Anchorage Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Stewardship Kickoff

Rev. Shelley Page is the Anchorage Unitarian Universalist Fellowship’s Interim Minister.

There's magic when we gather together! Discover some secrets of creating magic in the community including a special appearance by our young wizards from the Hogwarts School of UU Wisdom and Wizardry. 

Ann Hanus worked for the State of Oregon for 23 years in a variety of high-level positions, including State Economist, Assistant State Forester for Resource Policy, Budget Administrator, Director of the Department of State Lands, and Community Development Manager. Since 2008 she has chaired the Salem Microfinance Committee for her Unitarian Universalist congregation. She currently lives in Salem with her husband, Dave, a retired South Salem High School science teacher. She also serves as president of Salem’s oldest and largest outdoor club, the Chemeketans, and enjoys spending her leisure time traveling, reading, hiking, skiing and playing with her new granddaughter. 

Special Meeting on the topic of Bylaw change proposal

Ryan Binkley is President and CEO of the Binkley Company, which publishes the Anchorage Daily News. He and his siblings bought the paper out of bankruptcy in 2017 when it was called Alaska Dispatch. Born in Fairbanks, Ryan spent parts of his childhood in Bethel and Juneau. At 18, he earned a 100-ton Masters License and began work as a Captain of The Riverboat Discovery, his family’s business, of which he is now president. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Petroleum Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and held engineering positions with both Arco and Veco. He and his wife Sabrina have two young sons. 

Stephanie Koonz, a life-long UU, has been a member of AUUF since 2015. She joined after moving from Duxbury, Vermont where she had been Assistant Town Clerk, Innkeeper at the Historic Round Barn Farm, and Justice of the Peace all the while living for 22 years off the grid. Previously, Stephanie spend many active years in leadership positions in the UUA: Co-coordinator and youth advisor of First Parish (Unitarian) in Northfield, MA., President of Connecticut Valley District, CVD Liberal Religious Youth advisor, member of the UUA Commission on Appraisal. She spends her time now, here at AUUF, as a member of Worship Associates, Nominating Committee, Pastoral Care, Volunteer Construction Team and President of the Alliance.

Rev. Shelley Page is the Anchorage Unitarian Universalist Fellowship's interim minister.

Rabbi Michael Oblath has served as the leader of Congregation Beth Sholom in Anchorage for 12 years. As the oldest and largest Jewish congregation in Alaska, Congregation Beth Sholom supports one of the most primary missions of Judaism, the practice of Tikkun Olam (repair of the world). Born and raised in California, Oblath earned his doctorate degree in Ancient Near Eastern Religions from the Graduate Theological Union and the University of California at Berkeley in 2001. The father of two adult children, he retired as rabbi at Beth Shalom last month.

Dr. Zeynep Kilic is an associate professor and chair of the Department of Sociology at the University of Alaska Anchorage, where she currently teaches a course on the Sociology of Race and Ethnicity. Born and raised in Turkey, Dr. Kilic earned her bachelor of science degree in Economics in Ankara and her masters and doctorate degrees in Sociology at Arizona State University. She moved to Alaska in 2008 to begin teaching at UAA, wherein 2013 she received the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in University Diversity for enhancing diversity in all its aspects on campus. She’s also a passionate cook and has produced a film about Turkish cuisine.

The Ministerial Search Bylaw Committee presented their recommended t eir recommended bylaw changes, and the Finance Committee presented a 6-month status update on the FY19 AUUF budget and answered questions.