We are busy making arrangements for our 2023 Southeast Conference Annual Meeting to be held in Sitka this September 19-21, 2023! Regional business and community leaders will gather to develop an action plan for our economy as we rally around the theme, "Be the Compass. Lead the Way." We are lining up a fantastic roster of speakers that you won't want to miss! Download Draft Agenda Here

Southeast Conference Sponsors make our Annual Meeting possible. There is still plenty of time – and lots of opportunities – to become a sponsor of Southeast Conference’s 2023 Annual Meeting! Find out more!

Speaker Spotlight

You won't want to miss this year's incredible line-up of speakers!

Day One:

Tyson Gallagher, Chief of Staff

Born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, and a graduate of the University of Colorado, Boulder, Gallagher has over 13 years’ experience working on Alaska policy and budget issues.

Gallagher began working for the State of Alaska in the Office of Governor Sean Parnell, and then in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). While at OMB, he worked on transportation and revenue issues, as well as coordinating the Governor’s capital budget, and participating on behalf of the Administration in the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO). After leaving OMB, Gallagher served in the Commissioner’s Office at the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF) where he focused on Community Engagement.

Interest in politics took him to the legislative branch, where he worked for Representative Lynn Gattis during her tenure on the House Finance Committee. Gallagher also spent nearly five years managing government relations at GCI working on telecom issues on both the state and federal level.

Gallagher returned to state service in 2021, when he took the position of Deputy Chief of Staff in Governor Dunleavy’s first administration and has served as Acting Chief of Staff since July 2022.

Day Two:

Conversations with Alaska's Commissioners

Day two of this year's conference will feature a panel of Alaska's Commissioners including:

Julie Sande, Commissioner

Alaska Department of Commerce, Community & Economic Development

A lifelong Alaskan, Commissioner Sande grew up in the remote logging camps of Southeast Alaska. She brings extensive experience in both the public and private sectors to the role of Commissioner and is focused on building stronger, more resilient communities and growing Alaska’s economy for the benefit of Alaskans.

Commissioner Sande spent much of her 20 years of healthcare experience working with the pioneers and elders of Alaska and credits many of her values and passion for Alaska’s history to the inspiring individuals she has been privileged to care for. Most recently, she served as the Director of the Ketchikan Pioneer Home and as a member of the governing board for the local hospital in Ketchikan. She earned a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Montana and a master’s degree in health administration from the University of Southern California. She was appointed to the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority board and the Alaska Energy Authority board in 2019 and elected Vice Chairman in 2021. Commissioner Sande is also a business owner, whose companies provide services across a range of industries including engineering, construction, tourism, retail, and mariculture. She believes in finding creative solutions when faced with challenges and is grateful to come from a state that is abundant in natural resources—the most valuable of which are the people who live and work in Alaska.

Cathy Munoz, Acting Commissioner

Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development

Life-long Alaskan, small business owner, and the mother of two. She served three terms on the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly and was elected in 2008 to the Alaska House of Representatives where she served four terms.

Workforce development has been a key priority throughout Muñoz’s public service career. In the Legislature, she served as chairwoman of the Community and Regional Affairs Committee and was a member of the House Finance Committee. She advocated for the University of Alaska vocational training programs, and secured funding for Alaska’s first mining simulator. She also sponsored a provision in state law allowing for tax credit contributions to vocational education programs.

Muñoz holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of the Pacific, Stockton, California, and is a graduate of the Emerging Leaders Academy at the University of Virginia. She serves on numerous boards and commissions including the Salvation Army Advisory Board, the Juneau Parks Foundation and the Advisory Board of the University of Alaska Southeast.

Deputy Commissioner Muñoz is the mother of Matthew and Mercedes, and is married to Juan Muñoz. In 2014 she was adopted into the Raven Coho clan. Her Tlingit name is Kee Nax i Klaa, an honored name given to her by the Kunz family of Juneau, Alaska.

Adam Crum, Commissioner

Alaska Department of Revenue

Born and raised in Alaska, Adam Crum has significant public and private sector experience in strategic management, organizational development, executive consulting and large-scale projects. His ability to manage, establish and lead effective teams was highlighted throughout his public service to the State of Alaska as he led the Alaska Department of Health for four years, including through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prior to his 2018 appointment as Commissioner for DHSS, Mr. Crum served as Executive Vice President of his family’s company, Northern Industrial Training. Active in numerous community service organizations, Trustee Crum has also served as a board member for groups, including the Salvation Army and MyHouse, a group that works specifically with homeless youth.

Trustee Crum holds the seat on the AIDEA Board designated for the Commissioner of Revenue, having been appointed in November 2022 by Governor Dunleavy. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Northwestern University and a Master of Science in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.

Deena Bishop, Commissioner

Alaska Department of Education

Dr. Deena Bishop began her Alaska educational career in 1991 serving in her first teaching position for the Copper River School District. From there, she served in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District as a teacher, coach, assistant principal and principal, before taking on broader roles in the district office serving first as an assistant superintendent then the superintendent. Most recently, she served six years as the superintendent in Alaska’s largest school district, Anchorage School District, from 2016 to 2022 before being named Commissioner of Education in August 2023.

During her tenure, Dr. Bishop has invested in the people with whom she has worked to best meet students needs. She believes in reading and math as core competencies for all children. Dr. Bishop has brought innovative change to programs such as the Alaska Middle College School, the redesign of career and technical education to meet Alaska’s workforce needs, and flexible modernized schooling models to meet student and family needs, post pandemic, to name a few.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in education, a master’s degree in educational administration, and a doctorate in learning assessment and system performance. She also holds a National Superintendent’s certificate and is a 2021-2022 fellow of The Broad Academy Yale School of Management in Public Education Leadership.

Dr. Bishop is active in local and civic organizations and serves on several non-profit boards in Alaska. She served as a member of the University of Alaska Board of Regents and presently serves on the Education Commission of the States.

Dr. Bishop enjoys many ties to the community and is the recipient of the YWCA 2016 Woman of Achievement award, the Covenant House Alaska 2019 Women Helping Women Award, the Junior Achievement of Alaska 2020 Educator of the Year Award, and a 2020 inductee to the Anchorage ATHENA Society.

She has two daughters, a son and son-in-law, and a grandson. Dr. Bishop enjoys outdoor sports, interior painting, and spending time traveling with her family.

Day Three:

SASS Workshop

Come hear about the Southeast Alaska Sustainable Strategy's exciting progress over the past year with representatives from USDA, Tlingit & Haida Central Council, Spruce Root, and Southeast Conference.

Are you aware of a business or community in the region that did something amazing over this last year? Tell us about it! Simply fill out the appropriate nomination form (linked below) and tells us why you think they deserve recognition. Community of the Year and Business of the Year awards will be given out during the banquet at Southeast Conference's upcoming Annual Meeting. Nominations must be received no later then August 31, 2023.

The purpose of the meeting is to review the STIP, which is currently out for public comment. If you participate in the Transportation Committee, watch your inbox for a calendar invite. If you don't currently participate but would like to, please email office@seconference.org to receive the meeting information.

We are excited to invite you to participate in the 2023 Alaska-Canada Wood Energy Conference. Community leaders, agency representatives, scientists, and individuals from around the state and Canada will gather to share experiences, resources, and knowledge while recognizing the potential applications of woody biomass for heating and building in the Arctic and beyond.

The Conference will take place on October 3rd and 4th. Immediately following the conference, we will hold a Small Sawmill Summit on October 5th. Conference attendees are welcome to sign up for a pre-conference field trip to Nenana on October 2nd (space is limited).

Along with its partner organizations and sub-award recipients, the Alaska Mariculture Cluster has been hard at work accelerating a viable and sustainable mariculture industry for the long-term benefit of Alaska's economy, environment, and underserved communities. Visit the newly re-designed website to learn more and join the mailing list to stay informed on the latest RFP opportunities, project updates, and news!

Be Part of the Solution!

Southeast Conference's FY24 membership invoices are on the way to a mailbox near you! If you are not yet a member, please consider joining Southeast Conference. Our membership makes up the base of the SEC Committees. Stay informed and weigh-in on the issues facing the industries that matter the most to you and your community! For more information, please contact  info@seconference.org or learn more at  https://www.seconference.org/membership/