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Board of Regents - Biographies

1800 Northwood Drive #E-38
Juneau, AK 99801
(907) 290-0933 (cell)
ravenstealsthesun@yahoo.com

William Andrews
Term: 2007-2009

William Andrews of Juneau was appointed in 2007 by Governor Palin as the student regent. Regent Andrews is a life-long Juneau resident and a student at the University of Alaska Southeast majoring in social sciences with a minor in Alaska Native Studies. Regent Andrews recently completed the legislative intern program working with Representative Mary Nelson of Bethel. He has served as vice president and president of the UAS student government and served in the United States Marine Corps as an infantryman from 1990-94.

Ken Brady Construction
4001 Turnagain Blvd. E.
Anchorage, AK 99517
(907) 243-4604 (work)
tbrady@kenbrady.com

Timothy C. Brady
Term: 2005-2015

Timothy C. Brady of Anchorage was appointed in 2005 by Governor Murkowski and reappointed in 2007 by Governor Palin. Regent Brady is from a pioneer Alaska family. He serves as president of Ken Brady Construction Company, where he has worked in various positions over the past 30 years. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Arizona State University's School of Engineering, Division of Construction. Regent Brady is involved with the Anchorage Downtown Rotary, Boy Scouts of America, American Red Cross, Better Business Bureau, and Associated General Contractors of Alaska.

222 E. 7th Avenue, #402
Anchorage, AK 99501
(907) 345-7079 (home)
fcowell@gci.net

Fuller Cowell
Term: 2007-2015

Fuller Cowell of Anchorage was appointed in 2007 by Governor Palin. Regent Cowell was raised on a homestead in Fairbanks, attended Lathrop High School and studied biology at UAF. He completed his bachelors of business administration with an emphasis in marketing at National University, Sacramento, California graduating Summa Cum Laude. Cowell completed the Advanced Executive Program at the Kellogg Business School, Northwestern University, in Chicago, Illinois. In 1995, he was awarded the UAF Alumni Achievement Award for Community Achievement. The award was established to recognize outstanding UAF alumni.

Cowell serves as co-chair of the Providence Foundation Steering Committee, is on the board of St. Elias (long term acute care) Hospital and on the C.W. Snedden Chair of Journalism Selection Committee at UAF. He has served on the Journalism Advisory Board at UAA, the boards of Commonwealth North, Anchorage Chamber of Commerce, and the Anchorage Performing Arts Center and co-chaired the United Way of Anchorage campaign.

Cowell’s newspaper career took him from a newspaper carrier at the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner to director of operations of the McClatchy Company and ultimately publisher of Alaska’s largest newspaper, the Anchorage Daily News. He spent ten years commercial fishing in Area E, which includes Prince William Sound and the Copper River Delta.

Cowell is married to the former Christmas Tripp of Fairbanks. Their daughter Alexis lives and works in Anchorage where she was born.

2617 Chief Alexander Drive
Fairbanks, AK 99709
(907) 479-2120 (home)
erik-21@juno.com

Erik Drygas
Term: 2007-2011

Erik Drygas of Fairbanks was appointed in 2007 by Governor Palin. Regent Drygas is a 2000 graduate of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, with a degree in elementary education. He was a student teacher at Weller Elementary School in Fairbanks and currently serves as the head hockey coach at West Valley High School. With Drygas as coach, the team was awarded the State Academic Award for hockey in 2003, 2004, and 2006, for its academic excellence. The award reflects the highest cumulative grade-point average of team members statewide. Drygas also provides radio and Internet color commentary and game analysis for UAF hockey.
Drygas has received numerous awards, including “Alaskan of the Year” in 1999, presented by the Governor’s Committee on Employment and Rehabilitation of People with Disabilities. He was also selected by the President’s Committee on Employment with Disabilities in 2000, to serve as part of the National Leadership Conference for Youth with Disabilities. Drygas is an active member of the Fairbanks community.
Among other activities, he serves as a volunteer instructor at the Laura Stamm International Power Skating School.

3216 Riverview Drive
Fairbanks, AK 99709
(907) 474-0034 (home) (907) 452-8526 (fax) hops@gci.net

Cynthia Henry
Term: 2003-2011

Cynthia Henry of Fairbanks, vice chair of the board, was appointed by Governor Murkowski in January 2003. Regent Henry has served as a member of the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly and on the Fairbanks North Star Borough School Board. She holds a Master's degree in education from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and is a local small business owner.

1592 Coffey Lane
Anchorage, AK 99501
(907) 274-6290 (voice and fax) mkhughes@acsalaska.net

Mary K. Hughes
Term: 2002-2009

Mary K. Hughes of Anchorage, chair of the board, was appointed by Governor Knowles in July 2002. She graduated from the University of Alaska with a BBA in Management in 1971 and earned her juris doctorate from Willamette University College of Law in 1974. A partner in the law firm of Hughes, Thorsness, Gantz, Powell & Brundin until 1994, she served as the Anchorage Municipal Attorney from 1995-2000 and was Of Counsel with the firm until May 2005. She is presently Alaska State Director for the Office of U. S. Senator Lisa Murkowski. She hosts a weekly radio show, Profile Alaska, on AM 700 KBYR. She is a past president of the Alaska Bar Association Board of Governors and the Alaska Bar Foundation Board of Trustees, on which she continues to serve. She is presently a trustee of the University of Alaska Foundation and Willamette University. Additionally, she is a past chair and ex-officio director of the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation.

P.O. Box 8707
Kodiak, AK 99615
(907)486-3954 (home) patjacobson@gci.net

Patricia Jacobson
Term: 2007-2015

Patricia Jacobson of Kodiak was appointed by Governor Palin in 2007. Regent Jacobson grew up in southern Arizona. She graduated in 1969 from the University of Arizona with a BA in Elementary Education, and from the University of Alaska in 1972 with an MA in Elementary Education. She has credits well beyond MA54, many of which were taken via distance courses through the University of Alaska. Regent Jacobson has taught various elementary grades, primarily gifted classes, for 26 years, 25 of which were in Kodiak, Alaska. She served on the local school board after that. She has written and received numerous grants, including the Christa McAuliffe Fellowship for Alaska in 1992. She was appointed to the Professional Teaching Practices Commission (PTPC) by Governor Hammond in 1979. As a teacher, Regent Jacobson was active in Kodiak and Alaska NEA.

She holds a current Alaska teaching certificate, as well as a Big Game Guide and Transporter license (assistant guide 1972-85; registered guide since 1985) and has been an active hunting guide at her brother's lodge in Arctic, Alaska. She has a lifetime membership in NRA and in the Kodiak Humane Society and is a member of the Alaska Outdoor Council. Regent Jacobson has traveled extensively in the state and enjoys numerous outdoor activities.

301 W. Northern Lights
Suite 412
Anchorage, AK 99508
(907) 339-7214 (work) (907) 868-7582(fax) marco077@gmail.net

Carl Marrs
Term: 2005-2013

Carl Marrs of Anchorage, treasurer of the board, was appointed by Governor Murkowski in 2005. Regent Marrs is former president and CEO of Cook Inlet Region Inc. and has been recognized as one of Alaska's top business leaders. He is the recipient of the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce 2001 William A. Egan Outstanding Alaskan Award and the 2001 Alaska Federation of Natives Citizen of the Year Award. He has been involved with the United Way of Anchorage, the Resource Development Council, the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and Boy Scouts of America, and has served on the boards of directors of many other business and non-profit organizations. Regent Marrs was born in Seldovia and raised in Seldovia and Kodiak.

8354 Rivercourt Way
Juneau, AK 99801
(907) 790-1430 (work) (907) 789-3040 (fax) bob.martin@goldbelt.com

Robert Martin
Term: 2005-2013

Bob Martin of Juneau was appointed to the Board of Regents in 2005 by Governor Murkowski. Regent Martin was born in Kake and raised in Kake and Juneau. He graduated from the University of Alaska with a degree in electrical engineering. He currently works at Goldbelt Corporation. Regent Martin served as the director of the Southeast Region for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, as regional roads engineer for the Alaska Bureau of Indian Affairs, and spent 14 years in the utility industry, serving as general managers of Tlingit Haida REA and Chugach Electric. He is the former chairman of the Alaska Energy Authority and Goldbelt board of directors.

P.O. Box 257
Sitka, AK 99835
(907) 747-3276 (work) (907) 747-8877 (fax) rainy@ptialaska.net

Michael Snowden
Term: 2003-2009

Michael Snowden of Sitka, secretary of the board, was appointed to the Board of Regents in 2003 by Governor Murkowski. Regent Snowden is a lifelong Alaskan and small business owner. He holds a bachelor's of business administration degree from the University of Alaska. He served six years on the Sitka Community Hospital board, with one year as president. He has also served on the board of directors for National Bank of Alaska and continues to serve on the Wells Fargo local and statewide advisory boards. Regent Snowden is a licensed sea captain.

280 W. 34th Avenue
Anchorage, AK 99503
(907) 561-3726 (work) (907) 563-2250 (fax) KirkWickersham@aol.com

Kirk Wickersham
Term: 2007-2015

Kirk Wickersham of Anchorage was appointed to the Board of Regents in 2007 by Governor Palin. Wickersham is an actively retired attorney and real estate broker. He is the developer and owner of FSBO System, Inc. a company that provides professional coaching to home sellers, and a former chair of the Alaska Real Estate Commission. Previously, he was an economic development consultant and won a national award for innovative community development regulations.

He is a graduate of the University of Alaska, Yale Law School, and has a master’s degree from the University of Colorado. Wickersham has written three published books and over two dozen professional journal articles, and lectured before more than fifty conferences, professional development seminars and university classes.

Single with two grown children, he enjoys skiing, sailing, kayaking, mountain biking, adventure travel and community activities. He is a member of the College of Fellows of UAA and UAF.