Center for Economic Development

Christi Bell, Executive Director
		Ms. Christi Bell is the Director of the University Alaska Center for Economic Development. Through this position she provides technical assistance to community-based organizations engaged in economic development activities throughout Alaska. Assistance efforts include strategic planning, feasibility studies, business planning and non-profit corporation business counseling. She holds a Master of Business degree and a Master of Science degree in Resource Management, both from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. In addition to education, Ms. Bell brings many years of business and management consulting experience to the UACED.

Andrew Crow, Consultant and Cooperative Program Manager
		Andrew Crow has worked in Alaska and the Russian Far East since 1989. He has a BA in Russian Language and a law degree and is a member of the Alaska Bar Association. Andrew also has experience working in rural Alaska, and with Alaska Natives. He practiced law with a firm with a large client base is southwest Alaska and Bristol Bay, worked as a commercial fisherman in Bristol Bay, served as an Americorp VISTA volunteer for the Lower Yukon Economic Development Council, and acted as staff for the Governor’s Commission on Rural Governance.Mr. Crow worked extensively in the Russian Far East.. Currently, he manages the Alaska Cooperative Development Program, a project funded by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Judith Merry, Administrative Assistant
		Judi began working at UAA in 2002, first with the American Russian Center then moving to ISER in 2003 with the Russian Far East / Chukotka Development Program. Judi has experience in administrative and accounting, working for various government agencies and private businesses. She earned a Bachelors of Education from the University of Alaska Anchorage in 1987. She has taught in public and private schools at levels K-12 including a year in China teaching English language and American culture to Chinese high school students. Judi works for both ISER and CED helping to maintain administrative and financial systems.

Linda Ketchum, Entrepreneurship Training Center Coordinator
		Ms. Linda Ketchum is the Coordinator of UACED’s Entrepreneurship Training Center. In this role, she develops and delivers training, organizes education events, and promotes coordination and collaboration of statewide efforts. Ms. Ketchum also teaches Social Entrepreneurship in UAA’s MPA program. She holds a liberal arts degree from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and a Master of Education degree in Adult Education from the University of Alaska Anchorage. Over the years, she has worked and volunteered in a variety of leadership roles in Alaska’s nonprofit sector.

Joseph Davis, Entrepreneurship Training Coordinator
		Joseph Davis is the Entrepreneurship Training Coordinator managing ROPE, the Rural Outreach Programs and Education program piloting in southeast Alaskan communities. The purpose of ROPE is to learn the needs of small community businesses, to network resources for supporting those businesses, and to provide workshops as well as a website and online mentoring. Joseph’s background includes experience in business, education, and technology, as well as 20 years living in the bush working in local businesses, teaching all grade levels through college, and working with state and Native agencies. Prior to joining the Center for Economic Development, Joseph provided business and technology workshops to bush clients. rope@uaa.alaska.edu


Will Fischer, VISTA for the Center for Economic Development
		Will Fischer is from Columbia, Tennessee, a city about 45 minutes south of Nashville. He is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University where he received a BA in History. Prior to beginning work with the Center Will taught 9th grade English/Literature in the Recovery School District of New Orleans and served in the US Marine Corps Reserve. The majority of Will’s other professional experience has been with Democratic politics, working in DC on the Hill and also working on political campaigns in Tennessee.


Ann Marbourg, VISTA member
		Ann Marbourg graduated from the University of Missouri in 2005 with a BA in anthropology. Ann worked as a tutor through college assisting children with reading and mathematics and university student with mathematics, physics, and chemistry. Ann has also worked abroad teaching Chinese students English and American culture. Ann’s major interest is in feasible methods of reducing generational poverty

Keith Colm, AmeriCorps*VISTA Leader
		Keith is a fourth year VISTA member. He has served one year VISTA terms with the National Society for American Indian Elderly, Assets for Arizona Institute and a term as a VISTA Leader with the Ohio American Red Cross VISTA Project. Keith attended the University of Kentucky and the University of Central Florida. He received a degree in Entertainment Management from the Art Institute of Atlanta. Keith is a resident of Florida.

Cami Woolen, Alaska Business Monthly Student Research Associate
		Cami Woolam currently works as a research assistant for the Center for Economic Development, compiling trend data that is published in the Alaska Business Monthly magazine. Cami is a senior at the University of Alaska Anchorage, majoring in Economics with a minor in Mathematics. In the rare moments between schoolwork and regular work, Cami takes time to mountain bike, hike, and experiment in the kitchen.