About Alaska Geographic

Creating deeper connections to Alaska’s
public lands for over 60 years

Since 1959, Alaska Geographic has been the nonprofit education partner of Alaska’s spectacular national parks, forests, refuges, and conservation lands.

MISSION

Alaska Geographic connects people to Alaska’s public lands through the creation and delivery of educational products and programs.

VISION

People inspired by Alaska Geographic’s programs and products experiencing, protecting and championing Alaska’s public lands.

2024 Blackstone Bay and Stewardship
Johnson Pass Alaska
WHO WE ARE

Welcome to Alaska Geographic

Founded in 1959 as the Mount McKinley Natural History Association, we began by providing educational materials about Mt. McKinley National Park. By the 1970s, our mission expanded to include all Alaska national parks, becoming the Alaska Natural History Association in 1978 as we partnered with federal agencies like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

In the 1980s and 1990s, we grew our presence statewide, opening offices and partnering with agencies like the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. By 1998, we launched our first website and began collaborating on educational projects with the National Park Service.

The 2000s marked significant milestones, including a merger with the Denali Institute, introducing hands-on education programs in Denali National Park and Chugach and Tongass National Forests. In 2008, we rebranded as Alaska Geographic (AK Geo) to reflect our broad scope of services.

Today, AK Geo operates over 30 retail outlets and continues to provide transformative outdoor education across Alaska, fostering connections between people and Alaska’s public lands.

Our 36 stores in visitor centers across Alaska are education gateways to Alaska’s parks, forests, and refuges. We offer the best books, trail guides, maps, and unique local gifts to better understand and remember the awe-inspiring places you visit. Visit our online store for pre-trip planning and post-trip memories. Revenue from our store sales is returned to the public lands to support education programs, stewardship projects, and youth programs.

The Alaska Geographic Anchorage and Denali Education programs foster deeper connections to Alaska’s wild places and inspire people to engage as stewards of their public lands. Our programs work in close partnership with public lands leaders, local experts, and cultural leaders. Visit the Education pages to learn about our youth engagement programs, adult and teacher courses, and custom educational services.

We are proud to partner with the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Land Management. Our retail interpretive stores and educational services have provided over $24 million in support donations to our agency partners and funded thousands of local youth in education, leadership, and career programs. We also partner with many local and corporate businesses and school districts wishing to foster greater stewardship and youth enrichment associated with Alaska’s vast public lands.

ALASKA GEOGRAPHIC

Strategic Plan 2024-2027

We connect people to Alaska’s public lands through educational products and programs. Our plan focuses on enhancing resources, expanding education, diversifying revenue, fostering organizational excellence, and strengthening board leadership. In partnership, we honor Alaska’s Indigenous heritage and inspire the protection of these lands for future generations.

Alaska Geographic makes Alaska’s public lands more accessible to everyone & keeps them wild for future generations.

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EDUCATION

Take a course in Alaska’s wildest classrooms!

Alaska Geographic offers high-quality learning experiences. Popular multi-day field courses immerse participants in intensive wilderness-based experiences led by experts in fields ranging from geology and birds to mosses, mammals, and more.

Our Staff

Andy Hall

Executive Director

Brian Belger

Chief Operating Officer

Rachael Eggleston

Chief Marketing and Communications Officer

Mark Bailey

Regional Operations Manager

Steve Brown

Regional Ops Manager & Warehouse Coordinator

Liz Munns

Regional Operations Manager

Joey Sirois

Project Manager

Karen Bente

Office Administrator

Morgen Enderle

Office Administrator

Jess Brillhart

Field Course Coordinator

Kaia Fihn

Education Program Manager

Natasha Daney

Education Program Coordinator

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Andy Hall , Executive Director – Andy is a lifelong Alaskan who was born in Sitka and spent his early years in Mt. McKinley National Park where his father was superintendent. Andy spent many years as a journalist, editor and publisher working at newspapers around Alaska. For 16 years he was the editor and publisher of Alaska Magazine and general manager of The Milepost. He is the author of Denali’s Howl, The Deadliest Climbing Disaster on America’s Wildest Peak, published by Penguin Random House in 2014. He served on the Alaska Geographic Board of Directors for nine years from 2005 to 2014. He has been Alaska Geographic’s Executive Director since February of 2018.

Brian Belger is the Chief Operating Officer at Alaska Geographic, where he leads operational strategy and partnerships to support public lands conservation and education across Alaska. He brings deep expertise in organizational leadership, retail development and improvement, human resources, and non-profit sustainability. Brian is committed to working with our public land partners to connect people to Alaska’s parks, forests, and conservation lands. In his free time, you can find him hiking and exploring public lands across the country with his daughter and wife.

Rachael Eggleston, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer – Rachael brings over a decade of experience with Alaska Geographic, where she has led retail, marketing, development, publishing, and brand strategy. As Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, she focuses on driving retail growth, visibility, and educational outreach. She works closely with our teams and public land partners to create content and campaigns that inspire, educate, and invite action. Whether developing a new publication, launching a campaign, or mentoring a teammate, she’s motivated by the belief that meaningful connections can lead to lasting stewardship. She’s proud to contribute to an organization that shares her passion for environmental education, broadening access to public lands and protecting Alaska’s most inspiring places. Outside of work, Rachael can be found hiking, camping, pack rafting, tending her garden, or getting crafty with a new project. She’s an avid reader who believes you can never have too many books or mugs. Rachael shares her home with her husband, Galen, and their very good dog, Lupine, who are always ready for the next adventure.

Mark Bailey, Regional Operations Manager – Mark is responsible for retail operations at several of our locations across the state, including Denali National Park, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Lake Clark National Park, and our store within the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center. Mark was born and raised in Alaska. His first job out of high school was at the Kantishna Roadhouse in Denali National Park. Being in the wilderness for a summer sparked his love for public lands, especially Denali. Mark graduated from the University of Alaska Anchorage with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Economics. Mark’s professional experience includes time in the oil industry, politics, state government, and as a small business owner before joining Alaska Geographic in 2022. When not on the job, Mark enjoys spending time with his wife and son at home, camping, or fishing.

Steve Brown, Regional Operations Manager & Warehouse Coordinator – Steve is the Regional Operations Manager for seven of the Alaska Geographic stores around the state, including the online webstore at akgeo.org.  He is also the coordinator for the Anchorage warehouse, overseeing the incoming and outgoing of products both for the web store as well as some products which are passing though to other Alaska Geographic stores. He came to Alaska Geographic with 37 years of experience managing and selling Alaska-themed books to the largest retailers in the state of Alaska.

Liz Munns, Regional Operations Manager – Liz manages the retail operations for eight different sites throughout Alaska Geographic’s network. She has a B.S. in Parks & Recreation Management from Western Carolina University and an M.S. in Experiential Education from Minnesota State University – Mankato. She has worked as a classroom teacher, seasonally for USFS (developed recreation), and in other visitor service positions throughout Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado.  Liz considers the Appalachian Mountains (specifically the Smokies) her home, but she loves her life in Alaska! Her biggest joys are picking berries, rockhounding, and spending time with her loved ones. When she’s not at work, her two labrador retrievers usually boss her around.

Joey Sirois, Project Manager – Joey originally joined Alaska Geographic as part of the education team doing program coordinating but has now moved onto the creative team via his role as a project manager. His background is in trail construction, volunteer/community engagement, and program management. He has a degree in Outdoor Studies from Alaska Pacific University where he focused on program development and risk management. 

Karen Bente, Office Administrator (herder of cats) – Born and raised in Wisconsin, Karen came to Alaska via Florida and the Navy. She has been in Alaska for over 40 years and married for 30 years. She has two children, seven grandchildren and one great grandchild. There is one additional son and three more grandchildren on her husband’s side. All in all, they are spread from Fairbanks to Portland, OR. Karen’s 30 years of progressively responsible office positions made her the ideal candidate for this unique position. Karen works with all of AK Geo including our full-time and seasonal staff, our board of directors, our partners, our donors, our vendors, and anyone who calls or comes through the door. If Karen doesn’t have the answer she will find it.

Morgen, Office Administrator – Morgen was born and raised in Alaska, bringing a wealth of local experience and perspective to the team. Originally from Fairbanks, she spent 10 years living in Utqiaġvik (Barrow) before moving to Anchorage in 2021. She’s eager to apply her background and skills to support Alaska Geographic’s mission and collaborate with colleagues across the organization. Outside of work, Morgen enjoys spending time outdoors and baking for friends and family.

Jess Brillhart, Field Course Coordinator – Jess has worked as an educator in several national parks but has called Denali home for many years.  She loves getting people out into the park by coordinating Alaska Geographic’s multi-day courses based out of a field camp near the Teklanika River. She oversees instructor scheduling, university accreditation, registration, and participant communication – ensuring smooth operations and meaningful experiences from start to finish. One of the most rewarding parts of her work is collaborating with scientists and connecting them with the amazing people who participate in our courses every summer.

Kaia Fihn, Outreach Coordinator and Education Coordinator – Kaia joined the Alaska Geographic team in May 2023 as a Backpacking and Stewardship Instructor, leading 13–18 year-old Alaskan youth on transformative expeditions across Alaska’s public lands. After two summers in the field, she stepped into the Anchorage Education Outreach Coordinator role in September 2024. In this position, Kaia has worked to strengthen our alumni community by fostering ongoing connections and engagement with past program participants. She also leads various outreach efforts—including writing newsletters, attending community events, supporting social media efforts, and assisting with recruitment for our Teen Expeditions—to expand awareness of our programs and deepen community involvement. Additionally, Kaia coordinates our education programs, including the Watershed Education Program, Fairbanks Outdoor Days, and our Teen Expeditions, helping youth engage with Alaska’s public lands through hands-on learning and explore careers in public land stewardship. Kaia brings passion and a deep commitment to youth development, outdoor education, and environmental stewardship to her role here at Alaska Geographic.

Natasha, Education Program Coordinator – Growing up in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, Natasha has always loved going on adventures in beautiful outdoor spaces with friends, family, and dogs!

Natasha loves combining her love for the outdoors with principles of stewardship in guiding, personal endeavors, and research- whether rock climbing in the desert, packrafting in the mountains, or using her degree in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability to teach environmental education to youth.

Over the last few years, Natasha has worked as a backpacking instructor for Alaska Geographic, taught place- based environmental science, researched climate change in arctic Alaska, and completed a thesis focusing on inclusivity and accessibility to outdoor recreational spaces and opportunities. Natasha is thrilled to share her knowledge and passion for the outdoors while ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for everyone. Natasha lives in Anchorage, Alaska and is a Wilderness First Responder.

bio coming soon
bio coming soon
Shandon Palmer, Staff Accountant – bio coming soon

Caitlyn Tetterton, Anchorage Education Director – Caitlyn is an outdoor education professional with over a decade of experience designing and leading impactful education programs, managing risk in dynamic expedition environments, and fostering strong partnerships to deepen community connection to public lands. At Alaska Geographic, she develops place-based education programs that inspire both local youth and visitors, with a focus on making the outdoors more approachable and accessible, empowering the next generation of leaders, and setting a high standard for risk management. Her leadership is rooted in a people-first philosophy that values growth, empowerment, and fostering engaging environments. Caitlyn holds a B.S. in Outdoor Recreation & Education from Ohio University, is a Wilderness First Responder, and holds certifications in Avalanche Level 1, Swiftwater Rescue, ACA Level 2 Sea Kayak Instructing, and is a Leave No Trace Instructor. She stays fresh with the younger generations by teaching skiing at Alyeska on the weekends and leading teen canoe expeditions in California each fall. When she’s not working, she’s usually on a mountain bike, skiing in the backcountry, at a thrift store, or chasing after her senior (and formerly rejected) sled dog.