Join us for an in-depth discussion on the progress, challenges, and strategies the Municipality and its partners are using to address homelessness in our community.
March 20 - Day 1
Offers a view into the Coordinated Entry (CE) system used to track those experiencing homelessness from their first interaction with service providers through their journey to stable housing. CE professionals will complete their annual training and others can glean insights from the data and experiences of those walking through the process.
9:00 AM - Opening Reception. Energize over a cup of Kaladi's coffee.
9:30 AM - Welcome & Plenary Session. Warm up to a person-centered response.
10:30 AM - Coordinated Entry: Designing a system that puts people first.
11:20 AM - From the Ground Up. Youth share their housing journey.
12:15 PM - Lunch. A panel discussion on homelessness and health over a meal from Bean's Café.
2:00 PM - Street Outreach: Taking it to the people. A panel on CE in the field.
3:00 PM - Parallel Tracks. Take the CE annual training
OR Explore exits to housing
4:00 PM - Wrap Up. Close with food for thought for Day 2.
Speakers
Listed in order of appearance.
Meg Zaletel is a dedicated public servant, advocate, and leader committed to improving the lives of Anchorage residents. She currently serves as the executive director of the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness, where she works to develop strategic, community-driven solutions to address homelessness and housing insecurity. With a strong background in law and public policy, Meg brings a deep understanding of the systemic challenges that impact vulnerable populations and is committed to fostering collaborative efforts to create lasting change.
Meg's expertise extends beyond policy and advocacy; she is a trained attorney with a passion for justice and community well-being. Her work is driven by a belief in pragmatic solutions, evidence-based decision-making, and the power of community partnerships to tackle complex issues. Meg also loves to garden and bake and has been known to make a wedding cake or two decorated with homegrown edible flowers.
Mac Lyons is the Systems Integration Director for Anchorage Coalition to End homelessness and has been with the organization for 5 years. Mac graduated from UAA in 2013 and has been working in the field of social work for 11 years.
Laura Cox-Wilson has dedicated 16 years to serving Anchorage’s most vulnerable populations, specializing in supportive housing, homelessness services, and reentry initiatives. As director of supportive housing at NeighborWorks Alaska, she leads efforts to expand access to permanent supportive housing and HUD-funded programs, ensuring equitable and sustainable housing solutions.
With a deep commitment to system-level improvements, Laura has served on the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness (ACEH) Board of Directors and is an active member of the Homelessness Prevention and Response System (HPRS) Advisory Council. In her role as chair of the HPRS Coordinated Entry Committee, she champions a streamlined, provider-friendly Coordinated Entry system, emphasizing housing-first principles and strong community partnerships to improve access and outcomes for individuals experiencing homelessness.
Her leadership is driven by a commitment to equity, collaboration, and long-term solutions, ensuring that Anchorage’s homelessness response system effectively meets the needs of those it serves.
Michaela Franklin serves as a Coordinated Entry specialist with the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness with a focus on transition-aged youth, or TAY. She holds a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Alaska Anchorage and has experience working in child welfare and domestic violence services. Michaela is passionate about community and advocacy, working to amplify the voices of youth and ensure they receive resources to thrive.
Parinita Shetty is program director for Supportive Housing at Volunteers of America Alaska. She is a mental health clinician and oversees VOA’s transition-aged youth services, which include housing, behavioral health and employment.
Michelle Baker, executive vice president of Behavioral Health Services for Southcentral Foundation, is of Yup’ik and Caucasian descent and a Bristol Bay Native Corporation shareholder. Michelle was born and raised in Koliganek, Alaska, and is a University of Alaska Fairbanks graduate with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Business Administration. She has worked in Behavioral Health Services for 25 years.
Lisa Aquino is CEO of Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center, a federally qualified health center (FQHC) dedicated to providing health care to the most vulnerable in our community. As the CEO of Alaska’s largest and longest serving FQHC, Lisa is passionate about ensuring everyone in our community has access to affordable, high-quality primary health care.
Lisa holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Anthropology from the University of California and a Master of Health Science degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health. A lifelong Alaskan, she grew up on Anchorage’s east side and graduated from Bartlett High School. She previously served as the CEO of Catholic Social Services, chaired the Healthy Alaskans 2020 initiative, and led the State of Alaska’s Arthritis and Tobacco Prevention and Control programs. For several years, Lisa and her family lived in Cape Town, South Africa, where she was a youth program coordinator for the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation.
Ziona Brownlow, Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness’ healthcare integration director, leads ACEH’s Healthcare and Homelessness Initiative. They were born and raised in Anchorage and use lived expertise to find innovative responses to community needs. Prior to joining the Coalition, Ziona founded a mutual aid organization fighting hunger and has worked with clients in a myriad of capacities and settings including hospitals, shelters and libraries.
June Lauina-Ponitini serves as referral & eligibility coordinator for the Complex Care facility operated by Catholic Social Services. June conducts in-person outreach, intakes and follow-ups/updates on referrals that are submitted to Complex Care.
Liam Salter began his work in behavioral health back in 1986 with rural youth residential treatment centers in Ontario, Canada. He had a stint in British Columbia working in schools and community programs before coming to Alaska in 1999. After positions with NorthStar Behavioral Health and AK Children Services, he settled in at Southcentral Foundation, where he has worked for 23 years. His SCF career has taken him from the Pathway Home to case management and urgent response to waiver care. He currently works as a community resource specialist.
Karl Soderstrom (CDC-S), is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of True North Recovery. The vision of True North Recovery is people healed, and communities strengthened and systems transformed. Karl’s passion comes from his own lived experience in recovery and hopes to see services for addiction, mental illness and co-occurring disorders available the same day, and that our behavioral health landscape shifts to partnership, and inclusion while implements authentic peer-based supports. Karl is a fierce advocate for peer led models and strives to see lived experience throughout the decision making tree. Karl spends his free time with Ashley and son Kye enjoying fishing, boating and adventuring the great outdoors of Alaska.
Jessica Parks is chief operations officer for the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness.
Jackson Hayes is a medic with SALA who regularly participates in street outreach to camps and at popup events.
Mike Hill is the outreach and housing navigation specialist at the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness. Mike is dedicated to meeting people where they are and says: “I love my job.”
Michelle Jett is outreach associate program manager at Covenant House Alaska.
Morgan Scherrer leads the AmeriCorps team stationed with the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness. She graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a double major in international business and Spanish, and an emphasis on criminology. Morgan has six years of search and rescue experience in Colorado, and was a translator and advocate at an immigration and criminal defense firm in Denver prior to joining AmeriCorps.
Thea Agnew Bemben is a Special Assistant to Mayor LaFrance, working to reduce homelessness and improve safety, health, and wellbeing for everyone in Anchorage. She does this by helping translate the Mayor’s priorities into strategies and actions, and working with municipal departments, the Assembly, and community partners to implement them. Thea grew up in Anchorage and has spent the last 29 years working with communities all around Alaska, including Anchorage, to improve health and well-being. She came to the Mayor’s office from a leadership position at Agnew::Beck, the community development consulting firm she started with her colleagues in 2002. Thea is excited to turn that experience into action to benefit her hometown, working with the Mayor and the awesome team she has brought together.
Farina Brown is a Special Assistant to Mayor LaFrance, working to reduce homelessness and improve safety, health, and wellbeing for everyone in Anchorage. Farina joins the Mayor’s Office from the Rasmuson Foundation, where she is a Program Officer overseeing the foundation’s homelessness initiatives. She previously served as the Deputy Director of the State of Alaska’s Division of Behavioral Health. In her role in the Mayor’s Office, Farina works to advance key administration priorities to address homelessness and promote community health and safety.
David Canavan served for more than two decades as a provider of community development technical assistance for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He worked with hundreds of HUD grantees around the country and led implementation of Homeless Management Information Systems to provide reliable outcome measures and design solutions that work. His expertise extends to disaster response, information security, governance and more.
Meg Zaletel is executive director of the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness.
March 21 - Day 2
Convenes community leaders, policymakers, service providers, and neighbors from across the Municipality to coordinate and discuss a person-centered, sustainable response to homelessness.
9:00 AM - Opening Reception. Energize over a cup of Kaladi's coffee.
9:30 AM - Welcome & Community Insights. Ground the day's actions in community feedback.
10:30 AM - Mayor's Priorities. A vision from Mayor LaFrance's Office
12:15 PM - Lunch. A conversation exploring lived experience over a meal from Turkish Delight.
1:15 PM - How to Get Engaged World Café. A series of action-oriented community connections. Session audio will not be livestreamed.
- How to engage in homelessness policy making
- Listening as an act of service
- Developing housing and shelter on church land
- How to support youth and young adults experiencing homelessness
- Community volunteer opportunities at shelters
- Get involved in eviction diversion and prevention
- Education and awareness reentry, and its relationship to housing and homelessness
- How to provide employment opportunities for people exiting homelessness
2:00 PM - Press Availability. Program hosts available for comment.
3:15 PM - A forward look. A panel of partners looking toward the horizon.
4:00 PM - Wrap Up. Final reflections and calls to action.
Speakers
Listed in order of appearance.
Shirley Mae Springer Staten is the Executive Director of Keys to Life Alaska, a non-profit organization founded in 2015 to empower, create and strengthen an inclusive community through rich arts and cross-cultural experiences.
Keys to Life Alaska runs the Hiland Mountain Lullaby Project which brings together teaching artists and prison inmates to create lullabies for the children of the inmates. Over a span of 13 years, hundreds of teachers benefited from her integral role in coordinating their participation in Alaska Native culture camps for the Alaska Humanities Forum Cross-Cultural Immersion Program. For five years, underprivileged students in the Home Base After School Program (which Shirley Mae envisioned, procured funding for, and directed) found themselves writing and publishing books, learning musical instruments, making professional videos and even traveling to Ghana, Africa. Shirley Mae planned, developed and coordinated over 2,000 Cultural Performances at the 1995 NGO International Conference which 36,000 women attended.
The impacts of Shirley Mae’s work in Alaska are far-reaching and long-lasting: from the at-risk student who became a teacher instead of quitting school, to incarcerated mothers who expressed their vulnerabilities and love for their children through music, to scores of travelers who experienced places like Cuba, Africa, and Russia on trips she designed and coordinated.
Mayor Suzanne LaFrance grew up in Palmer, Alaska and is a proud graduate of Alaska’s public schools. She lives in South Anchorage with her husband Dave Hemstreet, their three kids, and their puppy. Mayor LaFrance served two terms on the Anchorage Assembly, including two years as Chair. She brings over 25 years of private sector experience, managing budgets, projects, and people. Mayor LaFrance received a bachelor's degree from the University of Portland and a master's degree from Purdue University. She has volunteered for Great Alaska Schools and has led local scout troops. Mayor LaFrance has lived in Anchorage for over 25 years and is proudly serving as Mayor.
Assembly Chair Christopher Constant represents District 1, North Anchorage on the Anchorage Assembly, where he has lived since 1998. Professionally, Christopher is a licensed real estate agent as well as a Grants and Contracts Director for a statewide nonprofit substance abuse and behavioral health treatment provider. During his past involvement with the Fairview Community Council, including two terms as President, Christopher successfully led an effort to improve public safety in his neighborhood which was the catalyst that led him to consider serving as an Assembly Member. Christopher is a strong supporter for improving key infrastructure, strong schools and advocating for intensive services needed by Anchorage's homeless population. Perseverance is a quality that he admires most as can be seen by his favorite quote from The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho, “The secret of life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times."
Kameron Perez-Verdia represents District 3, West Anchorage on the Anchorage Assembly. Kameron was born and raised in Alaska, growing up the community of Utqiaġvik, Alaska. Prior to his service on the Anchorage Assembly, Kameron served on the Anchorage School Board for four years, serving both as vice president and president. With an extensive history in the local non-profit world, helping to build stronger and healthier communities is an intrinsic part of who Kameron Perez-Verdia is. Currently he serves as the President and CEO of a local non-profit organization founded in 1972 that brings Alaskans together to think critically to ultimately build and strengthen communities. Kameron holds a Batchelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Puget Sound and an M.B.A from the Daniels College of Business at University of Denver. He is an outdoor enthusiast and enjoys exploring Alaska with his wife and two young daughters.
Randy Sulte represents District 6, South Anchorage, Girdwood and the Turnagain Arm on the Anchorage Assembly. Raised in St. Petersburg, Florida, Randy married his college sweetheart, a Service High Graduate, and moved to Anchorage in 2004 to raise their four children. Randy is a private pilot and enjoys exploring all that Alaska has to offer. He enjoys hiking, biking and watching his children compete in sports. Anchorage is his home and he is deeply invested in the community. Having always lived in District 6 Randy volunteered for Hill Top Ski Area, Bay Shore Klatt Community Patrol and Rilke Schule among others programs.
Thea Agnew Bemben is a Special Assistant to Mayor LaFrance, working to reduce homelessness and improve safety, health, and wellbeing for everyone in Anchorage. She does this by helping translate the Mayor’s priorities into strategies and actions, and working with municipal departments, the Assembly, and community partners to implement them. Thea grew up in Anchorage and has spent the last 29 years working with communities all around Alaska, including Anchorage, to improve health and well-being. She came to the Mayor’s office from a leadership position at Agnew::Beck, the community development consulting firm she started with her colleagues in 2002. Thea is excited to turn that experience into action to benefit her hometown, working with the Mayor and the awesome team she has brought together.
Farina Brown is a Special Assistant to Mayor LaFrance, working to reduce homelessness and improve safety, health, and wellbeing for everyone in Anchorage. Farina joins the Mayor’s Office from the Rasmuson Foundation, where she is a Program Officer overseeing the foundation’s homelessness initiatives. She previously served as the Deputy Director of the State of Alaska’s Division of Behavioral Health. In her role in the Mayor’s Office, Farina works to advance key administration priorities to address homelessness and promote community health and safety.
Natasha Aġnaŋuluuraq Gamache, an Iñupiaq and Yup’ik woman from Nome, Alaska, carries a deep connection to her heritage. Her Iñupiaq name, meaning “little woman,” was given to her by her great-grandmother. She is a devoted mother of seven children: Canyon, Makayla, Dakota, Denali, Rylie, Logan, and Raven.
A proud veteran and DVSA survivor, Natasha has been in long-term recovery for 14 years from alcoholism and substance misuse. After experiencing chronic homelessness following her discharge from the Army in 1999, she achieved permanent housing in 2024 and continues to build a stable and meaningful life.
Currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Rural Development from University of Alaska Fairbanks, Natasha is committed to advocating for social justice and cultural preservation. Her lived experiences have shaped her passion for fostering community relationships and supporting individuals in their development and growth of resilience. She aspires to empower others by fostering strength, healing, and a sense of belonging within her community.
David Canavan served for more than two decades as a provider of community development technical assistance for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He worked with hundreds of HUD grantees around the country and led implementation of Homeless Management Information Systems to provide reliable outcome measures and design solutions that work. His expertise extends to disaster response, information security, governance and more.
Meg Zaletel is executive director of the Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness.
Allison Kear moved to Alaska in 1994 and discovered her purpose when she began volunteering with Covenant House Alaska. Her tenacity, ability to make connections, and her refusal to take no for an answer ultimately propelled Alison to the position of executive director in 2012. In a time of recession, in 2010, Alison successfully raised enough capital to construct a new building and youth center for CHA, inspiring many with her conviction, courage, and leadership.
Alison values learning and has a master’s degree from Alaska Pacific University. In 2019, she was among 15 leaders selected from across the U.S. for the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Children and Family Fellowship, a 21-month leadership program.
Alison is respected and valued in Alaska and across the country as a truly compassionate thought leader with a relentless commitment to helping the most vulnerable of our society. Over the years, she has been recognized for her efforts, and is the recipient of many awards, including the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce’s Athena Award, the YWCA Woman of Achievement Award, and the Rasmuson Foundation’s Sabbatical Award. Alison has also dedicated her time and energy to Special Olympics Alaska, Soroptimist International of Cook Inlet, Alzheimer’s Association, Breast Cancer fundraising, and YWCA Alaska. She loves to spend time with her best friend and devoted Goldendoodle, Charley.
Robin Dempsey is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Catholic Social Services. Robin has worked at CSS for more than nine years in roles including Interim CEO and Chief Program Officer. Robin earned her master’s degree in clinical counseling from Southern New Hampshire University, with a thesis on trauma-informed care in homeless service settings. Robin has brought extensive experience around trauma-informed practices and critical time intervention through her background in clinical counseling.
A key focus of this Summit is action! Our community is facing some big challenges, and it seems overwhelming at times, but if we all do our part, we can support our neighbors and work to make our community a better place. We've created a list of our partner organizations that are participating in Anchorage's Coordinated Response to Homelessness Summit and have opportunities for donations, volunteering and resource sharing.
If you or someone you know requires accommodations to fully participate, please submit your request to Assembly Legislative Services by March 18, 2025.