A marketing minded economic developer fueled by a passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and small business, Gretchen is the associate director for the University of Alaska Center for Economic Development. She is responsible for leading the entrepreneurship, marketing, and outreach efforts of CED as well as providing strategic leadership for both CED and the UAA Business Enterprise Institute. Prior to joining CED, she worked in the State of Alaska Division of Economic Development, for U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, and in the private sector. From this experience, she developed keen insight to private, political, and governmental drivers and their impact on the economy. Gretchen has worked on a number of award-winning economic development projects, spoken at TEDx, and was named to Alaska’s “Top 40 Under 40” in 2013. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Whitman College and serves on the boards of Launch Alaska and the Anchorage Downtown Partnership.