Wood Center Staff
Lydia Anderson - Director [Contact]
Lydia has been the director of Wood Center since 2001. She has worked for the department since 1976 in many different positions. Lydia's dedication to student union work was evident the moment she came to work at Wood Center. Lydia is a transplant from California and enjoys hobbies such as gardening, dancing, quilting, and traveling. Her husband Bob and teenage son Matt are the joys of her life as is their Gordon Setter, Casey.
Jeri Maxwell - Associate Director - Operations [Contact]
Jeri began her career at the Wood Center as a student worker (Pub Attendant), in Sept. 1985. She was hired as a full time employee in November 1988 as the Scheduling Clerk. Jeri received her bachelors in Psychology from UAF in 1989. She took one year off from her Scheduling Clerk in July 1989 until July 1990 and worked as the Natural Helpers Coordinator and Teen Suicide Prevention Officer at Crisis Line. She was promoted to Pub Manager in August of 1992. In August of 2003 Jeri was promoted to the position of Associate Director of Operations. Jeri came to Fairbanks from Spokane, Washington via Ketchikan, Alaska in 1985. Her Husband, Howard, and her children, Andrew and MacKenzie, keep her extremely busy, although she still finds time to enjoy things such as canning fish, making jams, walking, and quilting!
Dayna Mackey - Associate Director - Programming [contact]
Carrie McGee - Fiscal Officer [Contact]
Carrie came to Alaska in 1987. She graduated from UAF in 1992 and began working as a student employee at ASUAF. She moved to the Wood Center offices in 1999, where she is the Fiscal Officer. She is most often found amidst piles of paper and the toys on her desk. Her family members include two dogs, two cats and two mice.
JJ Boggs - Leadership Development Coordinator [Contact]
JJ Boggs enthusiastically joined the Wood Center Team as the Leadership Development Coordinator in Fall 2004. It's been a long journey to Fairbanks for this wayward Pennsylvanian. After having worked as an English teacher in Maryland, a Speech and Language teacher on the Omaha Indian Reservation in Nebraska, a Human Resource Specialist in Oregon, and as a Crew Leader and Education and Activities Coordinator for the Minnesota Conservation Corps, JJ eventually landed in Vermont. During those five years she worked for the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps in a variety of capacities though her favorite role was Education and Training Director. Most recently she completed a Masters in Experiential Education at Minnesota State University, Mankato where she was also a Graduate Assistant in the Office of First Year Experience. Finally she and her family headed north to live the adventurous life in Alaska. Currently she is enjoying raising chickens, romping with her dogs on the trails outside of Fairbanks, and helping students develop their leadership potential.
Jodi Jorgensen - Assistant Coordinator of Student Organizations [contact]
Jodi joined the team in November 2007. She has recently moved to Fairbanks from Marysville , Washington where she had been a high school vocational teacher for 23 years. Her leadership background includes being actively involved in Marketing Education/DECA from 1974 to 1994; ASB advisor for 2 years; yearbook advisor for 10 years; and a variety of other advising and officer positions. She earned her BA in Marketing Education at Central Washington University and her Masters in Education through Lesley University in Cambridge , MA . She has two children and one, adorable grandson.
Michelle Denton - Fiscal Technician [Contact]
Michelle grew up in Seattle, and spent (almost) every summer in beautiful Fairbanks. A job at the Wood Center and a love of this fabulous place and its eclectic mix of people brought Michelle to Fairbanks permanently in 2002. Michelle was sad to leave her WC family in 2004, as she went on to a position with the Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce. In 2005, Michelle was asked to join the team at a local financial institution, where she most recently worked as a Branch Manager until her return to classes at UAF. Michelle has happily come "home" to the WC, while she works on her degree and her 63 year old house.
Mark Oldmixon - Outdoor Adventures Coordinator [contact]
Mark became the Coordinator for Outdoor Adventures in April 2007 after a year and half as the graduate assistant to Outdoor Adventures. He completed his Master's in Education at UAF in April 2007 as well. He hopes to grow the program to include more technical skills training and certification courses. He has also developed a wilderness leadership curriculum which he is offering through the Natural Resource Management School.
Credentials: American Mountain Guide Top-Rope Site Manager, ACA Canoe/ Kayak Instructor, BCU 3-star paddler, Level 2 Coach Trainee, EMT-1, Wilderness First Responder.
Eli Crispell - Graduate Assistant for Outdoor Adventures [Contact]
Heather Kraemer - Pub Manager [contact]
Heather, a UAF Alumnus, was born and raised here in Alaska. She joined the ranks of Wood Center in 2003 as a student employee and more recently as a staff member in 2007. She enjoys camping, hiking, reading, skiing, rafting, exercise, music, writing, movies, beading, the environment and her two very entertaining kitties Onyx and Yuki. Heather loves Alaska and UAF, it has been a truly rewarding experience for her to facilitate the outlets and opportunities the Wood Center Pub provides for it's students, faculty and staff.
Catherine Grieve - Interim Scheduling Coordinator [contact]
Catherine was hired as the Wood Center Scheduling Coordinator just this semester. She used to work in scheduling as an assistant and now as she finishes her last semester of her Communication degree she has joined Wood Center Staff. Between work and school Catherine likes to squeeze in time to relax with crafts, biking and outdoor photography.
Gopi Pandya - Administrative Assistant
Gopi joined the Wood Center Team in the spring of 2008. Originally from India she moved to California when she was ten. She got married and moved to Fairbanks in 2005. Her husband Anshul is doing his PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at UAF. Gopi is the first point of contact for anybody who comes to the Wood Center office and as such she enjoys her role. Gopi loves to spend time with family and friends. She also likes traveling with her hubby. Gopi is planning to get a BA in business administration and hopes to have her own business one day.
Terin Walton-Rantz - Special Programs Coordinator
Terin joined the Wood Center Family for the first time in August 2005, as a Leadership Program Student Assistant. That spring, she interned as the WC Public Relations Coordinator. After graduating in May 2006, Terin worked for LARS, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Satterberg Law Office. In June 2008, Terin became the WC Special Programs Coordinator, and was thrilled to return to UAF and its wonderful student union building. Terin loves UAF and has a passion for positive student development. She loves dancing, boating, camping, yoga, spending quality time with family and friends, and living with her future husband, Benjamin, and their two crazy Blue Heeler puppies, Maggie Mae and Augustus.
Vacant - Student Activities Coordinator