KODIAK KINDNESS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Secretary / Social Media / Events
Alison is the mother of two rather spirited girls, Everly and Emerson. She is a born and bred Kodiak girl who is extremely happy to be home with her husband, Sean, raising their girls in the same amazing community they both grew up in. Alison benefited greatly from the KINDNESS program with both of her girls, and is passionate about seeing the program continue to support all Kodiak families in big and small ways in a very vulnerable time in life for both baby and new parents. In addition to keeping board records, Alison contributes her endless positive energy to KINDNESS by helping promote community awareness of the program by managing our social media platform and organizing fun-runs and baby crawl race events!
Betsy came to Kodiak in 2001 and despite attempts to continue traveling, the mountains, forest, ocean and community bonds kept her boots in Kodiak. She joined the KINDNESS team in early 2022. Betsy believes first-time motherhood is a time like no other and supporting mothers through the peaks and valleys of this unique time of life are essential to the health of the family. Celebrating successes and working through issues are more enjoyable with a helping hand. Betsy and her husband are raising two wild and crazy KINDNESS Project graduates in the forest outside of Kodiak.
Job Titles:
- Founder and Executive Director of the KINDNESS Project
- Service
Heather is the founder and executive director of the KINDNESS Project. Raised and schooled in Ontario, Canada, her career in public health nutrition and lactation support has taken her from the Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic to Mali, Malawi, Tanzania, Vancouver, British Columbia, and, finally, to Kodiak Island. She and her husband raised two Kodiak-born girls who have grown into strong Alaskan women. Heather is passionately committed to her most satisfying work of helping Kodiak families nourish their infants' bodies and souls.
Job Titles:
- Speech - Language Pathologist
Jennifer is a speech-language pathologist and the mother of two sprightly girls. Her family moved to Kodiak when their first baby was 3 months old, and she received so much invaluable help from KINDNESS that Jennifer wanted to give back by volunteering behind the scenes from 2014 to 2021. In 2021 she took on a more active role and is now our lead Peer Counselor for newborns. Jennifer enhances KINDNESS services with her knowledge and experience in oral-motor development. Jennifer loves connecting with and supporting KINDNESS parents now that her own kids are old enough to let her out of their sight!
Job Titles:
- Privacy Officer / Fundraising
Born and raised in the scorching Mojave Desert in California, from a young age Kim dreamed of living in Alaska. She and her husband worked hard to make that dream a reality, and in 2013 they moved to Kodiak with their 2-year-old son. She brings to our board years of experience as a Logistics Deputy Program Manager for the Department of the Navy. Kim has served more than 4 years on the Kodiak Women's Resource and Crisis Center Board of Directors, and more than 5 years on the Women's Bay Community Council, including 2 years as Chair. Son number two was born in Kodiak and KINDNESS helped with many aspects of infant feeding. The Sibrels love raising their 2 sons in Kodiak, and Kim feels privileged to be a part of an organization that is integral to creating a supportive environment for all Kodiak families. She hopes to build on the KINDNESS once shown to her own family.
Laura was raised in rural Idaho, but spent her early years in rural Alaska where her father was a dentist in the Public Health Service. She completed undergraduate and graduate degrees in Zoology at the University of Idaho, and medical school at the University of Washington. Her Family Practice residency in Duluth Minnesota included intensive training in obstetrical care. She arrived to Kodiak in September of 1998, fell in love with this community, and has since dedicated herself to providing quality health care to people of all ages. Laura benefited personally from breastfeeding support after the birth of her own child, and appreciates how KINDNESS fulfills an essential component of maternal child health care.
Sara is lover of her husband Jeff, mother to their son Baer and daughter Wren, and a transplanted Oregonian. Sara has been a part of the KINDNESS team since 2013. First moving to Kodiak to coordinate the WIC program, Sara immediately heard of the beloved KINDNESS Project and was excited to be able to join the team shortly after her arrival. She is passionate about all things to do with food, and loves being able to encourage fellow mommas as they offer first tastes and bites to their own "littles"! Sara teaches our monthly infant nutrition class and is the lead KINDNESS coach for older babies (6 months +). If she's not in the kitchen creating, she is in mountains, in the pool, or on her bike.
Steve Dougherty is IT support for the KINDNESS Project. Raised in California, he joined the Marine Corps after graduation and took his lifelong love of computers along with him. After his service, he started a career in the Oilfields of Wyoming/Utah and provided computer support while back at the shop. Moving his family to Kodiak, he restarted a career in Healthcare Informatics. He now supports his wife and 6 children in the wondrous beauty of Kodiak Island. Steve's expertise in data analytics were indispensible when KINDNESS published an article in a peer-reviewed journal in 2019. Starting in late 2020, Steve built the KINDNESS IT system from the ground up and continues to ensure it runs smoothly for our 24/7 operations.