Juneau Economic Development Council
Juneau Economic Development Council

Staff and Board

Executive Director

Brian Holst

bholst@jedc.org - (907) 523-2333

Brian Holst joined the Juneau Economic Development Council in February 2008 as Executive Director. Brian has worked in community and economic development for the past twenty years. His experience includes working with diverse groups in challenging economic climates in the developing world, with extensive experience in Latin America and Eastern Europe. He served as a US Peace Corps Volunteer in small business development and has worked as an international consultant, small business owner, and has led large-scale relief and development efforts. Program areas he has managed include micro-finance, small business assistance, community development, environmental initiatives, infrastructure development, housing, and conflict prevention/mitigation. Brian is a graduate of Juneau-Douglas High School.

Revolving Loan Fund and Operations

Margaret O’Neal, Director of Operations, Director of Southeast Alaska Revolving Loan Fund

moneal@jedc.org - (907) 523-2326


The JEDC Board honored staff member Margaret O'Neal for 10 years of outstanding service with JEDC.

Margaret O'Neal has lived in Alaska since 1983, first in Juneau, where she was the senior operations officer for Alaska Federal Savings. After two years she moved to Anchorage where she worked for several banks, the FDIC and Bank of America. During that time she learned to appreciate that good businesses can fall upon hard times. In over ten years as a commercial loan officer working in the special credits area, Margaret worked to help turn around hundreds of businesses in urban and rural areas.

Margaret launched her own consulting firm, Financial Solutions, Inc. in 1996 to provide turnaround consulting to small business owners, especially those with financing problems. She also provided consulting to financial institutions including Wells Fargo Bank, First Interstate Bank, Northrim Bank and the FDIC. Margaret provided lending expertise to Alaska's first business and industrial development company, Alaska Growth Capital while it was in its organization and early operations phase, and performed the underwriting for the first deals it put on its books.

Away from JEDC, Margaret tends to family including sons Alex and Kevin and provides off-hours housing for JEDC's official greeter dog - Laura. She works as a school volunteer, enjoys cooking and reading, and is a master designer of Halloween costumes.

Program Team

Eva Bornstein, Program Officer

ebornstein@jedc.org - (907) 523-2339

Eva Varadi Bornstein is a 22 year resident of Juneau. Prior to joining JEDC in September 2008, she taught Business Finance at the University of Alaska Southeast School of Management. Her background also includes work in corporate strategic planning for a Fortune 500 multinational and banking management for a local savings and loan. Eva holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, an MS in Chemistry from Yale University and a BA in Chemistry from Bryn Mawr College. She is currently a member of the Juneau Commission on Sustainability, a member of the High School Science Fair organizing committee and a proud parent of a Juneau Jumper.

Meilani Schijvens, Program Officer

mschijvens@jedc.org - (907) 523-2341

A lifelong Juneauite, Meilani has nearly 20 years of professional and academic experience with Southeast Alaska's economic and natural resource issues. Before joining JEDC in October of 2008, Meilani focused on research and data analysis at the McDowell Group. Previously, Meilani was the Executive Director of Southeast Conference. Meilani has also worked for Alaska Legislative Research, taught a course on Alaska natural resource issues at the University of Oregon, and served as a staffer to the US Legislative Minority Leader. She holds a master's degree in Environmental Policy from the University of Oregon and a B.A. from Colby College. While she has lived in or traveled to more than 50 countries, Meilani now uses her spare energy to chase after her two small sons.

Jessalynn Rintala, Program Associate

jrintala@jedc.org - (907) 523-2337

Jessalynn Rintala joined JEDC in the spring of 2010. She holds a B.A. in French from Pomona College and brings experience with civic engagement, writing, and project coordination to her position as Program Associate. Jessalynn moved to Juneau from Maine, having also spent time in New York, Colorado, and Paris. In her free time, Jessalynn hosts a book group, enjoys the occasional computer RPG, and participates in Capital City Rotaract.

Maria Jose Norero, Program Assistant

mnorero@jedc.org - (907) 523-2343

Originally from Viña del Mar in Chile, Maria Jose Norero joined the staff at JEDC in May 2010. As Program Assistant for JEDC, Maria Jose supports the Director and Program Officers with program development and administrative assignments.

Maria Jose's studies have focused primarily on politics of the developing world and she holds a BA in International Relations from Lake Forest College. She just completed a Fulbright Scholarship in Quito, Ecuador, where she studied the ways in which Afro Ecuadorians maintain and express their culture in a country where mainstream media and culture are dominated by the Mestizo majority. During the Spring of 2008 she studied in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Cape Town, South Africa, and Auckland, New Zealand as part of the International Honors Program, focusing on the challenges that each of these cities faced with regard to health, crime, waste and the environment, among other things. As a part of her BA program, she also participated in a contemporary urban politics course that culminated with four weeks in China, spent time doing field work on the Arizona/Mexico border planning a border studies program with her economics professor, and served as the Community Outreach Intern for Chicago Public Radio's :Vocalo project targeting underserved communities in the metropolitan area of Chicago.

During the summer of 2009, Maria Jose worked on a tour boat in Ketchikan, fell in love with Southeast Alaska and knew she had to come back. She enjoys riding her bike around town and loves to bake!

Barbara Schetter, Program Consultant

bschetter@jedc.org - (907) 523-2300

Barbara Schetter has been associated with JEDC since spring of 2008 and currently supports special projects as a consultant. Barb has a manufacturing, electronic engineering, and business management background. She has had the opportunity to work in the U.S. and abroad as a senior member of management and as an independent consultant. Her manufacturing and business management background includes operations management, inventory management, lean manufacturing implementations, continuous process improvement projects, strategic planning, facilities management, new business startups, business turn-arounds, and process and value chain mapping. Barb has worked throughout a number of industries including printing, Internet services, product fulfillment, electronic equipment manufacturing, business management consulting, and data processing.

Affordable Housing

Scott Ciambor, Affordable Housing Coordinator

sciambor@jedc.org - (907) 523-2338

Scott Ciambor joined the Juneau Economic Development Council in July 2009 as an Affordable Housing Coordinator. Prior to joining the JEDC, Scott worked on affordable housing and homelessness issues as a staffer for the Juneau Affordable Housing Commission and as Chair of the Juneau Homeless Coalition for the United Way of Southeast Alaska. Scott has more than seven years of teaching experience in the U.S. and abroad, including a year in the classroom locally at Yaakoosge Daakahidi Alternative High School. Scott was married to his wife Christy at Point Louisa, Juneau in July 2006 and they have a young son, Kai. Scott holds a B.A. from St. Mary's College of Maryland and is working on an M.A. in Writing from Johns Hopkins University.

Wood Products Specialist

Daniel Parrent

dparrent@ptialaska.net - (907) 747-5688


On September 3rd, the JEDC Board honored staff member Dan Parrent for 10 years of outstanding service with JEDC. (From left to right: Nicole Grewe, Bill Gissel, Teresa Germain, Brian Holst, Mark Mickelson, John Sisk, Dan Parrent, Greg Fisk, Rich Poor, Jill Ramiel, John Pugh)

Dan Parrent's career in forestry began over 20 years ago and has led him from New York to Idaho, Georgia and, finally, Alaska. He has been providing industry and marketing assistance to wood products manufacturers for nearly 20 years - helping to take "value-added" from the status of buzzword to reality for dozens of companies.

In his time with the JEDC, Dan has traveled all over the state, meeting with and advising wood products companies and managers. His industry contacts and strong academic background, coupled with long experience, have been a tremendous boon for the Alaskan wood products industry, especially important as timber supply continues to decrease. Dan's experience has been invaluable as an advisor to the JEDC's business counselors and loan officer.

Dan, his wife and two daughters live in Sitka, where they can appreciate Southeast Alaska's combination of forests, ocean and close spirit of community.

Technology Team

Steve Eason, SpringBoard Technology Manager

season@gospringboard.org - (907) 523-2335

Steve Eason joined SpringBoard in November 2008 after managing statewide telecommunications for the State of Alaska. Over his career, he has worked in the aerospace industry with NASA and multiple foreign space agencies. In Alaska, he was one of the founding employees of the Alaska Synthetic Aperture Radar Facility in Fairbanks. Steve holds an MBA from Mercer University in Georgia, and a BS in Computer Science from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. For a ten year period, he worked for the State of Alaska Treasury and the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation, serving as an Investment Officer managing equities and actively trading fixed income assets.

Paul Moran, Technology Associate

pmoran@jedc.org - (907) 523-2300 Ext 2340

Paul Moran joined SpringBoard in October 2008 Mr. Moran has a BS in Physics from Oregon State University and a Masters of Engineering in Acoustics from Penn State. After university, Mr. Moran held a position as research scientist for ATMI, Inc., a chemistry and chemical abatement supplier, before transitioning to the Director of Engineering position with HyperNex, Inc., a company supplying metrology instruments to the semiconductor industry. Prior to joining SpringBoard, he held a position as VP of operations for the Microstructure division of Nova Measuring Instruments.

Joshua Morrison, Technology Liaison

jmorrison@jedc.org - (703) 602-9223

Joshua Morrison joined the Juneau Economic Development Council in October 2008 as a Technology Liaison in Arlington, VA working in support of the Office of Technology Transition under the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Advanced Systems & Concepts. Prior to joining JEDC, he managed the DoD TechMatch program. Joshua has a B.S. in Information Systems Management from West Virginia University.

STEM Team

Mary Hakala, SpringBoard K-12 Education Coordinator

mhakala@gospringboard.org - (907) 523-2336

Mary Hakala, a 45-year resident of Juneau and a Juneau Douglas High School graduate, is the K-12 education coordinator for SpringBoard. She has had several roles with state government, including special assistant to the commissioner of the Department of Education and a staffer for the Alaska State Legislature. She is founder of Alaska Kids Count, a statewide advocacy network for K-12 school improvements, and the Juneau Community Charter Schools. Hakala has a B.A. in American Civilization from Williams College. She, her husband and family have had a commercial fishing business since 1992.

Rebecca Parks, SpringBoard STEM Education Specialist

rparks@jedc.org - (907) 523-2334

Rebecca joined the Juneau Economic Development in February 2007. She brings four years of classroom experience teaching middle-school science at an inner-city public school and has also worked in a variety of nonprofit organizations. She has an MA in Secondary Science Education and BA in Environmental Science from Columbia University. She has a passion for community involvement in education that creates real-world opportunities for students to engage in learning. Rebecca plays both soccer and ice hockey and is an avid FIRST Lego League enthusiast.

Robert Vieth, SpringBoard STEM Education Specialist

rvieth@jedc.org - (907) 523-2342

Bob Vieth moved to Juneau from Connecticut in January 2010. He spent the first 25 years of his career at the University of Connecticut, first as a research biochemist, moving on to applied biochemical engineering, and then pursuing a graduate degree in Gifted and Talented Science Education. After leaving the University, Bob worked as a Science Education Specialist for a nonprofit firm and also ran his own consulting business specializing in science curriculum development and teacher professional training.

Bob is a strong advocate for science and engineering education starting with children at the kindergarten level and continuing on through adulthood. His many interests include hiking, fishing, cooking, and racquetball.

Communications

Larry West, Communications Specialist

lwest@jedc.org - (907)523-2328

Serving in the role of communications specialist, Larry West brings to JEDC and SpringBoard 30 years of diverse experience as a desktop publisher, writer, editor, broadcaster, fund developer, and administrator. His prior employment arenas include consulting, public broadcasting, travel and tourism, nonprofit organizations serving the arts, education, and social services, and independent business as a writer and editor. Larry holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Walla Walla College, a Master of Arts degree from Andrews University, and has done doctoral study at the University of Chicago. Except for two years in Hood River, Oregon, he has worked in Alaska since 1990. Larry, wife Christy Long, and son Jayden especially enjoy the arts, reading, outdoor recreation, and the time they spend with their many friends in Juneau and Haines.

Administrative Team

Jenny Harris, Administrative Assistant and Accountant

jharris@jedc.org - (907) 523-2322

Jenny Harris joined the Juneau Economic Development Council in February 2008 as Office Assistant/Accounting. Jenny has over ten years' experience with city and state government. Her experience includes personnel, payroll, and human services in both the public and private sectors. Jenny has three children. Her daughters Hayley and Casey are 14 years and eight months old respectively. Jenny's son Brandon is seven. Husband Wes is assistant manager at the new Schuck's Auto Parts store in Juneau. They enjoy fishing (she came in 4th place in the 2006 Salmon Derby!), camping, and spending time with family and friends. Jenny is a graduate of Juneau-Douglas High School.

Board Members

BOARD OF DIRECTORS (Information from the JEDC Bylaws)

Section 1. The affairs of the JEDC shall be managed by its Board of Directors.

Section 2. Board of Directors.

A. The Board of Directors of the JEDC shall consist of eleven (11) members.

B. The eleven (11) members of the JEDC Board of Directors shall be comprised as follows:

    i. The mayor of the City and Borough of Juneau or the mayor's designee from the CBJ Assembly;
    ii. The Chancellor of University of Alaska Southeast or the Chancellor's designee from UAS;
    iii. One member appointed by the CBJ Assembly representing organized labor;
    iv. One member appointed by the CBJ Assembly representing a nonprofit environmental organization;
    v. Seven (7) members appointed by the CBJ Assembly based upon their experience and expertise in fields relating to economic development, including but not limited to large and small business, entrepreneurship, natural resource development, tourism, banking and finance, engineering and construction, and government.

C. The term of each member of the JEDC Board of Director shall be staggered three (3) years.

D. No Director, except the Mayor, may serve for more than two (2) consecutive terms.

E. The JEDC shall publish notice of vacancies on the JEDC Board of Directors. The JEDC Board or a recruitment committee will review and may interview candidates for the JEDC Board of Directors. The JEDC Board will forward the names of recommended candidates to the CBJ Assembly. The CBJ Assembly will appoint JEDC board members.