Arctic Entries

Daniel Cohen - How Many Bottles of Wine Equals a Ford Taurus? by Arctic Entries

T Frank Box - Brain Injury Ninja Warrior by Arctic Entries

Jeff King - Life & Death in the Yukon by Arctic Entries

Sarah Reynolds Westin - The Crab Onesie by Arctic Entries

Sean Johnson - The Dream Ride by Arctic Entries

A former military brat, Ellen Piekarski (Pie-car-ski) is currently an amazing wife for over 22 years and mother of five awesome kids. In her free time, she teaches Math at East High and goes on hikes. Her greatest talent is saying the alphabet backwards in less than 3 seconds.

Tam Agosti-Gisler (Ah-gauze-tea Geez-lure) arrived in Alaska with her family as a toddler in the year of statehood. She’s had a lifelong relationship with the Anchorage School District—first as a student, then as a teacher and a parent of children in the system, next as director of the School Business Partnership program, and finally as a school board member, now retired. Tam’s lifelong wanderlust has taken her to many nooks and crannies of the world, where she has had many life-changing experiences.

On a good day, Marcia feels that her life is full of love, laughter, maybe a couple tears and warm companionship. On a bad day, she checks out Alaska Airlines for good deals to take her to a new adventure. On all days, she tries to remember to feel gratitude that she is still breathing.

Raised in Anchorage, Westley graduated from the University of Wyoming in addition to studying abroad at the Carl von Ossietzky Universitat in Oldenburg, Germany. He is passionate about the outdoors, and enjoys all things involving mountains and running—especially when combined. Above all, he loves his family.

Kathy identifies as a reformed Southern Belle who has made the transition from not knowing that she was high maintenance to now living without pretense and being able to go places without her purse matching her shoes, wearing makeup, and fixin’ her hair. She has been a nurse practitioner for 15 years but has specialized exclusively in psychiatry for the past 8 years. She has traveled many literal and figurative miles to find her way home.

Daniella is an electrical engineer and ex-navy nuclear electrician’s mate who pulled up anchor at eighteen in California. Through many twists and turns, she made her way to Alaska. When she’s not playing with live electricity, you can find her in her cabin off the grid in Chicken, AK, with her husband Ray. To read more about her latest Alaskan adventure, check out her website and sign up for her newsletter at: dmshepard.com. You can also find her on Twitter, @dmshepard13.

John came to Alaska as an interpreter for Russian biologists 30 years ago. He is looking for a way to slow down time so he and Elizabeth can enjoy their teenage boys a little longer before they leave home, which they claim they will. His favorite joke involves a tea bag, a match, and a story about a couple of astronauts.

Paul graduated from high school in Nome, and has been with the University of Alaska Anchorage for 17 years. He has a daughter who is an award-winning poet, three grandkids, and a wonderful nephew and great nieces. Paul has lived in Nome, Kotzebue, Fairbanks, Barrow, Sitka and Anchorage. He is a former photographer of Alaska fashion for public radio.

Carmel was born and raised in Southeast Alaska, and has loved watching three generations of family grow here. A fortune teller once revealed to her that she would someday have a story to tell, and someone would come find her to tell it. And now, here she is.

Margaret has been a lifelong Seward resident since 1933, the mother of four children and mother-in-law to four more. In that time, she operated a seafood processing plant with her kids, and is now involved in local politics and community affairs.

After a childhood spent in Alabama and then Hawaii, Donna headed Alaska in 1976, where she was the recreation director for the Glennallen construction camp during the building of the Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline, after which she met and married Bill Walker when she moved to Valdez. As First Lady, Donna serves as the Honorary Chair of the Alaska Children’s Trust and assists other organizations in improving the health, safety and wellbeing of Alaska’s families. Her interests include family dinners, ski trips, and spending time with her five grandchildren.

Penny is a 49-year resident of Alaska. The mother of dachshunds and yogi enthusiasts, she has been a hairdresser for 38 years.

Born in American Samoa, Mao grew up playing basketball and football in Alaska. In 2000, he was taken in the fifth round of the NFL draft by the Arizona Cardinals, where he led the defensive line in tackles, as a rookie. Injured in his third season, he moved back to Alaska to raise his young family and begin working with at-risk youth in Anchorage.

Adil is a first-generation Pakistani American who loves to workout, play sports, and socialize. He’s always trying to plan the next vacation and is a strong believer in karma.

Michele is a lifelong Alaskan who has been teaching in one form or another since she was in fourth grade. When she’s not teaching, she prefers to be rowing, Nordic skating, or hiking. Her eclectic family includes a musician, an actress, and an outdoor educator.