Karen Matthias manages the Council of Alaska Producers, a state-wide trade association that represents the large metal mines and advanced projects in Alaska and promotes responsible mining.

Karen's consulting work ranges from mining to transportation and government. Prior to starting Matthias Consulting in 2010, she was a Canadian diplomat for sixteen years. After assignments in Ottawa and Eastern Europe, Karen came to Anchorage in 2004 to open Canada's first consulate in Alaska.

Karen is now the Honorary Consul of Canada and a board member of the Resource Development Council and Alaska Chamber of Commerce. She is also a member of the Anchorage (Downtown) Rotary Club.

Nicole Kimball has over 20 years’ experience in Alaska fisheries management and policy. She is Vice President of the Pacific Seafood Processors Association, a non-profit trade association comprised of motherships and Alaska shorebased seafood processors, and currently serves on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, which manages federal fisheries off Alaska. Prior to this, she worked as a fisheries analyst for the North Pacific Council for 12 years, and then served as Federal Fisheries Coordinator for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, where she represented the state in regional, national, and international fisheries venues (2012 – 2016). Nicole received a BS in natural resource management at the University of Maine, and a master’s in environmental policy and renewable resource management from Tufts University. Nicole currently serves on the board of the Alaska Sea Life Center, the Maritime Works Leadership Council, the Alaska Sea Grant Advisory Committee, and as Vice-Chair of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute’s Communications Committee. Born in Ketchikan, she resides in Anchorage with her family.

Serving as Vice President and Alaska General Manager, Alex Hofeling is the face of TOTE in the state of Alaska, working closely with the Port, labor partners, customers, and the community to ensure that TOTE continues to offer reliable, best-in-class service to the Last Frontier state.

Alex joined TOTE Maritime Alaska in 2013, serving as Regional Sales Manager and Director of Marketing before taking over the Vice President and General Manager of Alaska role.

After graduating from high school in Beatrice, Nebraska, Alex joined the United States Coast Guard and served on the Coast Guard Cutter Polar Sea out of Seattle and at Coast Guard Group Grand Haven in Michigan. He has worked in the Alaska Jones-Act trade since discharging from the US Coast Guard in 1999.

Alex holds an undergraduate degree in Business Administration with a finance focus from the University of Washington (2003) and an MBA from Seattle University (2010). He has previously served as Board of Director of the Northwest Fisheries Association and the board of the Transportation Club of Tacoma.

Jared C. Kosin, J.D., M.B.A is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association (ASHNHA). Kosin is an attorney with an MBA and extensive experience in health care and public policy. Kosin is viewed as a leader in Alaska health care due to his operational and management experience in two key areas of the industry: Medicaid and hospital services.

Kosin started his health care focus when he became the Executive Director of Alaska’s Medicaid rate setting office in 2012. In this capacity, Kosin directed the pricing of Medicaid services across Alaska, and administered the State’s certificate of need program.

In 2016, Kosin left Alaska Medicaid to join the hospital administration team at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, a 109-bed acute care hospital in the fastest growing service area in Alaska. His biggest achievement was designing a $90 million growth plan that led to the construction of a 40,000 SF medical office building, creation of an advanced wound care center with hyperbaric oxygen therapy services, and the addition of 35 medical/surgical beds and a new, 16-bed inpatient behavioral health unit.

Kosin believes that addressing the cost of health care in Alaska starts with
understanding that it is an interconnected system with real capacity challenges.
“Our mission at ASHNHA is simple: improve and protect Alaska’s system of care to ensure access for all Alaskans. This can only be achieved if we stabilize and support capacity for services throughout the continuum.”

Prior to moving to Alaska, Kosin was the Policy Director and Legislative Director for the Colorado Speaker of the House. He also served as a policy advisor to the Michigan Senate Majority Leader.

Kosin holds a Juris Doctorate from the Michigan State University College of Law, and a Master in Business Administration from the University of New Hampshire. Kosin met his wife Jenny, a lifelong Alaskan, in law school, and they now reside in Eagle River with their two daughters.

Joe Everhart is a 30-year Wells Fargo veteran. He was named Market Executive for Alaska in May 2019. Previously, he served as Business Banking Division Manager for Alaska, Oregon and Washington in October 2016 overseeing more than 190 team members. Prior to that position, he served as Alaska Region President, overseeing 48 branches and more than 400 team members.
Everhart began his career as a Management Trainee in Alaska, learning the inner workings of the bank and connecting with community leaders from Ketchikan to Barrow. He held Branch Manager positions in Barrow, Homer and Kotzebue, where he met his wife Gayla. Everhart served as Southeast Alaska Community Banking President for four years before being promoted to Alaska Regional Business Banking Manager in 2006.
Everhart is a 2005 graduate of the Wells Fargo Leadership Mastery Program. The program provides advanced leadership opportunities to strengthen management skills. He is a graduate of the Pacific Coast Banking School, and he earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Gonzaga University.
Everhart has held numerous business, community and economic development leadership positions. He currently serves as a board member for the Alaska Bankers Association, Alaska Chamber of Commerce, Rasmuson Foundation, and Waterfall Foundation.