Join the Anchorage Chamber for an \;Annual Report followed by an update from the Alliance to Activate Anchorage (AAA).
\n
\nPanelists:
\nWhat is the Alliance to Activate Anchorage
\nThe Anchorage Chamber of Commerce\, Visit Anchorage\, the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation\, and the Anchorage Downtown Partnership have come together to form the Alliance to Activate Anchorage (AAA)\, a non-binding\, consensus-driven coalition on economic and workforce goals to improve stability and activate growth in the community.
\n
\nThe AAA is comprised of two board representatives from each organization who \;further strengthen the connections that already exist at the executive and staff level. The respective organizations have many shared goals that are vital to the stability and future of Anchorage\, and their combined memberships represent a significant portion of Anchorage businesses\, workforce\, and economic activities across all sectors. The coalition plans and coordinates common action\, better leveraging \;resources\, supporting local businesses\, and actively pursuing \;economic opportunities\, which allows the group to better advocate for growth and opportunities for the community.
\n \;
\nJulie Saupe has been with Visit Anchorage for the past 22 years\, the last 17 of those as President &\; CEO. Visit Anchorage works to create value for Anchorage&rsquo\;s residents through the visitor economy. \;
\n
\nBefore joining the team at Visit Anchorage\, Saupe held executive\, marketing and membership positions with the Mat-Su CVB\, Alaska Visitors Association and the Alaska Chamber of Commerce. She feels fortunate to have stumbled into her tourism career as a high school sophomore when she was hired to provide walking tours of downtown Fairbanks for their Convention &\; Visitors Bureau.
\n
\nShe holds Bachelor of Arts Degrees in Economics and Business (with marketing emphasis) from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma\, WA.
\n
\nSaupe was named one of Alaska&rsquo\;s Top 40 Under 40\, serves on several local\, regional and national boards\, including the One West Tourism Alliance Foundation and Destination International&rsquo\;s Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP) board.
\n
\nShe and her husband Steve live near downtown and have always had at least one dog and one cat in their household.
\n \;
\nAs President &\; CEO\, Jenna Wright \;is responsible for managing and supporting the successful deployment of strategies\, programs and initiatives that promote the growth of the Anchorage economy. She works in collaboration with staff\, partner organizations and the Board of Directors to accomplish initiatives and projects including business retention and expansion\, workforce development\, and economic research\, so that Anchorage is one of the top mid-sized cities in America to live\, work and play.
\n
\nJenna is currently a board member of the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce\, the Anchorage Downtown Partnership\, Visit Anchorage\, the UAA College of Business and Public Policy Business&rsquo\;s Advisory Board and the Anchorage School District&rsquo\;s Academies Steering Committee.
\nJenna earned her bachelor&rsquo\;s degrees in Marketing and Investment Finance from the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) in 2010. She returned to UAA four years later in pursuit of a Master&rsquo\;s of Business Administration\, which she earned in 2015 with an emphasis in Business Intelligence and Data Analytics.
\n
\nAfter graduating with her MBA\, Wright worked as the Director of Business Operations for Microcom where she was responsible for operational leadership of staff and regional contractors and optimizing satellite installation strategies across Alaska and Hawaii. In 2018\, she joined the State of Alaska leadership team as the Deputy Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles where she was responsible for managing statewide operations\, modernizing service delivery methods to optimize Alaskan&rsquo\;s experiences\, legislative affairs\, and budget management.
\n
\nOutside of the office\, Jenna enjoys cooking\, travelling\, and above all else\, is an avid outdoorswoman. She loves to spend her time mountain running\, biking\, and hiking. She has trained for and participated in several historic Alaskan races like Seward&rsquo\;s Mt. Marathon and Anchorage&rsquo\;s Golden Nugget Triathlon. Jenna was born in Anchorage\, and expects to always call Anchorage home\, where she lives with her husband\, daughter and pups.
\n \;
Have a specific question for the presenters?
\n\;ASK IT HERE