Staff

Executive Director
907.274.1004 | beth at anchorageparkfoundation dot org

A lifelong advocate for public spaces and community engagement, Beth has served as Executive Director since Anchorage Park Foundation’s inception in 2004. Many of her greatest joys come from convening with community leaders and working with volunteers, working together to make something magical out of an idea.

Beth lives with her husband Jim and daughter Ella next to a great sledding hill at Balto Seppala Park.

Deputy Director
907.249.6650 | michelle at anchorageparkfoundation dot org

Michelle a nonprofit leader with 25 years of experience advancing environmental and community missions. She joined the Anchorage Park Foundation in 2019 and became Deputy Director in 2026, helping guide organizational strategy, philanthropy, and community partnerships to strengthen impact and long-term sustainability. Her background includes leadership roles with the National Audubon Society in Alaska, nearly a decade running a nonprofit consulting practice in Alaska and California, and launching a regional sustainable gardening coalition in the San Francisco Bay Area. Michelle serves on the boards of the Anchorage Audubon Society and the Alaska Botanical Garden, holds degrees from Indiana University and the University of Denver, and enjoys exploring Alaska’s outdoors with her family year-round.

Director of Programs
907.249.6652 | diana at anchorageparkfoundation dot org

Biking, hiking and advocating for parks and trails as a path to health and happiness has been a lifelong passion for Diana Rhoades. Diana’s career has taken her to Capital Cities and City Halls from Juneau to Washington DC and Anchorage to Tucson, Arizona. She has worked on issues as diverse as downtown revitalization, active transportation, forest bathing, organic farming and wrestling a 58-pound King Salmon from the world-famous Kenai River. She is excited to focus on improving and growing Anchorage’s park and trail system and providing more opportunities for diversity and inclusion.

Youth Engagement Manager
907.351.0055 | meredith at anchorageparkfoundation dot org

Meredith grew up in southern Washington State and slowly and continually moved farther North over her adult life. After receiving a BA from University of Washington Seattle in Technical Theater, Meredith started snowboard and working as a white-water rafting guide. After graduation she started looking outside for a new career and found Environmental Education. Meredith received a MA in Environmental Education from Lesley University’s Audubon Expedition Institute. Learning about community, the outdoors, and new ways of teaching in an experiential format, inspired her to want to share the outdoors with others. Meredith came to Alaska in 2011 for a summer job and never looked back. She has spent the past five years as the Youth Engagement Manager for the Anchorage Park Foundation, where she works to support teachers in getting kids outside. Meredith believes the outdoors is for everyone and if we don’t intentionally create time and space for youth to have positive experiences outside, they may not care about that space in the future.

Business Manager
907.249.6653 | andrea at anchorageparkfoundation dot org

Andrea is passionate about living a healthy lifestyle and has a deep love of the natural world so stepping into the role of Business Manager was a great fit.  She served in various capacities in the non-profit sector for 17 years prior to joining the team.  Working in areas from fundraising to accounting and administration, she has enjoyed experiencing many facets of non-profit organizations.  Her home borders one of Anchorage's parks, and she enjoys the beauty of the park system daily.  During the summer, Andrea enjoys putting her Master Gardener skills to use at her home garden and has a bit of an addiction for rock garden plants.

Community Engagement Manager
907.215.8354 | ally at anchorageparkfoundation dot org

Ally comes to the Anchorage Park Foundation with a diverse background as an environmental scientist, outdoor educator, and community action advocate. In 2026, she stepped into the role of Community Engagement Manager, where she leads efforts to strengthen community connections to Anchorage’s parks, improve urban forest health, and encourage stewardship of our public green spaces. Growing up in New England, Ally developed a deep appreciation for natural spaces through hiking, skiing, and kayaking with her family. She moved to Alaska in 2022 and quickly fell in love with Anchorage’s parks and trail systems. You can often find her walking along the beach at Kincaid Park, binoculars in hand, scanning the waters for belugas.