Stephanie Berglund, CEO of thread

Stephanie Berglund, CEO of thread, Alaska’s Child Care Resource and Referral Organization, works to improve the quality, accessibility and affordability of early care and learning. Berglund holds leadership positions focused on strengthening early care and education, has experience working on social public policy, and enjoys creating innovative partnerships. She holds a MSW from Colorado State

Katie Berry, President of McKinley Research Group, LLC

Katie Berry is the President of McKinley Research Group. She leads the firm’s economic impact analyses, including some of Alaska’s most complex studies on the impacts of sectors such as oil and gas, mining, construction, seafood, and early care and education. In addition to her work on the economic impacts of early care, Berry is currently engaged in cost modeling for Alaska’s Cost of Child Care study.

Nolan Klouda, CEcD, Executive Director of Economics and Research, University of Alaska Center for Economic Development (UA CED)

As Executive Director, Nolan Klouda provides overall leadership for the University of Alaska Center for Economic Development (UA CED). He is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) through the International Economic Development Council, and serves as chair of the Municipality of Anchorage Budget Advisory Commission. He lives in Anchorage with his partner Michelle, daughter Cecilia (age 4), and son Winston (age 2).

Kirsten Shelton, Vice President of McKinley Research Group, LLC

Kirsten Shelton is the Vice President of McKinley Research Group. Since joining McKinley Research Group in 2010, Shelton has managed a range of complex projects, including economic impact analyses, needs assessments, community development analysis, and strategic

The Honorable Julie Coulombe, Alaska State House of Representatives

Representative Julie Coulombe has lived in Alaska for over 30 years. She raised her children in South Anchorage. Rep. Coulombe holds a BA in Journalism and Public Communications with a Minor in Political Science from the University of Alaska, Anchorage. She is on the Governor’s Child Care Task Force and is leading child care conversations in the Legislature.

Eric Croft, Assistant Professor in Legal Studies, UAA; Member of the Alaska State House of Representatives from 1997-2006

Eric Croft was born in Alaska in 1964 and made the mistake of leaving in 1982. He returned in 1992 with a BS from Stanford, a law degree from the University of California at San Francisco, and the love of his life, Joanna. He served as a State Representative and local member of the Anchorage Assembly and School Board. He is most proud of his children Shannon and Burke. Croft is the author of Proposition 14, the recently passed charter amendment that dedicates Anchorage’s marijuana tax to pre-kindergarten education and is active in the efforts to implement it.

Sara Mickelson, Deputy Cabinet Secretary, State of New Mexico – Early Childhood Education and Care Department

Sara Mickelson is Deputy Cabinet Secretary at New Mexico’s Early Childhood Education and Care Department, where she supports the state’s programs that serve young children and their families. Prior to that, she served as Director of Early Childhood Initiatives for Harris County, the largest county in Texas. She has also served as chief of programs and chief of staff for the Oregon Early Learning Division of the Oregon Department of Education and has worked for the Bainum Family Foundation, leading the policy strategy that resulted in the District of Columbia Birth-to-Three for All Act.

Casie Warner, Program Director for HYPER (Happy Youth Programs and Educational Resources), Seward Prevention Coalition

Casie Warner is a visionary leader from Seward. Starting with developing the Bloom home visiting program under Seward Prevention Coalition, she laid the foundation for transformative change. Warner advocated for local support to launch Happy Youth Programs and Educational Resources (HYPER) to strengthen the child care infrastructure and Seward workforce. Through her leadership, she not only built the HYPER program but also assumed the role of director, employing and supporting community members to create a robust child care infrastructure. Her efforts have fostered collaboration with the city and local governments for a stronger, more inclusive Seward.

Lori Capouch, Rural Development Director, North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives

Lori Capouch is a development professional who leads rural people through the grassroots development process, empowering them to create the businesses they desire in their communities. She is the rural development director for the North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives (NDAREC) located in Mandan, North Dakota. Among her current efforts are projects related to rural food access, nonprofit, community-owned and cooperative child care facilities, and collectively owned meat processing plants.

Kati Capozzi, President & CEO of the Alaska Chamber of Commerce

Kati Capozzi has served as the President and CEO of the Alaska Chamber since April 2019. Prior to her appointment at the Chamber, Capozzi served as the campaign manager for Stand for Alaska, the group that soundly defeated Ballot Measure 1 in 2018. Before leading the Stand for Alaska effort, Capozzi worked for five years as a communications and projects manager at the Resource Development Council. Her passion for advocacy work and promoting a healthy business environment in Alaska began in 2011 at the same organization she now leads, originally serving the Alaska Chamber as communications and events director.

Linda Smith, Director of Early Childhood Initiative, Bipartisan Policy Center

Linda K. Smith is the Director of the Early Childhood Initiative at the Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington D.C.–based think tank that promotes bipartisanship and actively works to find consensus and common ground on key challenges facing the nation. Smith is the former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Early Childhood Development at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. In this role she oversaw policy priorities for children from birth to five years old, including the Head Start, Early Head Start, and Child Care. Smith has served as executive director for Child Care Aware of America, supporting community-based agencies concerned with the care of children in their earliest years. Prior to this, Smith served as a professional staffer on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee under the Chairmanship of the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Prior to this work, she was the director of the Office of Family Policy for the Secretary of Defense, where she was one of the primary architects of the military’s child care program.