KINDNESS’ People Power

Kodiak Leadership & Service Providers

Heather Preece

FOUNDER - MHSc, RDN, IBCLC

Raised and schooled in Ontario, Canada, Heather's career in public health nutrition and lactation support has taken her from the Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic to Mali, Malawi, Tanzania, Vancouver, British Columbia, and, finally, to Kodiak Island in 1997. Heather was inspired to establish Kodiak KINDNESS Project when a kind neighbor helped her feed her first baby in 2000. After several years of development, KINDNESS was launched in 2006 and has grown to be a bedrock of infant feeding support for Kodiak families. Heather was recognized by the United States Lactation Consultant Association with the 2023 National Changemaker Awardfor her work with KINDNESS.

Steph Mason

Executive Director

Stephanie is a transplant from Washington State who moved to Kodiak in 2016 and quickly came to call the island her Home. She studied Community Psychology at the University of Washington and has extensive experience working in the non-profit sector. After arriving in Kodiak, Stephanie found her place in environmental stewardship—caring for our Mother Earth. Stephanie is a founding board member of Kodiak Harvest Food Co-op (KHFC) and believes in building the community you want around you. In 2023, Stephanie began exploring the world of birth work, assisting a local midwife and becoming a DONA-trained Doula. During this journey into such magical and rewarding work, she learned she was expecting a child of her own. In September 2024, she welcomed her little boy, Blue, into the world. She describes becoming a mother as one of the most transformative experiences of her life – one that inspired her decision to dedicate herself fully to birth and postpartum support. Stephanie and Blue are KINDNESS program graduates and so grateful for the support they received. Stephanie is honored to join the KINDNESS family and excited to continue to support KINDNESS families.

Jennifer Sheridan

SERVICES COORDINATOR - M.S., IBCLC, CCC-SLP

Jennifer is an IBCLC, a speech-language pathologist, and the mother of two sprightly girls. Her family moved to Kodiak when their first baby was 3 months old, and she received so much invaluable help from KINDNESS that Jennifer wanted to give back by volunteering behind the scenes from 2014 to 2021. ​In 2021 she took on a more active role as lead Peer Counselor for newborns, and in 2023 began mentoring the Peer Counselor team and overseeing all program services. Jennifer enhances KINDNESS support with her knowledge and experience in oral-motor development. Jennifer loves connecting with and supporting KINDNESS parents now that her own kids are old enough to let her out of their sight!

Sara Brubaker

LEAD PEER COUNSELOR

Sara is lover of her husband Jeff, mother to their sons Jeremiah and Baer, daughters Wren and Hazel, and a transplanted Oregonian. Sara has been a part of the KINDNESS team since 2013.  First moving to Kodiak to coordinate the WIC program, Sara immediately heard of the beloved KINDNESS Project and was excited to be able to join the team shortly after her arrival.  She is passionate about all things to do with food, and loves being able to encourage fellow mommas as they offer first tastes and bites to their own “littles”! Sara is the lead KINDNESS Peer Counselor.  She serves families from birth to graduation.  She also loves teaching the monthly Infant Nutrition class - encouraging families on the adventure of teaching babes to eat solids.  If she’s not in the kitchen creating, she is in mountains, in the pool, or on her bike. 

Marjourie Solano

PEER COUNSELOR

Marjourie came to Kodiak from the Philippines in 2005. She first attended Main Elementary in 5th grade, and in 2017 circled back to join the staff at her childhood school as a certified first-grade teacher. Kodiak KINDNESS helped Marjourie with her nursing journey with her daughter Eliza, for which she is forever grateful. Marjourie and her daughter love to be outside in all kinds of weather! KINDNESS is equally grateful to have Marjourie join our team the summer of 2022.  She is fluent in Tagalog, which allows us to provide direct services to our Tagalog-speaking families in their own language.

Jillian Altman

PEER COUNSELOR

Jillian moved to Kodiak in 2016, where she and her husband are raising their two amazing daughters. She enjoys connecting with and supporting families in this exciting stage of life. She is grateful for the women who came alongside and supported her during her transition into motherhood with each of her children and hopes to offer that to others. In her free time she enjoys reading, playing board games and spending time at the beach with family and friends.

Kylie Potter

PEER COUNSELOR, RDN

Kylie is a former NAVY brat that moved to Kodiak Island in late 2024 from Nome, Alaska. She studied nutrition and dietetics and obtained her masters in clinical nutrition from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Kylie started her career as a registered dietitian in Nome in 2022 however fell in love with Kodiak Island while visiting her partner, Davis who had moved to the island from Nome as well. Kylie attended many KINDNESS events and trainings which led to her realization that she loves supporting parents and their feeding journey and was thrilled at the offer to become part of the KINDNESS team.  Kylie has had the privilege of providing nutrition education and support to patients of all ages and is excited to continue to support parents and their babies as both a KINDNESS peer counselor and registered dietitian. 

Steve Dougherty

IT ADMINISTRATOR

Steve Dougherty is IT support for the KINDNESS Project.  Raised in California, he joined the Marine Corps after graduation and took his lifelong love of computers along with him.  After his service, he started a career in the Oilfields of Wyoming/Utah and provided computer support while back at the shop.  Moving his family to Kodiak, he restarted a career in Healthcare Informatics.  He now supports his wife and 6 children in the wondrous beauty of Kodiak Island. Steve’s expertise in data analytics were indispensible when KINDNESS published an article in a peer-reviewed journal in 2019. Starting in late 2020, Steve built the KINDNESS IT system from the ground up and continues to ensure it runs smoothly for our 24/7 operations. 

Stephanie Shryock

IBCLC

Northwest Arctic Leadership & Service Providers

Frances Williams

PEER COUNSELOR

Frances Williams is originally from Buckland; she has lived in Ambler since 2014. Frances learned a lot about Inupiaq traditions from other family members, like how to live off the land and use plants as food and medicine. That knowledge helps her support others in a way that’s grounded in culture and care. Frances loves helping moms and encouraging them to keep going even when it gets tough. She is excited to keep helping more moms feel supported, strong, and connected.

Nauyaq Baltazar

PEER COUNSELOR

Nauyaq (pronounced "No Yuck") is from Kotzebue, Alaska, 33 miles above the Arctic Circle.  Her name means "Seagull" in Inupiaq. She and her husband have three adult children and three grandchildren.  Nauyaq works full-time with the Northwest Arctic Borough School District - Early Learning & Family Program (ILP).  During her free time, she enjoys watching all the sports and activities her children and grandchildren are involved in, like snowmachine races, hunting, camping, fishing and berry picking.  She is pleased to join the KINDNESS team. 

Shaneeka

As the Chronic Pediatric and Women’s Health Coordinator for Maniilaq Health Center, Shaneeka Rude has shown remarkable dedication to the Northwest Arctic Region. She first moved to Kotzebue, Alaska in the Spring of 2017 on a CNA contract with Long Term Care working with the Elders and learning about the Inupiaq culture. Prior to moving to Kotzebue, she traveled the lower 48 as a contact CNA with her eldest son. Her decision to stay in Kotzebue and become a part of the community was an easy choice. On her off time, she enjoys spending time with her partner and three children, fishing and going on outdoor adventures. Shaneeka’s passion to care for the regions Women and Children shows in her work with the expansion of the KINDNESS Project.

Laura Norton Cruz

Laura Norton-Cruz is a Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) and Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), and works as the project manager and liaison between regions and systems on this project. She lives in Anchorage but has worked extensively in rural Alaska, particularly in the Northwest Arctic. This included leading the 2023 research with moms in the region that led to the funding for this expansion. Laura is also a single mother of two children, a visual artist and documentary film producer (of the "Early Childhood in Alaska" film series), and an advocate focusing on violence prevention, maternal child health, and racial equity. 

Program Volunteers

  • Claudia Otis

    Claudia was born and raised in Saguenay Lac St-Jean, Québec. She has been in Kodiak since 2008 where she and her husband, Gerrit, are raising their 2 children. Claudia has 10+ years working in early childhood education and is now a Cama’i Home Visitor with KANA. The KINDNESS Project was a huge help for Claudia when she had her newborns in the remote village of Port Lions. She took the KINDNESS Peer Counselor training course in 2021, and joined the team in 2022 to help wherever we need her multi-talented skills. Claudia travels to remote Kodiak Island villages, providing “two-for-one” services to KINDNESS and Cama’i enrolled families. She is greatly apprecated all around!

  • Charmae Barrett

    Charmae is a registered nurse who was born and raised in Western Alaska, in Bethel. It's there that she met her husband and had their three beautiful daughters. She moved to Kodiak Island with her family in January of 2024 and loves being surrounded by trees and mountains and being so close to the ocean. Charmae has a Bachelor's degree in nursing with experience in women's health. She was drawn to the Kodiak KINDNESS program when a Maternal Mental Health training was offered to the community. She fell in love with the mission of KINDNESS and felt that the program was exactly the proactive support she had needed as a new mom learning to feed her babies. Charmae is a Kodiak KINDNESS volunteer who attends the monthly Weigh and Play groups. She's excited to continue working with the KINDNESS project and supporting families

  • Betsy Lund

    Betsy came to Kodiak in 2001 and despite attempts to continue traveling, the mountains, forest, ocean and community bonds kept her boots in Kodiak. She joined the KINDNESS team in early 2022 as a Peer Counselor then transitioned to be a volunteer in the fall fo 2023. Betsy believes first-time motherhood is a time like no other and supporting mothers through the peaks and valleys of this unique time of life are essential to the health of the family. Celebrating successes and working through issues are more enjoyable with a helping hand. Betsy and her husband are raising two wild and crazy KINDNESS Project graduates in the forest outside of Kodiak.

  • Nhu Pruitt

    Nhu was born and raised in Vietnam and lived in several states before moving to Kodiak in 2020. She had her first baby that same year, a second baby in 2023, and received great long-lasting support from the Kodiak KINDNESS program. She is happy to give back to the community and support other new moms emotionally and physically. She has a bachelor’s degree in international business and experience working and interacting with people from different backgrounds. Nhu applies her abilities with numbers and interpersonal communication to helping KINDNESS whereever is needed. She loves baking and cooking for her husband and daughter, her greatest supporters.

  • Bethany Rauwolf

    Bethany traveled to Kodiak from Florida in 2014 to attend a friend’s wedding. She fell in love with the island and moved to Kodiak a month later! Bethany loves the community that encompasses everyone here in Kodiak and she and her husband, Joey, feel grateful to be able to raise their little ones where they can run wild and free. She fell in love with the generosity of KINDNESS and compassion of the Peer Counselors during her two breastfeeding journeys. Joining our team as a peer counselor in early 2022 and transitioning to a volunteer role in 2024, she brings that light to other families who need special support and guidance at a vulnerable time of life. Bethany is shouldering quiet but essential work in the background for KINDNESS until her family grows to be independent enough for her to step back into a more  active role serving families; her dream job!

  • Danya Rios

    Danya was born and raised in Mexicali Baja California, and moved to Kodiak in 2019, where she and her partner Rodney are raising their son Enzo. Danya feels the KINDNESS Project helped their family a lot to start in a good direction on breastfeeding when Enzo was born. Danya was inspired to take the KINDNESS Peer Counselor training course in 2021 and has since joined the team as a volunteer. We especially appreciate her fluency in Spanish for serving our Spanish-speaking families!

  • Kerissa Barrey

    Originally from South Africa, Kerissa moved to the USA in 2016. She lives in Kodiak with her husband, Jacob, their daughter Lauren, and their 2 guinea pigs, Lulu and Moose. She enjoys learning new things and has studied to be a reiki master, biologist, teacher, phlebotomist and a KINDNESS Peer Counselor. Keri Transitioned to being a KINDNESS Volunteer in 2025.

  • Amy Miller

    Amy Miller was born in Jamestown, NY, grew up in Elizabeth, PA and has lived in Kodiak since 2011. Amy has her BA degree in Intercultural Ministries and joined SEND International in 1985. She went to the Philippines in 1987 and remained there until the Lord led her to Kodiak. Fluent in Tagalog, she translates for the Filipino families enrolled in the KINDNESS program when Marjourie is unavailable. She became familiar with KINDNESS through her volunteer work in the hospital as a spiritual care person, and she loves helping KINDNESS serve all families equitably by allowing them to receive services in their own language.

Volunteer Board Of Directors

  • Laura Walters, MD

    President

    Laura was raised in rural Idaho, but spent her early years in rural Alaska where her father was a dentist in the Public Health Service. She completed undergraduate and graduate degrees in Zoology at the University of Idaho, and medical school at the University of Washington.  Her Family Practice residency in Duluth Minnesota included intensive training in obstetrical care. She arrived to Kodiak in September of 1998, fell in love with this community, and has since dedicated herself to providing quality health care to people of all ages. Laura benefited personally from breastfeeding support after the birth of her own child, and appreciates how KINDNESS fulfills an essential component of maternal child health care.  

  • Kim Sibrel, RN, BSN

    Vice-President/Privacy Officer

    Kim’s journey to Kodiak began with a lifelong dream of living in Alaska. In 2013, that dream became reality when she and her husband moved to the island with their young son. A Registered Nurse and former Logistics Program Manager for the Department of the Navy, Kim brings a unique blend of professional expertise and heartfelt community service to the KINDNESS board. Since moving to Kodiak, she has contributed more than a decade of service to several local nonprofit boards, helping strengthen programs that support families and community well-being. When her second son was born in Kodiak, KINDNESS provided vital infant feeding support.  Drawing from her own family’s experience with KINDNESS, Kim is dedicated to advancing the organization’s mission to ensure that every family on Kodiak Island has access to compassionate, no-cost infant feeding support.

  • Paquita Sofia Mundaca Kimbro

    Treasurer

    Paquita was born and raised in Lima, Peru. She is a mother to two beautiful little girls, a wife, and volunteer and works in a wide variety of capacities around Kodiak. She is currently studying towards becoming a Medical Laboratory Technician. Paquita benefited from KINDNESS services with both her girls, and is proud to be serving as an inaugural board member. Paquita is a key member of our team with experience in finance. She is also our back-up translator for our Spanish-speaking program participants, bringing the same quality of care to Kodiak’s families that her own family received not so long ago!

  • Alison Horn, PT

    Secretary

    Alison was born and raised in Kodiak, AK. She loves being home raising her 3 kiddos — Everly, Emerson and Jack, alongside her husband, Sean, also a born and raised Kodiak kid! The KINDNESS program was an integral part of the transition to parenthood and played an equally valuable role during the journey of bringing home babes #2 and #3. Alison strongly values the KINDNESS mission and is passionate about seeing the program continue grow to support all Kodiak families in big and small ways in a very vulnerable time in life for both baby and new parents. Alison not only organizes and keeps board records, she keeps all of us on track with scheduling our meetings and focusing our discussions. Alison lends her endless positive energy to promoting community awareness of KINDNESS in everything she does, ensuring all families know about this great resource!

  • Tashnah Bercy

    Public Relations/Social Media/Events

    Originally from Perkiomville, PA, Tasnah moved to Kodiak with her husband, Lukas, in 2018.  She brought her event/wedding planning business to the island and started an art gig inspired by the nature and wildlife here. Together she and Lukas started a sport fishing charter business, Kodiak Marine Charters.  They welcomed their daughter, Kailia, in 2021 and KINDNESS played a huge role in supporting the transition to parenthood.  She’s excited to bring her event planning experience and love for all things artsy to the KINDNESS board.

  • Micah Topacio

    Finance/Officer-At-Large

    Micah was born in the Philippines and has called Kodiak home since 2005. She initially wasn’t the biggest fan of Kodiak, but over time, the island’s beauty and the incredible people here totally won her over. Now, Kodiak feels like a big extended family. She first crossed paths with KINDNESS when she had her first baby in 2007. Then in 2023, she felt the same support with her third child, especially when she returned to work. Those moments are a big part of why Kodiak KINDNESS means so much to her. Micah has worked in the financial world since 2008 and is now branch manager at Credit Union 1 in Kodiak. We are so fortunate to have Micah on the board, especially on our finance committee, and she is so willing to help in any capacity! She’s very excited to see KINDNESS spreading to other Alaskan communities, providing support to even more families across the state. 

  • Shanna McGrath

    US Coast Guard Liaison/Events

    Shanna was born and raised in rural Western Kansas. While she was in college to become a Dietitian, she went to Nome, Alaska in 2004 for a youth community summer program; it was there where she fell in love with Alaska.  After several years in Nome, she transferred with the U.S. Public Health Service to Kodiak where she worked as a Dietitian for KANA and with the WIC program.  

     In 2016 she decided to pursue a new career path and become a Physician Assistant.  After completing school, she soon found herself as an active duty service member in the United States Coast Guard, and that brought her back to the island community she loves—Kodiak.

    Upon returning, the Coast Guard Liaison seat opened up and Shanna was honored to be asked to join the Kodiak KINDNESS Board of Directors.  Her connection with the organization began years earlier when she partnered with Kodiak KINDNESS during the very first Milk Run in 2013. Now, as a board member, Shanna enjoys helping organize and fundraise for events that celebrate and support this wonderful free, local nonprofit that strengthens families and fosters community kindness across Kodiak.

Join the KINDNESS team

Interested in joining the KINDNESS team? View job openings and volunteer opportunities by clicking below.

Join Us

Community Partners

KINDNESS thanks the Kodiak Island Borough, City of Kodiak, and Kodiak Community Foundation for their steadfast commitment to Kodiak families through their grant and funding opportunities to Kodiak KINDNESS

KINDNESS and Matson partner annually to host a Caring for Alaska environmental clean-up in Kodiak. Our goals overlap: KINDNESS helps families to be as healthy as they can on the inside, through good nutrition, and Matson helps Kodiak families have a healthy, natural environment to grow up in, with clean beaches, watersheds, and trails. Read more about this annual joint venture on our events page. 

CU1 recognized Kodiak KINDNESS as their local Leading Change Partner for 2023. Through this program, CU1 gives back to communities across Alaska in big ways. CU1 supports KINDNESS on an ongoing basis by managing our financial accounts, contributing volunteer hours and matching funds raised at our community events. Thank you to all the friendly crew at Kodiak CU1, who greet us by name, and with a smile the minute we walk through the door!

KINDNESS would not be where it is today without the help of Providence. KINDNESS operated from 2006 – 2021 at Providence Kodiak Island Medical Center (PKIMC) with substantive in-kind and practical support. Now that KINDNESS operates independently, PKIMC grants visiting privileges to KINDNESS staff & volunteers to help families with infant feeding during their hosptial stay, right from day one. We enjoy continued collaboration with and funding through Providence Alaska Foundation as we work to spread KINDNESS to other Alaskan communities. 

KANA has been a key partner for KINDNESS since the beginning; KANA and PKIMC joined forces to secure our initial seed funding from the Children’s Miracle Network in 2006. KANA providers regularly refer families to KINDNESS, offer pre-registration packets to expectant families and collaborate to enhance infant care. KANA stepped up with matching funds for a generous startup donation in 2021 to support our independence. KINDNESS coordinates care for jointly enrolled families with mulitple KANA programs including Cama’i Home Visiting, Infant Learning Program and the WIC Program.

This Kodiak health clinic was the first to offer a generous startup donation for our independence initiative and encouraged others to match it.  KCHC providers refer families to KINDNESS on a regular basis and offer pre-registration forms to expectant parents. KINDNESS weight checks and collaboration with providers between clinic visits greatly enhance health care outcomes for KCHC families.