Board Chair: Samantha Correia
Samantha Correia serves as Board Chair of the Alaska World Affairs Council and works as a Senior Project Manager. She brings more than a decade of experience across organizational leadership, public policy, research, advocacy, and community development, with a particular interest in national security and geopolitics. Her work has included service on the German Marshall Fund’s Arctic Geopolitics Taskforce and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Alaska Cyber Working Group.
Samantha holds a B.S. in Government with a concentration in National Security and minors in Strategic Intelligence and Psychology, as well as certificates in Arctic Regional Security, Human Rights Education, Human Trafficking Prevention, and Arabic.
Vice Chair: Rebecca Pottebaum
Rebecca Pottebaum is the Director of Programs at the Anchorage Museum and oversees the development and facilitation of a wide slate of public programming connected to exhibitions, special events and community partnerships. She also manages the Anchorage Museum’s Seed Lab project, connecting Alaskans to their place in the world. A Fulbright alumna, world traveler and language enthusiast, she enjoys the chance to be a community connector, and to support the Alaska World Affairs Council through board service.
Treasurer: Gökhan Karahan
Gökhan Karahan is Professor of Accounting and Finance at the University of Alaska Anchorage. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics and an MBA from the University of Mississippi. His research interests include political economy, governance, regional economic development, and public policy. His current work also examines sustainability and Indigenous economic development.
He previously served as President of the UAA Faculty Senate and Chair of the University of Alaska System Faculty Alliance. He directed the U.S. Department of State’s Global UGRAD program at Delta State University and later coordinated it at UAA. He served as campus coordinator and faculty advisor for students from Armenia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Montenegro, Pakistan, Russia, South Korea, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe during exchanges lasting a semester or an academic year.
Karahan was selected for the Fulbright Specialist roster in 2024. He received UAA’s Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Promoting Student Achievement in 2017 and Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Diversity in 2019.
Secretary: David Hoffman
David Hoffman is a business consultant and investor with a deep interest in international development. He was the founder and long-time CEO of Alaska Growth Capital and worked for many years as a Native Corporation CEO and COO. He is a former co-owner of Craig Taylor Equipment and Flyntlok Software and was Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Community and Regional Affairs. David holds B.A. and Masters degrees from Harvard and is a graduate of the Pacific Coast Banking School. He has lived in Anchorage and throughout rural Alaska.
Elizabeth Astle
Elizabeth is a former staff member of the Council and is happy to continue her involvement as a board member. She currently sings with the Alaska Chamber Singers and volunteers as an online English tutor for college students in Africa. She received an MA in International Relations from Georgetown University and a BA in music from Brigham Young University. She has worked for the US House of Representatives, the Motion Picture Association and the Korean Embassy. She has also lived and worked in Russia and China and traveled extensively in the Spanish speaking world. She and her husband have enjoyed raising their four kids in Anchorage.
Holly Fair
Craig Fleener
Craig Fleener is from Fort Yukon, Alaska, 8 miles above the Arctic Circle on the Yukon River. Craig’s background includes wildland firefighting, local and statewide politics, grant-writing, wildlife and fisheries management, tribal management, healthcare, education, environmental management, and economic diversification. Craig retired after 38 years of military service from active duty with the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force and ongoing Alaska Air National Guard service. Craig spent 16 years enlisted before commissioning and retired in 2025 with the rank of Lt Col. Craig is a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He works for the DOD as the Deputy Director of the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies.
Craig’s educational background includes Air Command and Staff College at Air University, Squadron Officer’s School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Air War College at Air University, a BSc in Natural Resources Management from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, an M.A. in Intelligence Studies from American Public University, substantial work towards an MSc in Wildlife Biology from the University of Calgary, and is currently in a Law and Policy PhD program at Liberty University.
Randi Gause
Randi Jo Gause is vice president of marketing and communications at Chugach Alaska Corporation, an Alaska-based company with global operations. A lifelong Alaskan, she has spent more than a decade working with Alaska Native Corporations. She holds an MBA in international business from Thunderbird School of Global Management, including global immersions in the Czech Republic and Peru. Her communications work has been recognized by PRSA Alaska, AIGA Alaska and Ragan Communications. Randi joined the AKWorld board in 2026 and brings communications expertise and an Alaska Native corporation perspective to the council's work.
Tuan Graziano
Brandon Locke
ADVISOR DIRECTORS
Diddy Hitchins
Ret. Gen. Joseph Ralston
Fran Ulmer
EMERITI
Carolyn Rader
To learn more about the Board of Directors and how to get involved, contact AKWorld President & CEO, Siobhan.Choi@alaskaworldaffairs.org .