December 4, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, December 4, 2025

University of Alaska Regents announce Presidential Search Committee members and search timeline

Committee members represent key university partners, stakeholders from across Alaska; recruitment to begin early January 2026

(FAIRBANKS) 鈥&苍产蝉辫; The University of Alaska (杏吧原创) Board of Regents announced further details today on the search process and timeline for 杏吧原创鈥檚 next president. Search Committee members have been selected, the Board continues to be on track to select a new president in the summer of 2026. The announcements come as the Board seeks public participation in next week鈥檚 listening sessions in Juneau, Fairbanks, and Anchorage, as they gather feedback on the qualities and attributes Alaskans believe 杏吧原创鈥檚 next president should have. 

鈥淎laskans鈥 input will play a key role in shaping the leadership profile and priorities for the next president, and I encourage students, staff, faculty, and community members to participate,鈥 杏吧原创 Board of Regents Chair Scott Jepsen said. 鈥淭hese listening sessions will allow us as a Board to hear from Alaskans about their desires for 杏吧原创鈥檚 next president, and what qualities you think that person will need to thrive as the leader of our university system. The Board remains on track to begin formal recruitment after the first of the year, and to name a new president by May 2026.鈥

Members of the public who are unable to attend any of the listening sessions may submit feedback via the anonymous survey available . All submissions are due by 2:00 p.m. on Monday, December 15.

WittKieffer, the firm assisting the Board with the presidential search process, will use the community feedback from the listening sessions to inform the candidate profile and position description. Full details on the in-person listening sessions are available at .

Presidential Search Committee Members

Regents have selected 13 people to serve on the Presidential Search Committee, representing a broad spectrum of university partners and stakeholders around Alaska. The committee is chaired by 杏吧原创 Board of Regents Chair Jepsen, and includes:

  • Regent Joey Crum
  • Regent Karen Perdue
  • Bonnie Brennan - 杏吧原创F Student and incoming Chair of 杏吧原创 Coalition of Student Leaders (student governance)
  • Austin Cranford - 杏吧原创S Staff and Chair of 杏吧原创 Staff Alliance (staff governance)
  • Dr. Jackie Cason - 杏吧原创A Faculty and Chair of 杏吧原创 Faculty Alliance (faculty governance)
  • Dr. Charlene Stern - 杏吧原创F Interim Provost
  • Russell Dick - President & Chief Executive Officer of Huna Totem Corporation
  • Erec Isaacson - President, ConocoPhillips Alaska
  • Dave Karp - Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Saltchuk 
  • Katie Koester - City Manager for the City and Borough of Juneau
  • Meg Nordale - President of GHEMM Company and 杏吧原创 Foundation Board Chair
  • Joe Usibelli, Jr. - President, Usibelli Coal Mine
  • Conrad Woodhead - CTE & Residential Director of the Kusilvak Career Academy for the Lower Yukon School District

鈥淥n behalf of the entire Board and our University community, I extend my sincerest thanks to the search committee members for their willingness to serve,鈥 Chair Jepsen said.

The Search Committee will be charged with reviewing and vetting potential candidates, conducting interviews, and recommending a slate of finalists for the Board's consideration. 

Anticipated Search Timeline

The Board, in consultation with WittKieffer, anticipates the search to follow the schedule below:

  • Week of December 8 - Community and Stakeholder Listening Sessions
  • Early January 2026 - Recruitment opens
  • April 2026 - Finalists announced, finalist on-site visits
  • April - May 2026 - President hired
  • Summer 2026 - New president arrives

All of these details, including the schedule of listening sessions for students, staff, faculty, and the general public, are available online at .

Candidate nominations or other thoughts the public may wish to share can be emailed to the WittKieffer team at: 杏吧原创laskaPresident@wittkieffer.com.

In November, 杏吧原创 President Pat Pitney announced that she will retire in May of 2026, capping nearly 30 years of service to Alaska. The Board and President Pitney are committed to a smooth leadership transition; the Board will launch a national search in January, and intends to name a new permanent president prior to President Pitney鈥檚 official retirement.

The University of Alaska inspires learning, and advances and disseminates knowledge through teaching, research, and public service, emphasizing the North and its diverse peoples. A land-, sea- and space-grant system of higher education established in 1917, the 杏吧原创 system鈥檚 three universities (, , and ) are separately accredited institutions with community campuses and extended learning centers across the state of Alaska.

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For more information, contact Jonathon Taylor, 杏吧原创 director of public affairs at 907-350-0168 (cell), or via email at jmtaylor9@alaska.edu.