Rural Development Project Profile
A small, dedicated staff strives to fulfill the mission and objectives of the Rural Development Project, applying the best research and technology available to common Alaska challenges.
Meg Burgett ~ Palmer, 907.746.9461, pnasb at uaa.alaska.edu
Meg Burgett is a Natural Resource Program Assistant in Anchorage. She received a BS in forest management from Stephen F. Austin State University, but she began her professional career chasing bugs and other biological pests through the fields, forests and gardens of the Matanuska Valley. Since then, the natural resource program assistant has accumulated a wide variety of educational experiences addressing such diverse audiences as 4-H Youth development, teacher in-service training and Master Gardeners program. Burgett provides technical assistance and training to rural educators on natural resource issues, assists in a variety of summer camp experiences for youth and young adults and works with other university faculty and staff to deliver natural resource education to rural communities in Alaska.
Mark Dudick ~ Anchorage, 907.786.6318, fnjmd3 at uaf.edu
Mark Dudick, media services editorial assistant, received a BA in English and philosophy from Cal State Fullerton and an MFA in creative writing from the University of Montana. He has worked as a reporter and editor at newspapers in Missoula, Mont., Pocatello, Idaho, Orange County, Calif. and Anchorage, Alaska. As an adjunct professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage and Alaska Pacific University, he has taught various writing, reporting and editing classes in English and journalism.
Lee Elder ~ Anchorage, 907.786.6320, fnkle at uaf.edu
Lee Elder, natural resource economist, received a BS in agriculture business from Tarleton State University and an MS in agriculture and resource economics from Colorado State University. His expertise involves statistics, benefit-cost analysis, market evaluation and impact analysis. Elder's projects include: a benefit-cost analysis of ATV trail construction between Akiak-Akiachak and Oscarville–Napakiak, sportfishing’s effect on the economies along the Kuskokwim/Goodnews rivers, Alaska native plants commercial use survey, evaluation of energy alternatives, visitor impact to Alaska State Parks in the Prince William Sound and evaluating the Alaska wood/plastic composite market.
Bob Gorman~ Anchorage, 907.786.6323, ffrfg at uaf.edu
Bob Gorman, Resource Development Agent / Professor, has education degrees in horticulture and wood technology. As a UAF Extension Agent since 1991 he works in horticulture, forest resources, rural and youth development, pest management and mining. Gorman is current chair of the UAF CES Natural Resources & Community Development Program. He is fortunate to work with the fine staff of the CES Rural Development Projects to identify and address needs of under-served rural Alaskans. He was a VISTA Volunteer for rural development in the Arkansas Ozarks. Past work includes newspaper reporter, community organizer, logger, orchardist, invasive species coordinator and vegetation manager. He lives in Anchorage and regularly travels to southeast and western Alaska and the Copper River valley.
Bill Hall ~ Anchorage, 907.786.6345, fnawh at uaf.edu
Arlot “Bill” Hall, program manager for the Rural Utility Business Management training program, is a life-long Alaskan with a master’s degree in adult education. When not working for Extension, he volunteers for Alaska Common Ground as a facilitator and lead developer for an Alaskan Center for Civic Dialogue. Bill has spent most of his working life as a commercial fisherman, loan officer, business manager, state legislative employee, consultant, bartender and laborer. He has also served on city council and as mayor.
Colleen Lawyer ~ Sitka, 907.747.6065, fncal at uaf.edu
Colleen Lawyer is a program assistant for the CES Sitka Service Center and the Natural Resource and Rural Development Program. She manages the Sitka CES Service Center office and holds a variety of duties which include supervising program aide seasonal hires for the Native Plants Project of propagating native plants and the Sitka Youth First Responders 4-H Program. Her work for Extension also includes Sitka and southeast Alaska as well as program assistant for the Natural Resources and Community Development Program addressing horticulture, forestry natural resources and rural development.
Dan Lung
Dan Lung received a BA in environmental studies from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and is working on an MA in rural development through the UAF Department of Alaska Native and Rural Development. Lung is also a graduate student program assistant analyzing the rural solid waste stream in Upper and Lower Kalskag. Other past projects include: VISTA volunteer and employment with Rural Alaska Community Action Program, Inc., IPM Technician and Water Quality Program Assistant with CES. Currently Dan is a field manager for Alaska Building Science Network-Village Energy Efficiency Program which facilitates energy efficient lighting upgrades and other energy efficiency measures in public buildings in rural Alaska. In his other life, he works in the residential tree service industry providing tree health care, pruning and removal.
Karen Petersen ~ Thorne Bay, 907.828.3207, ffkhp at uaf.edu
Karen Petersen, program assistant in Thorne Bay, is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer. She received a BS in agronomy from Washington State University and is working on an MS from the College of Rural Alaska. Petersen has worked as a tour bus driver in Ketchikan and as a division manager of Alaska Sightseeing/Cruise West. She lives on Prince of Wales Island and serves rural communities impacted by the downturn in the timber industry. When not chairing tourism meetings or researching biomass boilers, Petersen is a certified pesticide applicator and an EMT 2 on the Thorne Bay EMS squad.
Chaundell Piburn ~ Thorne Bay, fncrp1 at uaf.edu
Chaundell Piburn, a temporary program aide for Prince of Wales Island, received an associate’s degree in emergency management from Red Rocks College and an Emergency Medical Dispatcher EMD certificate from the National Academy of Emergency Medical Service. She has worked as a supervisor of dispatch for the Federal Police Department in Colorado and as a Red Cross volunteer and trainer specializing in forest fires, home fires and teaching disaster skills and CPR/ first aid. Chaundell has been an avid 4-H’er most of her young life and enjoys working with kids.
Julie Roller ~ Sitka, 907.747.6065, fnjlr1 at uaf.edu
Julie Roller, Program assistant in Sitka, is completing her fourth tour on RDP's Native Plant Propagation project, graduated from the University of Vermont with a B.S. degree in forest resource management. She worked for several years as a biological technician in the Tongass National Forest and then switched to horticulture. She recently returned from a year in Victoria, B.C., where she completed a 10-month landscape horticulture program at the Pacific Horticulture College.
Heidi Veach ~ Glennallen, 907.822.4477, fnhjv at uaf.edu
Heidi Veach, forestry administrative specialist in Glennallen, received a BS in forest management from the University of Massachusetts. She has volunteered for the USDA Forest Service in Wrangell and worked in silviculture and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Oregon and Idaho. In 2004 Veach and her family bought 365 acres of agricultural state auction land in the Kenny Lake area. She currently lives in Gakona 25 miles north of Glennallen. Her projects include wood-fired boilers, Community Wildland Fire Protection plans, life-skill workshops and Firefighting/Forest biotech camps for young adults.
Nancy Veal ~ Glennallen, 907.262.5824, fnnlv at uaf.edu
Nancy Veal,4-H & Youth Development Agent, was born and raised in Lakeview, Oregon. In 1968 she graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in elementary education. After teaching two years at Trent Elementary School in Oregon, she and her husband Tim, packed their 1963 Ford pickup, threw in their cat, Funny, and headed to Alaska. Eight years in Anchorage, two years of teaching and three children later, they moved to Nikiski where Nancy taught in a private Christian school for four years. In 1981, she became a 4-H leader and for the next 20 years she encouraged young people to join 4-H to become responsible, caring adults. In 2001, Nancy became the Kenai Peninsula 4-H/Youth Development agent. She enjoys reading, writing and spending time with her family.