politics and media manipulation during the Bernie Sanders 2020 presidential campaign, and their feature documentary From the Hood to the Holler, about a rising star of the progressive movement in Kentucky, was a recipient of eight Best Documentary awards. Their work also includes a ten-part series about the opioid epidemic in Florida, Dopesick Nation, as well as Violent Minds: Killers on Tape, and 24 to Life. They recently completed a new three-part documentary series for HBO Max, premiering this October. Pat also directed the documentary feature The Deported, which received the Flickers' International Humanitarian Award. As co- directors of the Anchorage International Film Festival, Pat and Adam are committed to elevating independent cinema by bringing exceptional films to Alaska while creating a place where filmmakers, artists, and audiences from around the world come together to share stories, spark meaningful conversations, and leave inspired. They believe great film festivals do more than screen movies. They build community, spark conversation, and create unforgettable experiences for filmmakers and audiences alike.

slides - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/77b4shs8syif7ul9t5ibr/08-16-2026-AUUF-AIFF-Weekly-Forum.pdf?rlkey=zbee32luccx8vpsjbsy0c86zg&dl=0

website - https://anchoragefilmfestival.org

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Angela (Annie) Ferry is a blazing beacon of unyielding hope and fierce resilience! As the fearless Executive Director of NAMI Anchorage, she storms the battleground for mental health and disability equity with an unstoppable passion that ignites hearts and sparks revolutions! In her 40s, Annie, a warrior in every sense, set fire to the life she'd built25 years of marriage and a thriving careerbecause true transformation demands burning everything down to rise anew! Through that inferno came revelations more powerful than words: two life-altering diagnoses, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder, that shattered her world open and ignited her soul! Today, she pours her being into smashing stigmas, educating communities with fiery conviction, and forging safe, inclusive sanctuaries for those long pushed to the shadows. Annie isn't just fighting; she's igniting a revolution of love, understanding, and unstoppable courage! 

website - https://namianchorage.org

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Laile Fairbairn is a West High grad who came back to Anchorage in 1995 after ten years out of state for college and work in advertising.  Upon her return, she opened up Snow City Cafe, which celebrated its 28th anniversary this year.  The cafe has the title of "Best Breakfast" by Anchorage locals every year since 2003. Since then, she has founded two other popular restaurants, Spenard Roadhouse, South Restaurant + Coffeehouse, and is the managing partner for Crush Bistro, and also for the restaurant's administrative services business, Locally Grown Restaurants.  These companies employ more than 32 people. Laile was twice named a James Beard semi-finalist for Outstanding Restaurateur. She has also received the ATHENA Society Leadership Award, the UAA Culinary Arts Celebrity Chef Invitational Award for Extraordinary Commitment; the Association of Fundraising Professionals Alaska Outstanding Business in Philanthropy; Anchorage Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneurial Excellence Gold Pan Award, Visit Anchorage's All Alaskan Award; and the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce Top 40 Under 40. She has served as a board member of the Anchorage Museum, Anchorage Downtown Partnership, Anchorage International Film Festival, and the UAA Culinary School Advisory Board. She is also very involved with Planned Parenthood of Alaska and the Anchorage ATHENA Society.