Meet Our Team
Our Team is Committed to Helping Alaskans Build a Better Future
Our Team at Alaska Works Partnership helps you connect to training, education, apprenticeship, and careers in Alaska’s construction industry.
Melody Austin
Office Manager
I have been with Alaska Works since 2004, when I started working in the Fairbanks office. I moved to the Anchorage office a few years later and am still here today! It has been a great experience to grow with Alaska Works throughout the years and to continue to be a part of the growth for the present and future.
Keri Jones
Operations Coordinator / Supervisor
I started work with Alaska Works Partnership in 2015, after spending 15 years in the construction industry working as an office manager for an Elevator contractor. I enjoy my job because I like to help people and I get really excited when I see our participants get into good-paying careers in the construction industry. I also enjoy assisting transitioning Military and Veterans to discover new job opportunities and providing training to enhance their search for careers outside of the military. Also, my goal is to see more women accept the challenge of a career in the construction industry and embark on their journey into a nontraditional good paying career.
Tiffany Caudle
Training Coordinator
Hello and welcome! I have been part of the Alaska Works Partnership (AWP) family since September 2009 and I truly enjoy my career here. My background is in teaching and I have a passion for educating youth and adults and informing them about opportunities that can better their lives. It is extremely rewarding to be part of an organization that helps so many Alaskans find successful careers in construction through our training programs that lead them to apprenticeships, road-tripping and other avenues. I like helping youth and adults figure out which construction career path they will enjoy the most and succeed at. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my husband and daughter doing outdoor activities with our 3 dogs such as hiking, road tripping, and camping.
Nicole Pennie
Outreach
I first learned about Alaska Works right after I moved to Anchorage in February 2022 with my husband and 2 cats. I attended a Women in the Trades gathering and then a Power Tools and Carpentry training. I learned that while I enjoy working with my hands, my passion was more in outreach and less in roofing or plumbing. I love connecting with people and hearing about their dreams and goals and I am so excited to see them succeed in following those dreams and building successful careers in the construction trades.
I still like to build things around the house in my free time, explore this beautiful state, and chase salmon in the summer.
Mark Nasbaum
Administration
I joined the team at Alaska Works Partnership in 2016 and cannot imagine working anywhere else. The humble satisfaction that comes from being in a position that allows me to help others better their lives is second to none. The synergy that is found in working with all of our partners, and how the Alaska Works staff works so well together for positive outcomes is what I enjoy the most.
When I am not in the office, I can most likely be found outside with my wife and our dogs, exploring our great state and all it has to offer.
Derek Homme
Instructor
I am so excited to be a part of the Alaska Works Partnership team! I started with AWP in early 2023 as their Mat-Su Valley Representative and Instructor. I am a journeyman carpenter with 13 years of experience and also have extensive experience as a workforce development professional working for the State of Alaska, Department of Labor& Workforce Development. I graduated from UAA in 2017 with an Associate of Applied Sciences in General Business.
I am a musician in two heavy metal bands as a vocalist and guitar player. I am a lifelong Palmer resident and live there with my wife and two girls.
I am very appreciative to be part of the Alaska Works Partnership team and am committed to bringing our representation to the Mat-Su Valley. Please contact me if I can assist you with any of our trainings!
William Andrew
Instructor
While going to college I got a part-time job as a laborer on a roofing project. Once the project was completed, I knew what I wanted to do; I wanted to build! After starting my apprenticeship in 1995 and completing it in 1999, I then went on to become a part-time instructor for Southern Alaska Carpenter’s Training Center. In 2008 I traded in my tools for a classroom and shop with Alaska Works Partnership. I now build careers! The sense of accomplishment can't be described when I see former students graduate from their respective apprenticeships.
Jason Wall
Helmets to Hardhats Case Manager
I was born and raised in Portland Oregon. I enlisted in the Marine Corps from 2007 through 2015 and then enlisted in the Army from 2016 until September 2021. While in the Army I was stationed in JBER and fell in love with Alaska and all it has to offer so I decided to make it my permanent home. I currently attend Wayland Baptist University and I’m pursuing a BAS in Business Administration. I am passionate about helping Veterans transition back into civilian life by providing a means to a stable and worthwhile career in the trades.
Megan Gonzalez
Eligibility & Support Team
(907) 569-4721 | Megan@alaskaworks.org
I graduated in 2014 with an associate degree in Business Management. The urge to find a career that aligned with my passion for helping others is something that I have been working towards since. Alaska Works has given me the opportunity to do just that, and I couldn’t be happier. I look forward to helping others excel in life and work toward a better future.
In my spare time, I enjoy watching movies and getting outside with my son, and two dogs.
Gena Bolton
Fairbanks Office Administrator
I am a lifelong Alaskan and while I've lived in a few different communities around the state, the North Pole/Fairbanks area has been my home the longest. I worked for the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District for 15 years before recently joining the Alaska Works team. I am so happy to be here! I have lived the life of a construction worker's wife for the past 20+ years as I've watched my husband complete his apprenticeship and work towards a successful career with the Alaska Carpenters Training Trust.
I am so happy to have a chance to help people explore the many opportunities a career in the trades has to offer them, be it the benefits or the competitive pay. I believe educating people in trades helps them realize their potential and helps build a stronger, more capable community that is equipped with the resources to make our great state a better place to live and raise a family.
Wade Stark
Instructor
(907) 457-3762 | wstark@alaskaworks.org
In 1988, I joined the Local 1243 Carpenters Apprenticeship in Fairbanks. In 1992, I became a Journeyman Carpenter. From there, I was a Journeyman, Foreman, Instructor, and then the Training Coordinator for Local 1243. In 2008, I was hired by Alaska Works to be an Instructor. What I enjoy most about my job is giving others the same opportunity I had; a great career in the construction industry.
In my spare time, I like to hike, travel, and watch football and motor sports.
Alexis Cowell
Executive Director
Hello and welcome! I have been part of the Alaska Works Partnership (AWP) family since September 2009 and I truly enjoy my career here. My background is in teaching and I have a passion for educating youth and adults and informing them about opportunities that can better their lives. It is extremely rewarding to be part of an organization that helps so many Alaskans find successful careers in construction through our training programs that lead them to apprenticeships, road-tripping and other avenues. I like helping youth and adults figure out which construction career path they will enjoy the most and succeed at. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my husband and daughter doing outdoor activities with our 3 dogs such as hiking, road tripping, and camping.
Melody Austin
Office Manager
I have been with Alaska Works since 2004, when I started working in the Fairbanks office. I moved to the Anchorage office a few years later and am still here today! It has been a great experience to grow with Alaska Works throughout the years and to continue to be a part of the growth for the present and future.
Keri Jones
Operations Coordinator / Supervisor
(907) 569-4729 | keri@alaskaworks.org
I started work with Alaska Works Partnership in 2015, after spending 15 years in the construction industry working as an office manager for an Elevator contractor. I am the contact for all Women in the Trades and Helmets to Hardhats classes and outreach. I enjoy my job because I like to help people and I get really excited when I see our participants get into good-paying careers in the construction industry. I also enjoy assisting transitioning Military and Veterans to discover new job opportunities and providing training to enhance their search for careers outside of the military. Also, my goal is to see more women accept the challenge of a career in the construction industry and embark on their journey into a nontraditional good paying career.