AUUF Podcasts

Dennis Arashiro is the son of a Japanese American soldier and his Japanese war bride.  After an early childhood in Hawaii, he came to Alaska in 1961 and made Alaska his lifelong home.  A graduate of East High School and Alaska Methodist University, he has taught in the Anchorage School District for 45 years.  He has been a member of the Fellowship for the past 9 years. 

Teresa Pond, the Producing Artistic Director of Cyrano’s Theatre Company, was born and raised in the Anchorage theater scene (her first show was at Grant Hall Theatre when she was 10 weeks old!). Teresa received her BFA in Communications at Chapman University, then served as Executive Director of Anchorage Community Theatre in the 1990's for several years. After receiving her MFA in Directing from UC-Irvine, she moved to New York City and has directed professionally across the country and internationally with companies such as Women's Project Theatre (Off-Broadway), New York Classical Theatre, Vital Theatre Company, New show theatre development, NY Fringe Festival, and numerous theaters regionally over the past 15 years. She has served on arts councils and various non-profits, and has collaborated on and off the stage with organizations such as Perseverance Theatre, ACT, ATY, Alaska Native Heritage Center, Alaska Dance Theatre, UAA Department of Theatre, Out North Theatre.  

Gary Holthaus has served as called minister of the Anchorage Unitarian Universalist Fellowship since 2012.

Beverly Churchill is a co-founder of the Anchorage affiliate of Move to Amend, a national coalition of hundreds of organizations committed to social and economic justice, ending corporate rule and building a vibrant democracy accountable to the people, not corporate interests. A graduate of the University of Washington School of Social Work, she has worked for social service agencies and the State of Alaska for 43 years. Sharman Haley is a retired social science and public policy analyst for the University of Alaska Anchorage's Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER). Her work there has frequently centered on human development and well-being in Arctic communities. She received her B.A. degree in Social Studies and Computer Science at Radcliffe College and her Ph.D. in Economics at the University California at Berkeley.

Polly Smith’s interest and passion for adult literacy began many years ago as a volunteer tutor for Alaska Literacy Program. She has worked with learners of all ages and many different countries, from preschool to adults in college and the workforce. Polly is a teacher, trainer and Executive Director for the Alaska Literacy Program. She has a Master’s degree in Education which she earned as a Teacher Corps member on the Hopi Reservation in Arizona. She serves on the board of the Coalition of Adult Basic Education, a national organization representing over 55,000 educators, administrators and adult students across the country. Polly was raised a Unitarian in Flagstaff, Arizona. She realized her childhood dream of becoming an Alaskan in 1977 where she met her husband and raised three sons.

Sen. Tom Begich represents downtown Anchorage in the Alaska State Senate, where he serves on the Education and Health and Social Services committees and helped found the Innovation Caucus. Through his company CW Communications, Begich specializes in juvenile justice, education, and government relations, and provides training in Alaska and throughout the country in juvenile justice, restorative and community justice, community development, strategic planning, and media relations. Begich has been a staff assistant to two Majority Leaders in the Alaska State House and Chief of Staff to the Caucus Chair in the Alaska State Senate and has served on numerous Boards and Commissions in Anchorage and Alaska since 1983. He is also a professional musician and writer with seven CD’s of professional music and a book of poetry to his credit.

Gary Holthaus has served as the called minister for the Anchorage Unitarian Universalist Fellowship since 2012.

Brian Brettschneider is an Anchorage-based research climatologist affiliated with the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ International Arctic Research Center (IARC). Some of his recent work has centered on the effects of a changing climate on Alaska. Brian hosts a weekly program on the Alaska Public Radio Network called "Ask a Climatologist." Several of his social media posts on his Facebook and Twitter pages have received national attention from the New York Times, Washington Post and CNN.

Angela Libal, as the long-time manager of Title Wave Books in Spenard, I now have a new role at the 27-year-old bookstore -- owner. A lifelong Alaskan, I graduated from Steller Secondary, attended UAA and APU, where I met my husband John. With our two children and dogs (and often a gaggle of extra kids and friends), we enjoy camping, fishing, berry picking, and trips to Homer to visit John’s family. I joined Title Wave as a bookseller nearly 20 years ago and have managed the store since 2008. I’m thrilled to begin this next adventure in my life, not only because it felt like the next natural step in my bookselling career, but because I am so passionate about books and reading. Title Wave Books has been a part of the Anchorage and Alaskan community; where we are seeing 2nd and 3rd generations of customers and employees, too. Wesleyan Foraker has worked at Title Wave Books for nearly 6 years. She has spent four of those years as a Title Wave Manager and has recently been promoted to the assistant store manager. She loves to go on outdoor adventures with her husband and one-year-old son, Orion. In between reading graphic novels, watching new science fiction/fantasy shows, and walking on the Coastal Trail, Title Wave is her favorite place to be.