Van Flein selected as Director of Employee Transition and Benefits

Erika Van Flein has been selected to be the Director of Employee Transition and Benefits. This new role will build on focusing on employee benefits to include new employee onboarding, and offboarding employees leaving UA.

Under Van Flein’s direction, UA offers one of the most cost-effective comprehensive benefit packages among public employers across the state. 

The University of Alaska is a family tradition for Van Flein.  

Her long association with the university began in 1960, when her father was recruited as a faculty member and researcher at the Geophysical Institute. Her mother also worked for several years as a nurse at the UAF Center for Health and Counseling. Van Flein attended UAF during her freshman year after graduating from West Valley High School. 

“I’m proud of our long and connected relationship with the University of Alaska and fully believe this institution will help lead our state to a brighter future,” said Van Flein.

It seemed only natural that Van Flein would follow in her parents’ footsteps as a UA employee. That happened more than 28 years ago, when she was hired as an administrative assistant at UAF University Relations in 1990. Six years later she joined Statewide HR as the benefits administrator. She was promoted to her current position as Director of Benefits in December 2011.

Her husband, Peter, is also the offspring of a UAF faculty member, as well as a UAF alum and an active member of the Alumni Association, serving in his third year as president of the board. Their oldest son graduated from UAF with a bachelor's degree in biological sciences, and his wife works at UAF in the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities.