Meet our Staff
Leif Albertson grew up in Anchorage and has lived in Bethel since 2002. He joined the Cooperative Extension Service in 2008 as the district agent and a member of the Health, Home and Family Development faculty.
While Leif has professional responsibilities in many different areas, his main interests include public health, environmental health, gardening, nutrition and residential energy issues. He's been particularly interested in residential indoor air quality in rural Alaska homes.
Leif is an active volunteer with several community organizations including the Bethel Fire Department, where he is a firefighter and an EMT. E-mail Leif or Call Leif.
Moving north from busy California, Leah Walsh has called Bethel her home for the last 4 years. In her role as Nutrition Educator with the Alaska Nutrition Education Program (ANEP) and Administrative Assistant in the Bethel Cooperative Extension office, Leah can be commonly be found at the Bethel Community Garden, teaching nutrition lessons at various location around town or talking about food and/or recipes with people in the grocery store aisles.
Grateful to have a job that links education and food with improving ones quality of life, Leah is always looking for new ways to connect in her community.
Outside of work, Leah's hobbies include: dog mushing, kayaking, 'being' outside, developing her meditation practice, listening to stories, chilling with her dog, reading, and occasionally finding a moment to paint. E-mail Leah or Call Leah.
Dedicated Volunteers
Norma has been a volunteer leader for the StrongWomen Program for 8 years. She has found that the program lives up to its motto, “Lifting Women to Better Health.” The three 12-week sessions meet on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings at the Log Cabin, and provide the participants an opportunity to improve their strength, balance, and overall health.
Ronda Sargent moved to Alaska in February 2004 from Arizona. She comes from a long line of volunteers and has been volunteering in her communities since she was a young girl. After beginning her employment with the Bethel Parks & Recreation Department, Ronda was introduced to 4-H and quickly began to get very involved in 4-H both at work and as a volunteer. Currently Ronda is the Alaska State 4-H Volunteer Leaders’ Organization President. She is also actively working to recruit volunteers for the Bethel 4-H District.
One of her first recruits was her husband John who, after completing the Master Gardener course, volunteered to work with the kids on the 4-H Youth Garden in the summers. Ronda and John are raising their three kids in Bethel. Ronda hopes that through 4-H and the collaboration of UAF and the City of Bethel, together we can “Make Bethel Better.”