Literacy Council of Alaska

Staff

promoting literacy every day

Staff

Meet the staff members of the Literacy Council of Alaska. Their jobs deal with the programs, Bookstore, and LCA as a whole!

Mike isn't afraid of slowing down every once in a while to enjoy a good book, including a classic Curious George book!

Mike Kolasa, Executive Director

Mike began as the Executive Director in 2007. As director he is in charge of the overall direction of the literacy council and all LCA salmon BBQs. He came to LCA because literacy is an essential human service and foundation for community development. Prior to the Literacy Council Mike taught in Kijabe, Kenya, worked with Food for the Hungry International in Kenya, and finished an MA in Biblical Exegesis at Wheaton College.

Becky Magowan, Business Manager

"If you want to be happy for life, love what you do." -Mary Higgins Clark

Becky has been at the LCA since 1980 and handles all of the accounting, grants management, and reporting for the agency and bookstore. She also oversees the operation of Forget-Me-Not Books as a volunteer. After so many years, she continues to be impressed by the positive environment at the LCA and says that the focus is always to facilitate success, not just for the students, which is the primary goal, but for the volunteers and staff as well. Working in a used bookstore is like icing on a cake for Becky! Her favorite hobby is reading! She also enjoys papercrafts, gardening, yoga, hiking and dancing.

Paulette Rahm, Administrative Assistant

“Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”

Paulette began working at LCA in 2006 and has been busy answering the phone, directing people, answering questions, working with volunteers, working in the bookstore, scheduling, supporting the staff, and completing various other tasks. Her favorite things at LCA are people, the excellent work environment and being able to participate in changing people’s lives. Paulette came with her husband from the Seattle area in 2003 to work with a local church and world wide ministry. She is an ordained minister, an administrator and teacher. She is creative, with a unique sense of humor, and calls whatever she is involved in, her favorite hobby.

Heather Moritz, Bookstore Assistant

There's nothing like reading a good book that you can't put down!

Heather arrived in Fairbanks in April of 2008 and has volunteered at the Literacy Council of Alaska's secondhand bookstore, Forget-Me-Not Books since July of 2008. She recently began service as an AmeriCorps Member by becoming a Bookstore Assistant in April 2009. Heather is originally from Texas and decided to venture to the Last Frontier for a change of scenery. She primarily shelves books and prices the vintage books. Heather has a wonderful sense of humor and enjoys LCA because she loves books! Also, she thinks the people here are awesome and funny. In addition, working at the bookstore means Heather does not have to go out of her way to buy books. They are at her fingertips and they are also low-priced, even better! Heather loves glaciers, Fairbanks and Alaska in general. When she is not working, Heather enjoys surfing the Internet, listening to music and reading (duh!).

Jackie Stormer, Book Recycling Coordinator

"I have always loved books and bookstores. Roald Dahl wrote a book called "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and when I get around books I feel a little bit like Charlie -- so many books, so little time. Working at the Literacy Council, surrounded by all these books, well, it's not chocolate, but it's darn close."

Jackie has volunteered at the Literacy Council since 2008, cleaning books and helping out in the bookstore. She stepped in as Book Recycling Coordinator early in 2011. As coordinator, she manages and distributes several thousand books a month to non-profit agencies, schools and organizations around the state. She moved to Fairbanks in 1975, earned her bachelor's degree from UAF and worked for 27 years in the UAF Marketing Department. She lives in Ester with her husband and daughter, along with a dog, two cats and a LOT of books. She enjoys traveling, hiking, reading and learning new things, and is very happy to be a part of the dedicated staff at LCA.

Brenda McFarlane, Adult Literacy Support Specialist

Brenda McFarlane started working in the Adult Program in June 2009. She is excited to be working for the Literacy Council. She started volunteering here as an ESL tutor in 2007. Now she is working with mostly ESL students and teaching English classes. She loves getting to know all the people that come in.

Brenda has lived in the Fairbanks area since 1997. She graduated from UAF with a B.A. degree in English. Things she likes to do include hiking, attending music festivals, reading, talking about books, writing about books, photography, creative writing, traveling, shopping at the Farmer’s market and spending excessive time in coffee shops with friends during the wintertime. She recently returned from a trip to South America where she taught English to Bolivian young adults, volunteered with Food for the Hungry, and studied Spanish. She is glad to be back in Fairbanks and glad to be working somewhere that helps improve the community.

Darrel Zuke, Computer Recycling Technician

"When you give, whether time, talent, or money, you seem to receive so much back in return--it's magic!"

Darrel, an AmeriCorps volunteer, began at the Literacy Council in 2005 and spends his time teaching basic computer classes, refurbishing donated computers for distribution, and maintaining staff computers. He also volunteers as a math and ESL tutor. He came to Alaska in the early 70's with his career in the Federal Aviation Administration. He also taught electronics at TVCC and volunteered in the community. Now retired, Darrel found LCA to be a perfect fit and enjoys working with the staff and clients of all ages, from fourth graders through the Guy's Read program, to working with senior citizens. He is blessed with a large and diverse family, including a wonderful wife and 9 grandkids, his family at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, where he is a member of the Vestry to help maintain the website, and of course, his work here at the Literacy Council of Alaska.

Cori Kindred, Lending Library Coordinator

Cori joined the LCA in early 2009 as the AmeriCorps Head Start Lending Libraries Assistant. She is now the HSLL Coordinator and is excited to be a part of this wonderful organization staffed with such dedicated people. Cori is originally from Eagle River, AK, and recently graduated from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks with a B.A. in Geography and a minor in Sociology. She is an avid reader and animal-lover and enjoys spending time with her family and pets.

Mimi Williams, AmeriCorps Lending Library Assistant

Mimi wears a number of different hats. As a wife, a mother of 4, a UAF student, and an Americorp volunteer her spare time is usually spent brushing her teeth. In other words, she is rarely idle. However, when she is, you’ll usually find her hiking, canoeing, gardening, reading, cooking, knitting or trying to stay warm in the winters. She is currently a senior at UAF in the BAE program as an Elementary Education major. Her goal is to teach in the Fairbanks Northstar School district after graduation. She has a simple philosophy: Fill what’s empty. Empty what’s full. Scratch where it itches.

Cherie Johnston, School Age Coordinator

Cherie started working at the Literacy Council of Alaska in September 2010 as the coordinator for the School Age Program and Gals Read. Her father’s career in the Army brought their family to Fairbanks in 2005. Cherie graduated from Lathrop High School and received her Bachelor’s degree in History and Economics from Emory University in Atlanta. She was drawn back to Fairbanks by the warmth of its people, not the weather. She is passionate about education and giving children the support they need to succeed in school and beyond. In her spare time Cherie enjoys reading, listening to music, cooking, and traveling.

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Literacy Council of Alaska

517 Gaffney Road

Fairbanks, Alaska 99701

T: 907-456-6212

F: 907-456-4302

lca@literacycouncilofalaska.org

As Computer Recycling Technician, Darrel also gets to teach computer classes and congratulate his graduates!

While often at the front desk, Paulette also gets to help with special events, like reading books to children at a Barnes and Noble reading!

After falling in love with reading, Becky feels right at home in the Forget-Me-Not Books recycled bookstore, keeping everything organized.