Board of Directors

Dr. Aparna Dileep-Nageswaran Palmer is Chancellor of the University of Alaska Southeast (UAS). Dr. Palmer previously served as a Vice President at Front Range Community College (FRCC), which is part of the Colorado Community College System (CCCS). She wass the chief executive of the Boulder County Campus and interim chief executive of the Larimer County Campus, and brings 25 years of experience in higher education. Before joining FRCC, Dr. Palmer was the Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs at Colorado Mesa University (CMU), an institution with a dual role and mission to serve both as a regional university with bachelor’s and graduate degrees and as a community college (Western Colorado Community College, WCCC) with associate’s degrees and technical certificates. During her 22 years at CMU as a Professor of Biology, she served as the Director of the Academic Honors Program, Faculty Senate President, and Faculty Trustee on the CMU/WCCC Board.

Dr. Palmer holds a Ph.D. in Zoology from Washington State University as well as a B.S. in Biological Sciences and a B.A. in English from Colorado State University. As a scientist, she studies the natural histories and molecular genetics of tardigrades (water bears) and polychaetes (seaworms). As UAS Chancellor, Dr. Palmer provides strategic leadership in fulfilling UAS’ mission, including budget development, academic planning and program assessments, student and enrollment services, administrative services, and community relations.

Melissa Kookesh is the Tribal Liaison at the Alaska Broadband Office. Melissa was elected to the Kootznoowoo Board in 2016 and began serving as Board Chair. In addition to her role as Chairwoman, she also serves as ex-officio on all committees. From 2005-2014, Melissa worked in the Office of the President at the Central Council Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. Currently, she is employed as a Legislative Aide for the Alaska State Legislature. Melissa holds an Associate of Arts and Sciences and certification in Tribal Management from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Melissa is the daughter of Lena Woods and the late Floyd M. Kookesh and is the granddaughter of the late Matthew and Ramona Kookesh. She is Raven Dog Salmon from the Central House in Angoon, and her Tlingit name is X’eetoow.

Todd Schur is Vice President of Marketing and Community Impact at True North Federal Credit Union, headquartered in Juneau. Todd grew up outside of Rochester, New York and earned a BA in Communications and Public Relations from the State University of New York College at Oswego. He relocated to Juneau in the Fall of 2021 after living in Portland, Oregon for the previous twenty-plus years. While in Portland, Todd was an entrepreneur with businesses in complementary healthcare, online retail, commercial and residential construction, as well as small business and non-profit consulting.

Todd is currently Vice President of the Rotary Club of Juneau and volunteers with a number of organizations in Juneau and Anchorage. In his free time you can find him hiking, fishing and spending time outdoors with friends.

Marc Guevarra is Vice President & Branch Manager of Lending at First National Bank of Alaska in Juneau. Marc is a lifelong Alaskan who grew up in Kodiak and originally moved to Juneau in 2004.  In 2011, he moved to Ketchikan to pursue additional career opportunities, but eventually found his way back to Juneau in 2017.  Guevarra has worked as a banker in Alaska since 2001 and he has spent the larger part of his banking career in commercial lending.  The banking industry has taken him all over Alaska, including Anchorage, Petersburg, Ketchikan, Juneau, and other communities. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration Accounting degree from the University of Alaska Anchorage.

Marc is an active member of the Rotary Club of Juneau Glacier Valley and he has served on a variety of other volunteer boards in both Juneau and Ketchikan.  In his free time, he enjoys fishing, camping, and other outdoor activities with family and friends.

Brian Kleinhenz is the President and Owner of Terra Verde, Inc., a forestry consulting company that operates all over the Pacific Northwest offering services in forest inventory, professional consultation and carbon offset development. He serves as Secretary of the Society of American Foresters Juneau Chapter. He has also served as the Treasurer of the Southeast Alaska Soil and Water Conservation District and was a former Alaska Forest Association Board Member. Prior to his current career as an entrepreneur and small business owner, he was the Natural Resources Department Sealaska Corporation. His education includes a BS in Biology and Environmental Studies, Ohio Northern University (1997) and MS in Forestry, University of Eastern Finland (1999).

Beth Weldon serves as the Mayor of the City & Borough of Juneau. Beth’s roots are deep and strong in the Capital City. She is a lifelong Juneau resident, and fourth-generation Douglasite on her mother’s side. Beth is a graduate of Juneau-Douglas High School and the University of Washington where she received a BS in Fisheries. For seven years she owned and operated the gillnetter F/V Seven C’s. She started with Capital City Fire/Rescue as a volunteer in Douglas and became part of the paid staff in 1992. She was the first female officer in the department and retired as a division chief. During her career, she received seven awards for service.

Mayor Weldon served two years on the Juneau Assembly prior to being elected mayor. She and her husband, Greg, co-own Capitol Motor Supply/Glacier Auto Parts. They are the proud parents of two young adults. Beth enjoys reading, watching her children’s activities, hiking Juneau’s trails with her lab, Chloe, as well as boating and other outdoor activities on the Taku River.