A lifelong Alaskan, she received her bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of California at Berkeley in 1985, and her master’s and Ph.D. in space physics at UAF in 1988 and 1994, respectively.

Under her direction since 2002, ASF became a strong program in remote-sensing data access. La Belle-Hamer developed new business opportunities and kept ASF at the forefront of the satellite data industry by focusing on high-quality, on-time data delivery, exemplary customer service and visionary product development efforts. Developing and maintaining ASF’s relationships with U.S. and foreign government research agencies, as well as a wide array of domestic and international partners, required her to use an unusual combination of scientific, management, and leadership skills. La Belle-Hamer will be stepping down from her role as ASF director to become UAF’s VCR.