Boards and Staff

Statewide Youth Leadership Board 2019-2021

Facing Foster Care in Alaska is led by a Statewide Youth Leadership Board (YLB) of foster youth and alumni, elected every two years by FFCA Members aged 15-24. The YLB plans and facilitates statewide youth leadership retreats and conferences, training for child welfare staff and caregivers, offers support and mentorship to members across the state, and sets the tone of policy advocacy efforts on behalf of FFCA.

Anna Redmon
Statewide Representative

Anna joined FFCA as a member in 2010 at the age of 15. She spent time bouncing in and out of foster care in Anchorage. Anna was inspired by the idea that youth could have influence in improving foster care and lean on one another for support. As Statewide Representative, Anna brings a wealth of lived expertise as well as, advocacy and facilitation skills. She has facilitated training for hundreds of child welfare staff, caregivers, mentors, and legal parties. Anna has shared her experience with policymakers and advocated for the passage of a number of legislative items to improve the system for children and families across Alaska. She regularly offers support to members across the state and manages FFCA's Direct to Youth Grants and COVID Relief programming.

Adu Wassilie
Western Representative

Adu joined FFCA in 2018, and was appointed to the Statewide Youth Leadership Board in 2022 to Represent the Western region of Alaska. Adu lives and works in Bethel. He graduated from the Kuskokwim Learning Academy and currently works as a Teacher Aide. Adu dreams of making a difference by educating youth in foster care about the their experiences.

Eva Denison
Northern Representative

Eva spent 4 years in foster care in Fairbanks and throughout Alaska before aging out of the system. She has been involved with FFCA since 2012. Eva is passionate about teaching foster youth skills to be advocates on behalf of themselves and others. She is the Office Manager at the Fairbanks North Star Borough and she is a member of the Air National Guard. Eva stepped up to be a Representative on the FFCA Youth Leadership Board to help grow efforts and outreach to foster youth in the northern-most communities of Alaska.

Abigail Redmon
Anchorage Representative

Abbey was eager to join FFCA as a member as soon as she turned 15. She was inspired by watching her older siblings spend years improving outcomes for foster youth as members of FFCA. Abbey’s experience of being placed in foster care 5 separate times all while moving through 22 foster care placements has driven her to want to improve the system for those who come after her. Abbey is one of the youngest of 12 siblings, she is closely in on her High School Diploma, and enjoys dance, yoga, and volunteering with her Big from Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Tristan Thompson Anchorage Representative

Tristan joined FFCA as a member in 2016 at the age of 19. Tristan has a strong desire to advocate for youth across the state as he knows all too well the challenges of aging out of foster care. He spent 7 years in foster care in the Matsu Valley before aging out of the foster care system himself. Tristan graduated from Job Corps with a certification in Building Construction Technology, and currently
works for South Central Foundation. Tristan is serving his second term on the FFCA Youth Leadership Board as an Anchorage Representative.

Skye McCaa
Northern
Representative

Skye spent 5 years in foster care before being adopted. She joined FFCA as a member passionate about connecting with those who have similar experiences and helping others in worse situations than she was. Skye cares deeply about animals, and making the foster care system better for all youth. She is interested in becoming a Social Worker. Skye finds joy in helping others and making other people happy.

Mateo Jaime
Community Relations Liaison

Mateo Jaime aged out of foster care at 21, after moving through through 9 foster care placements. Mateo is an active member of FFCA, and was appointed by the Youth Board in 2020 as the Community Relations Specialist. He serves as the Youth Liaison on the FFCA legal committee focusing on legislation and ways to further shape child welfare policy through the lens of his lived-expertise. Mateo is an honor student at University of Alaska Anchorage majoring in Music and Legal Studies. He works for Anchorage Youth Court. Mateo is a staunch advocate for allowing youth access to their Social Security funds and limiting the improper use of Residential Care.

Vacant
South Central Representatives

The Statewide Youth Leadership Board is currently recruiting for current or former foster youth between the ages of 15-24, residing in Southcentral Alaska to join our team.

Board of Directors & Staff

The FFCA Board of Directors and Staff oversee non-profit operations and follow the direction of the Youth Leadership Board and FFCA Membership. FFCA Youth Leadership Board and Members often develop skills to transition to roles with the Board of Directors.

Angel Gonzales

Board President/Laptop Coordinator

Angel, an alumnus of Alaska's foster care system, has been involved with FFCA for more than a decade, beginning her tenure as a youth member before being elected as an Anchorage Representative on the Statewide Youth Leadership Board. She joined the Board of Directors and was elected as Deputy-President before moving in to her current role as President of the Board of Directors. Angel is passionate about improving child welfare systems through educating youth about their rights, resources, and raising community awareness. Angel has shared her own lived-expertise at the Local, state and national level with a focus on improved Permanency, Racial Equity, sibling contact, and the need for mentors. Angel has promoted advocacy through her work as an artist, being featured several times on the cover of National CASA, and the Anchorage Press. Angel worked as a trainer for the Sync mentoring program to match foster youth with mentors, she served on the Western Pacific Implementation Center, and she is a certified trainer for Fostering Futures with National CASA. Angel serves as Co-Chair of the Governor's Foster Care Collaborative Council.

Sarah Redmon

Project Coordinator/Deputy Treasurer

Sarah spent five years in foster care and joined FFCA at age 16 as a member. She was elected as an Anchorage Representative on the Youth Leadership Board and served as the Youth Liaison on the Board of Directors. Sarah is the Project Coordinator at the Office of Youth Empowerment (OYE), a partnership of the Child Welfare Academy and FFCA. Sarah brings a wealth of lived-expertise and advocacy to FFCA. She successfully advocated for foster care re-entry and re-entered foster care herself after aging out to homelessness. She led efforts to restrict the use of Another Planned Permanent Living Arrangement (APPLA) the goal foster youth get when they age out. Sarah has planned, coordinated hundreds of training, retreats, and youth empowerment events for foster youth/alumni statewide. She offers support and professional mentorship to FFCA members across the state. Sarah served as a FosterClub Allstar, and was a foster/adoptive parent to her own siblings in care. Sarah represents FFCA on the Governor's Foster Care Collaborative Council (and chairs the youth voice subcommittee), the Court Improvement Program, the Alaska Impact Alliance, and the National State Policy and Advocacy Reform Center (SPARC).

Amanda Metivier

Co-Founder/Board Member

Amanda is an alumni of Alaska's foster care system. Amanda along with group of foster youth/alumni, co-founded Facing Foster Care in Alaska in 2003. Through her advocacy with FFCA She has led efforts to expand services and supports for foster youth across Alaska. Amanda is the Director of the Child Welfare Academy overseeing training of child welfare staff and the Office of Youth Empowerment (OYE), a partnership of the Child Welfare Academy and FFCA. She spent a decade managing the college fund for foster youth & provides training for child welfare staff & allies, and offers countless opportunities for foster youth/alumni to engage as leaders. She was a foster parent for 15 years and has adopted from foster care. Amanda has been recognized for her work to amplify youth voice and sharing her own experience. She received the Casey Excellence for Children Award, was named one of Alaska’s Top 40 Under 40, was recognized by Alaska Children’s Trust as a Champion for Kids, was honored by the YWCA as a Woman of Achievement, was named one of Treehouse Foundation's Champions for Re-Envisioning Foster Care in in America in 2020, and was recognized by the University of Alaska Anchorage as an Alumni of Distinction in 2021.

Sharity Sommer

Secretary

Sharity Sommer became a program officer at the Rasmuson Foundation in November of 2017. She has held a variety of positions at the Foundation beginning as an intern in 2009 through the First Alaskans Institute Leadership Program.
Sharity works on a variety of grant requests and programs, including co-managing the Individual Artist Awards program, helping implement the Premera Rural Health Care Fund and overseeing the Foundation’s partnership with Museums Alaska. She previously coordinated the Tier 1 program.
Sharity earned a Bachelor of Arts in international studies with a minor in psychology from the University of Alaska Anchorage. Sharity serves on the board of Facing Foster Care in Alaska and steering committee of R.O.C.K. – Raising our Children with Kindness – Mat-Su. She hopes to inspire her nieces and nephews through positive involvement in the community, and loves learning her traditional language, Denaakk’e, and traveling.

Randy Virgin

Treasurer

Randy joined the FFCA board in 2017. He manages a recycling facility in Anchorage and also co-owns a local business with his wife DeeAnn. He has worked and volunteered with non-profits for over twenty years, including GreenStar, Alaska Center for the Environment, and Alaska Conservation Voters. He has previously served as the Sustainability Director for the Municipality of Anchorage and as Executive Director of Alaska Center for the Environment. He is continually inspired by the resiliency and heart of foster youth in Alaska, and is happy to be able to support them through FFCA.

Monica Hinson-Wilson

Vice President

Monica Hinson-Wilson joined FFCA as a youth member. She served as Southeast Representative on the Statewide Youth Leadership Board hosting statewide retreats, engaging in advocacy at the state and nations capital, and leading Juneau region events.

Barb Malchick

Legal Committee Chair

Barb worked as a child advocate attorney for more than 25 years, with a particular interest in advocating for older foster youth. She currently works for the court system training judges, lawyers, child advocates, social workers, and tribal representatives involved in the child protection system. Barb has been involved with FFCA since its beginning, and credits the FFCA youth with educating her and making her a better advocate. She is constantly inspired by the youth’s stories, their courage, their resiliency, and their desire to make the child protection system better for the children and youth that follow them. She is proud to be part of an organization that is truly youth-led. In addition to her passion for FFCA, Barb loves biking, playing her ukulele, and snorkeling. She lives in Anchorage with her wonderful husband and two adorable cats.

Sean Gaither

Fundraising Committee Chair

Sean was born in San Francisco California and grew up mainly in the Bay Area. He moved to Alaska in 2007. Sean has worked any job you can think of from door to door sales to his role as the Associate Program Coordinator for the housing department for Covenant House Alaska. Have supported and enjoyed volunteering for non profits in and out of the state. I am happy to be working with FFCA after seeing the passion and heart that everyone brings to support change in the foster care system in Alaska.

Tashina Duttle

Board Member

Tashina (Lord-Sullens) Duttle is Inupiaq, from the North Slope of Alaska. She is a born-and-raised Alaskan and has spent her career supporting tribal communities in the development and implementation of infrastructure and capacity building projects. Tashina is a proud bio/adoptive/foster parent and was previously in foster care as a teen. As a youth, she exited became an emancipated minor at the age of 16. Tashina has a special place in her heart for teen youth in custody and loves being able to support youth as a foster parent and through her participation on the FFCA Board of Directors. She has a background in strategic planning, project management, and grant writing and got involved with FFCA as a way to lend her talents to an organization that she believes fills an important role in empowering youth that have experienced being in foster care.

Hilary Poole

Board Member

Rachel Bedsworth