Board of Directors
A founding principal of the Prince William Soundkeeper is that our board of directors must come from and be representative of all communities and stakeholders in the Sound. PWSK board members include Natives, non-Natives, commercial fishers, eco-business owners, educators, agency and non-profit professionals and others who live, work and play in Prince William Sound. We are also subsistence practitioners, hikers, kayakers, hunters, anglers, photographers, adventurers, historians – real people whose lives are intimately connected with the ecosystem of Prince William Sound.
Vince Kelly, President
Valdez
Vince and his family live in Valdez where Vince works for the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. Vince earned a BS from Evergreen State College in 1989 and a Masters of Marine Affairs from the University of Rhode Island. From 1991-2002 Vince was an instructor at Prince William Sound Community College where he developed a web-based oil spill response and prevention course. Prior to that Vince was a charter boat skipper in Alaska and Hawaii and a marine science technician on an Antarctic research vessel. When not working, Vince can be found on his boat headed for the family cabin on Ellamar Island.
Ricky Kompkoff
Tatitlek
Ricky is the Tatitlek Village Tribal Environmental Director. Prior to joining Tatitlek Corporation, Ricky worked for 16 years for Alyeska’s Escort Response Vessel System which manages tanker traffic in Prince William Sound. Ricky serves on the board of directors of the Tatitlek Corporation.
Pat Lavin, Vice President
Anchorage
Pat graduated cum laude from the State University of New York in Plattsburgh with a B.S. in Accounting and earned a J.D. in Environmental and Natural Resources Law from
the University of Oregon Law School. From 1993-1998 Pat served as a staff attorney at Trustees for Alaska. Following this he worked as a contract attorney and environmental legal advisor for the Vietnamese government in Hanoi and later as a staff attorney with the Alaska State Commission for Human Rights. In 2000, Pat joined the National Wildlife Federation where he works today as a Project Manager with emphasis on Prince William Sound and Alaska climate change. Pat serves on the Public Advisory Committee for the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustees Council. Pat and his family have sea kayaked, hiked and camped throughout Prince William Sound.
Kate McLaughlin, Secretary
Chenega Bay
Kate has an Associates of Science degree in wildlife biology from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and a Bachelors of Science degree in zoology from the University of Georgia. She has worked with domestic and wild animals for over 25 years as a veterinary assistant, wildlife rehabilitator, Fish and Game technician, field research assistant, fisheries technician, environmental educator, falconer, and horse trainer. From 1999-2006, Kate worked for the Native Village of Chenega in the Environmental Program Office administering programs and advocating for the community on environmental and subsistence issues. In 2006 Kate started McLaughlin Environmental Services, an environmental consulting business that provides technical assistance, biological research and environmental education services. As land owners and subsistence users of the Sound, Kate and her family are dedicated to preserving and protecting the beauty and biological integrity of Prince William Sound.
Dean Rand
Whittier
Captain and naturalist Dean Rand, his two daughters, and black lab named Happy live year round aboard the Discovery in the little town of Whittier, in Western Prince William Sound. As the owner / operator of Discovery Voyages and the full time captain of the Discovery, Dean is considered by many to be one of the most knowledgeable mariners in Prince William Sound. In addition to his extensive involvement with a broad range of scientific research conducted throughout the Sound, Dean is a master shipwright and marine mechanic with almost 30 years of full time service in the marine trades on the Alaska coast. The past 15 years have been exclusively in Prince William Sound. Dean is active in local and national land & water use management and carries extensive experience in wilderness tourism and scientific research. He was co recipient (with the Chugach School District of Prince William Sound) of the prestigious Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award for supporting and participating in the education of all children.
Liz Senear, Treasurer
Cordova
Liz is a commercial fisher with a BS in forest science and wildlife biology from the University of Washington. In addition to fishing, Liz works as a lab technician for the Prince William Sound Science Center and a bookkeeper for several non-profit organizations. Liz also serves on the Cordova oil spill response fleet. Liz has worked in forestry, glacial geophysics and water quality monitoring. She and her family live in Cordova where they are avid outdoor athletes who enjoy hiking, skating, skiing, sailing and ocean kayaking.
Steve Smith
Cordova
Conservationist and commercial fisher, Steve has a BS in soils and zoology from the University of Illinois. In addition to serving on the board of Prince William Soundkeeper, Steve is a board member of the Prince William Sound Science Center, Cordova District Fisherman United, Fish and Game Advisory Board and the Cordova Kitchen Project. Steve is an avid hunter, sport fisher and enjoys bird watching and photography. His past credits also include a film on bald eagles produced for the BBC.
Travis Vlasoff
Tatitlek
Travis has a BA in Business Administration from the University of Alaska Anchorage and is currently a Project Analyst for Tatilek Corporation. Prior to that Travis served as Tribal Environmental Director in his home village of Tatitlek. He has been active on a variety of environmental issues affecting the Native community including protection of subsistence resources in Prince William Sound. Travis enjoys hunting, fishing and martial arts. He is also a coach for the Native Youth Olympics.
