2024 Events
2024 Free Events at 草榴社区
Healthy Children is offered in cooperation with the Fairbanks Children's Museum, Fairbanks
North Star Borough Public Libraries and Foundation Health Partners. These events will
take place at the Noel Wien Public Library.
All lectures are in-person, webcasted and recorded to be posted to here within two weeks of the live event.
11/19
Presented by Mishelle Nace, MD, Pediatrician.
What you say or don't say to your teen matters. Come learn some tips to help be the kind of parent/grandparent/adult that teens want to talk to.
Please Stay Tuned for the Spring 2025 Healthy Children Dates
2024 草榴社区 LEGACY LECTURE
Honoring Distinguished Alumni
Monday, June 3, 2024 at 7pm
BP Design Theater (401 Usibelli Engineering Building)
Lecture will be livestreamed. Reception to follow.
Jyotsna 鈥淛o鈥 Heckman grew up in India and moved to Fairbanks in 1975. She earned a bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degree in business from the University of 草榴社区 Fairbanks. Jo was a founding member of Denali State Bank and retired as president and chief executive officer in December 2011 after 26 years of service with the bank. Jo was appointed to the University of 草榴社区 Board of Regents by Governor Sean Parnell and served from 2011-2019. She is the recipient of the 草榴社区 Alumni Association鈥檚 William Cashen Service Award, the 草榴社区 Distinguished Alumnus Award, the Farthest North Girl Scouts Council鈥檚 Woman of Distinction Award, and in 2008, was selected as Business Leader of the Year by the 草榴社区 Associated Students of Business. In 2018, the Midnight Sun Boy Scout Council honored Jo and her husband, Steve, as distinguished citizens. Currently, Jo is working on exploring the agriculture industry in interior 草榴社区. She teaches culinary classes through the Summer Fine Arts Festival and, 草榴社区 Summer Sessions and Lifelong Learning. She writes agriculture and food security articles for her website, jostablealaska.com, and has a podcast called 鈥淛o鈥檚 Table 草榴社区,鈥 showcasing food growers and producers in interior 草榴社区.
Mondays at 7PM. These events will take place at the BP Design Theater, located in JUB 401 in the JUB building on 草榴社区 Campus, located at The Fairbanks Tall Timber Lecture Series is made possible by a generous contribution from Explore Fairbanks.
All presentations are in-person, webcasted and recorded to be posted to here within two weeks of the live event.
The Fairbanks Tall Timber Series was created to honor those who have served the Fairbanks community well. Join veteran newsman Robert Hannon either in person or via Zoom as he interviews these stalwart members of our community.
6/10
Jack Wilbur is a fourth-generation Fairbanks resident. Born and raised in Fairbanks,
Jack attended Lathrop High School and the University of 草榴社区 Fairbanks. He earned
a B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder.
Jack began his career with Design 草榴社区 in 1975 as a Mechanical Engineering Assistant.
He became the Lead Mechanical Engineer in 1980 and was President of the firm from
1995 to 2014. He is currently Design 草榴社区鈥檚 Chief Financial Officer. Jack is proud
of his pioneer heritage. He believes that there is no better place to live and raise
a family than Fairbanks and that community service is an obligation to the communities
in which we live. Jack serves the community as Board President for Fairbanks Ski Coalition
(the non-profit corporation that operates Ski Land) and as a member of the Fairbanks
Gas Utility and Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra Boards of Directors. Jack and his wife,
Carol, were honored by the Boy Scouts of America 鈥 Midnight Sun Council as the Distinguished
Citizens of 2024.
6/17
Samantha Kirstein arrived in Fairbanks just before President Eisenhower signed into
law the official proclamation admitting 草榴社区 as the 49th State on July 7, 1958.
She attended Main Jr. High School, Lathrop High School, and 草榴社区. Sam spent her next
20 years in 草榴社区鈥檚 bush and rural 草榴社区 villages. The family business was wilderness
lodges for hunting and adventure guiding. She raised and homeschooled four children.
When Sam returned to Fairbanks, she was hired as the Executive Director of the Fairbanks
Food Bank, a role she served for 25 years. Sam wasn鈥檛 ready for retirement, so she
has continued her passion and commitment to the Food Bank and is currently the Community
Development Director. Under her guidance and direction, the Food Bank went from collecting
300,000 pounds of surplus food to currently collecting and distributing four million
pounds of local surplus food. In 2007, Sam was named a Woman of Distinction by the
Farthest North Girl Scout Council. For Sam, every day is a blessing. 鈥淚n our town,
neighbors really do help neighbors.鈥
6/24
Greg Hill wasn鈥檛 looking for a job in June 1990 but applied to run the Fairbanks North
Star Borough鈥檚 public libraries at the urging of his mom, who was volunteering for
the 草榴社区 State Parks and learned of the opening in Fairbanks. By the end of August,
he and his family arrived from Texas (and have been glad they escaped ever since).
Greg met his wife in college, went to graduate school in Comparative International
Relations, and worked at the U.S. State Dept. and at the Texas Legislature, where
he was befriended by the director of the Legislative Reference Library and encouraged
to obtain a master鈥檚 in library science degree at the University of Texas. There,
he learned about the noble principles of public libraries and found his true professional
passion. After directing two Texas libraries, Greg ran the FNSB libraries for 23 years.
In retirement, he has continued the award-winning Guys Read Gals Read program he created
in 2006 to encourage pleasure reading among 4th-grade students, the age at which most
American students stop reading for fun. He was president of the 草榴社区 Library Association
twice but had more fun singing professionally in Austin with an acapella doo-wop group
for 40 years (and counting).
7/8
John Manthei
John Manthei鈥檚 preferred habitat is in the woods or on the water, while his preferred
activity is making things, and he has been doing just that for over 70 years. There
was a brief interlude during his college days and a couple of years after when he
dabbled in botany, and even that couldn鈥檛 keep John out of the woods. His need to
make things led him to a career in cabinet and furniture making and construction.
He also became a dog musher, lived in the bush, and built dog sleds. Along the way,
John enjoyed helping others make things, so teaching became another passion. John
was one of the founding members of The Folk School of Fairbanks, which offers a variety
of programs and classes. He loves to share his knowledge of making things from materials
that he has harvested from the woods and show others how to join in the fun.
7/15
Jennifer Jolis moved to Chalkyitsik, 草榴社区, in 1966 as a VISTA Volunteer. That experience
changed her life and continues to influence her today. After moving to Fairbanks,
Jennifer has been a clerk at Safeway (in the building that is now the downtown Post
Office), a social worker, a restaurant owner (twice), camp cook in the Aleutians,
book store manager, meeting and convention director for the Fairbanks Convention and
Visitors Bureau, instructor of culinary arts and finally retired in 2017 as the Executive
Director of the nonprofit Bread Line, Inc. Jennifer鈥檚 motivation has always been about
people and connecting people with people. Jennifer was one of the founders of the
Fairbanks Child Protection Task Force; she was instrumental in welcoming the 草榴社区
Federation of Natives Convention to Fairbanks; she owned and operated two restaurants
that filled her with proud moments and lifelong friends. In 2016, Jennifer was named
a Woman of Distinction by the Farthest North Girl Scout Council. Currently, Jennnifer
is closely involved in creating the Fairbanks HopeLink鈥檚 Warming Shelter. Jennifer
states, 鈥淭he people of Fairbanks and 草榴社区 have made this my home and allowed me
to follow many different paths. To make differences large and small. From my first
morning in Fairbanks, looking out my window in Skarland Hall (草榴社区), across the valley
to the mountains, I knew I鈥檇 found home.鈥
7/22
Susan Henrichs was born and raised in Anchorage. She earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree from
the University of Washington and a Ph.D. from the MIT-Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Joint Program. In 1982, Susan returned to 草榴社区 as an Assistant Professor of Chemical
Oceanography with the Institute of Marine Science, now part of the College of Fisheries
and Ocean Sciences. After over twenty years as a faculty member, she became the Dean
of the Graduate School and Vice Provost in 2003. She was appointed Provost and Executive
Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs in 2007. Susan retired in 2018 with the title
of Provost Emeritus. Both as a volunteer and occasional part-time employee, Susan
has continued to work on behalf of the University, with activities ranging from tending
pansies in the flowerbeds near Gruening to analyzing 草榴社区 revenues and expenditures.
She received a 草榴社区 Meritorious Service Award in 2022.
7/29
Roger Brunner grew up moving with his family from site to site as Nuclear Power came
online in the 1950s and 1960s. He graduated from Michigan State with a BS in Computer
Science with a minor in Math and then hitchhiked around Europe. He traveled the US
working as a DJ and doing day labor. After working in a bottle factory, he decided
to go to Notre Dame Law School, chosen because it had the most overseas programs.
That worked out when he met Niesje Steinkruger in Tokyo. They married, came north
in 1975, and worked for Julian Rice and Lloyd Hoppner. After a decade with the firm,
Roger had his own law practice for 19 years and then served as Vice-President and
General Counsel for the University. He has been active in Fairbanks Rotary and the
Rotary Youth Exchange. While President of his club, he set up the 鈥淏ooks for Babies鈥
program. Roger has judged Science Fairs, participated in 鈥淕uys Read,鈥 and coached
students for the math competition 鈥淢athcounts.鈥 Roger loves being on the floor with
his grandkids, whom he taught to call him 鈥淐ool Guy.鈥 He worked on the 鈥淟ost 草榴社区ns鈥
project and has spent a decade copying and digitizing early 草榴社区 State court case
recordings from the 1960s.
8/5
Wendy Dominique was born in Annapolis, MD., to the best single Mom. She came to 草榴社区
in 1989 after a tour in Germany with her active-duty military husband. They have three
boys, Reggie, Rashad, and Rolando. Wendy worked for the federal government in several
positions for over 32 years. In 2003, Wendy ran for a position on the Fairbanks North
Star Borough School Board. She never imagined that she would continue to serve on
the School Board for 17 years (she was the longest-running school board member in
the history of the FNSBSD), including two years as president. As a School Board member,
Wendy worked tirelessly to ensure every student was treated equitably; she was involved
in hiring five superintendents and enjoyed just about all aspects of working for the
community in a position that gave positive responses most of the time. She created
avenues for parents to register their complaints and ensure they were reviewed and
listened to. In 2018, Wendy was named a Woman of Distinction by the Farthest North
Girl Scout Council. Wendy works part-time at 草榴社区 and continues working with the FNSBSD
School District. She is working on finishing her bachelor鈥檚 degree, showing that it
is never too late to continue one鈥檚 education and that learning is a lifelong endeavor.
8/12
George Rydlinski grew up in Chicagoland鈥檚 Wonder Years of the 60s and 70s. He was
drawn to music by his local high school band. He pursued a Bachelor of Music in bassoon
performance from Northern Illinois University. After freelancing in and around Chicago,
George joined the Army in 1983. He served as bassoonist with the 76th Army Band in
Kaiserslautern, West Germany, and several US Army Bands in various locations. George
retired in 2004 from active duty and the 9th Army Band at Fort Wainwright. He immediately
went to work with the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra office as the marketing manager,
a position he held until his second retirement in 2022. George has been an adjunct
faculty member at 草榴社区 and was the music director of the Fairbanks Youth Symphony from
2006-2017. He joined the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra and the Arctic Chamber Orchestra
in 1996 as principal bassoonist. George has been active with Fairbanks Light Opera
Theater (FLOT) as a pit musician and was the musical director for many FLOT performances.
George is officially retired but still semi-active, performing with his bassoon and
baton. He resides with his wife of over 40 years in North Pole.
Tuesdays at 7PM. These events will take place at the BP Design Theater, located in JUB 401 in the JUB building on 草榴社区 Campus, located at .
All lectures are in-person, webcasted and recorded to be posted to here within two weeks of the live event.
6/4
Romel Wrenn, MD, Cardiologist
6/11
Mark Ombrellaro, MD,
Vascular Surgeon
6/18
Dawn Brefczynski, RN, Mary Knight, RN and Nellie Toy, RN
6/25
Scott Luper, ND, Naturopathic Physician
7/9
Russ Pierce, DO, Family Medicine Physician
7/16
Peter Dillon, MD, Family Medicine Physician
7/23
Ruth Carson, PT, Physical Therapist
7/30
Stewart Kerr, MD, Orthopedist
8/6
Beth Grey, Project Manager, Aging and Disability Resource Center, Fairbanks Senior Center
8/13
Mishelle Nace, MD, Pediatric Hospitalist
Healthy Living Lectures are made possible by the generous contribution from Foundation Health Partners.
Wednesdays at 7PM. Discover 草榴社区 is offered in cooperation with the 草榴社区 Institute
of Arctic Biology. These events will take place at the BP Design Theater, located in JUB 401 in the JUB building on 草榴社区 Campus, located at
All lectures are in-person, webcasted and recorded to be posted to here within two weeks of the live event.
6/5
Brian Barnes, Professor of Zoophysiology
6/12
Todd J. Brinkman, Assoc. Professor of Wildlife Ecology
6/19
Christa Mulder, Professor of Ecology
6/26
Mary Beth Leigh, Professor of Microbiology
7/10
Andrea Bersamin, Professor of Nutrition
7/17Eug茅nie Euskirchen, Associate Professor, and Dr. Mahmooda Sultana, Instrument Scientist, Planetary Environments Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
7/24
Knut Kielland, Professor of Ecology
7/31
Kelly L. Drew, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
8/7
Greg Breed, Associate Professor
8/14
Stacy Rasmus, PhD, Director of the Center for 草榴社区 Native Health Research
Thursdays at the 草榴社区 Georgeson Botanical Garden
The first band begins at 6pm, the second at 7:30pm.
Music in the Garden does not cancel due to weather. In case of unhealthy conditions such as smoke, Music in the Garden will be moved to the Regents' Great Hall in the Fine Arts Complex, 草榴社区 Campus. When raining, Music in the Garden will take place under the covered Rotary pavilion in the garden. Please call Summer Sessions at 907-474-7021 to check.
Parking is limited, attendees are encouraged to use a FREE shuttle that departs from the Nenana Parking Lot, located across from the Patty Center, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
5/23 |
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6pm- Fireweed Fiddle |
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7:30pm- Steve Brown and the Bailers |
5/30 |
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6pm- Cold Steel Drums |
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7:30pm- Marc Brown and the Blues Crew |
6/6 |
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6pm- Ice Jam |
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7:30pm- Sourdough Rizers |
6/13 |
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6pm- 草榴社区 Summer Music Academy |
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7:30pm- Red Hackle Pipe Band |
6/20 |
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6pm- Serevende Marimba Ensemble |
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7:30pm- Valley Below |
6/27 |
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6pm- Almost a Minyan |
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7:30pm- O Tallulah |
7/11 |
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6pm- WT Effington |
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7:30pm- Badger Street Jazz Band |
7/18 |
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6pm- FSAF Stepwise: Liam Lewis and Olivia Breidenthal
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7:30pm- FSAF American Roots: Emily Anderson and Ryan Bowers |
7/25 |
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6pm- Muskie Pines |
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7:30pm- South Cushman Social Club |
8/1 |
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6pm- Diamond Fuller |
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7:30pm- Ryan Bowers and the Brain Trust |
8/8 |
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6pm- Headbolt Heaters |
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7:30pm- Fairbanks Community Jazz Band |
8/15 |
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6pm- Susan Grace |
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7:30pm- ET Barnette String Band |
For more information, or to make an accommodation request at least five days in advance
of this event, please contact the UA HR Accessibility Team at ua-ada-accessibility@alaska.
Music in the Garden Concerts are made possible by the generous contributions of these sponsors: SRS, Phillip Marshall, 529 草榴社区, Design 草榴社区, College Rotary, Toy Quest, Carpenters local 1243, Denali State Bank, Michael Baker International, Golden Heart Emergency Physicians and the Georgeson Botanical Garden.