Transitions & Recognition

Transitions and Recognition

Send us your employee news!

The Transitions section is a popular part of the Statewide Voice, allowing an opportunity to meet new employees, say good bye to parting co-workers and celebrate awards and recognition. Please contact mmusick@alaska.edu with employee news to see it listed in this section.

Announcing the new executive assistant to the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, Kelly James

Kelly James will be joining the office of Academic Affairs & Research as the new executive assistant to the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs. James is coming from UAF where she has been the assistant to the Institute of Northern Engineering (INE) Director Bill Schnabel. She also has served as the INE Travel Coordinator and is cross-trained in procurement and human resources. She will be a great addition to the team.

James will be working half days (afternoons) in the president's suite April 2-April 13 . She will begin full time starting April 16.

Buffy Kuiper promoted to Associate Director

The UA College Savings Plan and UA Scholars Program recently promoted Buffy Kuiper to Associate Director. Kuiper has worked with the UA College Savings Plan and UA Scholars Program since 2006 and previously worked at Fire Department and Parking Services at UAF.� � She enjoys helping families prepare for post-secondary education and hearing the life changing stories experienced by both UA Scholars and participants in the college savings plan. She is a member of SAA, participated in UA's Leadership in the 21st Century and the Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Fairbanks, and was recognized with the Staff Make Students Count award in 2016.

UA Foundation welcomes Gunnar Keizer

Started March 19, 2018

Gunnar Keizer
Gift Manager
UA Foundation

Gunnar Keizer joined the UA Foundation in March 2018 as the Gift Manager. He made his way to Fairbanks in 2011 from Ketchikan to study music and fell in love with the city and the people. He previously worked for the Fairbanks Community Food Bank as the Front Office Manager and he still enjoys volunteering there on weekends. Keizer is a member of the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra, UAF Wind Symphony, and the University's percussion group, Ensemble 64.8.

Staffing change in UAF Chancellor’s Office

Jeannie Phillips has replaced Debby Queen as the assistant to the chancellor.

Phillips�attended UAF as a student in the late 1970s and has been a UA or UAF staff member since 1981. She has served in several capacities during that time, including executive officer of the UA Board of Regents from 1987 to 2012 and as a special assistant to the UAF chancellor.

Sara Childress named Title IX Coordinator for UAA

Sara Childress has accepted the position of director of equity and compliance and Title IX coordinator. She will begin her new role March 28.

Childress brings a wealth of investigative experience coupled with trauma-informed care to this role. Since June 2017, she has worked as a civil rights investigator for the UAA Office of Equity and Compliance. Sara has helped bring UAA into compliance with action items outlined in the UA Voluntary Resolution Agreement with the United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights that outlines specific steps the university system will take to improve safety and the campus climate.