Meet the Speakers for the Economic Outlook Luncheon

Anchorage, ALASKA

AEDC’s August 5th Economic Outlook Luncheon speaker list is set to impress for the 2026 Summer lineup. Along with our Keynote Speaker Lisa D. Cook, AEDC will host a community leader panel to discuss investments in Anchorage.

Jon Bittner, CEO & President, Anchorage Economic Development Corporation

Coming back to AEDC as CEO & President is Jon Bittner, over the course of his career he has served as the Vice president of the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation, the Deputy Commissioner of the Dept of Commerce, Community and Economic Development and the State Director of the Alaska Small Business Development Center.

Mayor LaFrance grew up in Palmer, Alaska and is a graduate of Alaska’s public schools. She lives in South Anchorage with her husband Dave Hemstreet, their three kids, and their dog. Mayor LaFrance served two terms on the An​chorage 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 serving as ​​​Mayor.

Lisa D. Cook, Governor of the Federal Reserve Board

She has served as a senior economist on the Council of Economic Advisors and previously as the senior adviser on finance and development in the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of International Affairs.  Drawing over two decades of research in innovation and practical experience applying machine learning, she offers a deeply informed perspective on how artificial intelligence will reshape the economy.

Deborah ‘Deb’ Berini is chief executive of Providence Alaska, the state’s largest health care provider and private employer. In this role, she oversees Providence ministries in Anchorage, Eagle River, Kodiak, Mat-Su, Seward, and Valdez. Deb is a nationally recognized healthcare executive known for building high-performing organizations and leading transformative change in complex health systems. Guided by a deep commitment to mission, values and people, she aligns strategy, culture and purpose to drive lasting impact for caregivers, patients and communities. Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, she’s a graduate of Drury College in Missouri and holds a Master of Health Administration from Washington University School of Medicine.

 Marilyn Romano, Reg VP Alaska Airlines

Marilyn has been in Alaska for 34 years, and for close to 15 years, has served as the Regional Vice President for Alaska Airlines. Marilyn shapes and executes the company’s strategic external relations, corporate giving, sales and community marketing, and government affairs in Alaska, in addition to interacting with over 2,300 employees throughout the state.

Prior to joining Alaska Airlines, Marilyn spent nearly two decades at the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, and was the publisher and VP for 11 years, serving as the seventh publisher in the newspaper’s history, and its first female top executive.

Currently, Marilyn serves on the Rasmuson Foundation board, the boards of Northrim Bank, Covenant House Alaska, Waterfall Foundation, the Governor’s Aviation Advisory Board, and is board chair of Arctic Encounter. She is the president of the Alaska Airlines – Hawaiian Airlines Foundation.

In 2020, Marilyn was recognized as a Woman of Achievement by the YWCA and in January, she received the Trautner Award for Philanthropic Service from Covenant House Alaska. In 2017, Marilyn received her Executive MBA from the University of Washington.

Dr. Cheryl Siemers, Ph.D., Chancellor, University of Alaska Anchorage, UAA

Dr. Cheryl Siemers, Ph.D., serves as the Chancellor for the University of Alaska Anchorage, bringing more than two decades of higher education leadership, instruction and community engagement.

Prior, Siemers served as the director at Kenai Peninsula College (KPC), providing strategic oversight of the Kenai River Campus, Kachemak Bay Campus and the Resurrection Bay Extension Site. Her leadership at KPC focused on student success, enrollment growth and advancing UAA’s mission across the Kenai Peninsula.

Siemers began her career with UAA in 2002 as adjunct faculty at KPC, transitioning to a full-time position in 2006 in the Department of English. She holds a B.A. in English from Cedarville University, a master’s in English from the University of Alaska Anchorage and a Ph.D. in rhetoric and linguistics from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

She has worked on multiple initiatives to development educational support for students including the Smart Start initiative, dual-credit opportunities, and Middle College programs to bridge the gap between high school and higher education and build transformative education.

Curtis McQueen, Executive Director, Alaska Native Village Corporation Association, ANVCA

Curtis J. McQueen serves as the Executive Director of the Alaska Native Village Corporation Association (ANVCA), a non-profit organization representing 176 Alaska Village Corporations established by the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA).

His leadership experience includes serving as CEO of Eklutna, Inc. from 2005 to 2019, as well as board roles with the Rasmuson Foundation and the Foraker Group. From 2013 to 2019, he was an Honorary Commander for Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Additionally, he chaired the advisory board for the University of Alaska Anchorage Distinguished Rasmuson Chair of Economics from 2019 to 2025.

A Tlingit tribal member from Southeast Alaska, Curtis is a shareholder of Sealaska Corp. and belongs to the Eagle-Killer Whale Clan. His early years were shaped by a global upbringing, having spent his formative education in international schools across Austria, Bolivia, Afghanistan, and other regions.

Colonel Stephen Polacek, Deputy Joint Base Commander, JBER

Colonel Stephen Polacek is the Deputy Joint Base Commander at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. He is responsible for facilitating Army-Air Force relationships and helps lead over 5,500 military and civilian personnel. He commissioned through New Mexico Military Institute in 1999 into the Army Reserves and after completing his bachelor’s at Oregon State University, he joined the Active Duty Army and later earned a master’s degree. He is a logistics officer, and his previous assignments have been in Hawaii, Germany, Washington, Kentucky, and Illinois with three deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Col Polacek is husband to Sarah and a father to Sydney and Sawyer.