Rebecca Parker has more than thirty-five years of recognized achievement in Alaska’s business, civic, resource development, community, philanthropy, and political arenas. She is a change agent and visionary – striving to make things happen and leaving an indelible imprint on every important endeavor she touches.

She is currently the Executive Director of the Anchorage Senior Activity Center. The Center’s activities include a full-service gym (including fitness and health activities); a restaurant; an off-site meals program; arts, crafts, writing, and computer classes; a gift gallery; various social events; a library; a Medicare counseling office; nutrition education sessions and more. Most recently, she worked hard toward securing a $3.2 million municipal bond for the renovation of the Center’s 35,000-square-foot facility, scheduled for completion in 2022. Rebecca also founded a signature fundraising event for the Center, the annual Garden Gala, held at the Atwood Estate that attracts upward of three hundred guests, building on tradition.

After two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, seniors are returning to the Center. During the pandemic, the Center held classes virtually, and reopened to its members a few months after the onset of Covid. In addition, a nutritional and hot meal delivery program for hundreds of seniors started during the pandemic while preparing a hot meals program for Anchorage’s preschoolers through the Anchorage Kids Corp program.

Now she is planning the 40th Anniversary of the Anchorage Senior Activity Center for 2023 for the members and community.

Parker grew up near Arcata, amid the redwoods of Northern California. In her high school of 2,000 students, she served as Student Body Vice President and graduated with the Outstanding Senior Girl Award in 1968. She attended College of the Redwoods in Northern California for two years, becoming the first woman Student Body President of about 3,000 students in her college.

After earning her Associated Arts degree in Journalism and serving as editor of her college newspaper, Parker transferred to Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon. There she joined the Sigma Kappa Sorority, worked three jobs to earn her way through school, and graduated in 1973 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies with an emphasis on journalism and a minor in political science.

Parker’s early career began in 1974 when she joined ARCO Alaska, Inc. and held successively advancing positions in public, community, and government relations during the next 20 years. At 24, she became a knowledgeable spokesperson for one of the world’s largest oil developments in the country and the world, leading tours for world-renowned media and business leaders. She hosted tours to Prudhoe Bay, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and offshore in the Gulf of Alaska, Cook Inlet, and Bering Sea Regions. In addition, she attended lease sales and traveled to villages for listening sessions during an ambitious offshore exploration program. Later she represented ARCO Marine in community and public relations in Alaska and arranged tours on a tanker from Alaska to Bellingham, Washington, aboard the ARCO Juneau. She traveled Alaska extensively, often by helicopter or small tingle-engine planes, and made numerous trips on 16-passenger Sikorsky offshore helicopters to and from offshore rigs in all types of weather. She rode on the back of snow machines and the back of sleds attached to a snow machine. Wherever Parker traveled, she received a warm welcome.

Parker oversaw ARCO’s multi-million-dollar Philanthropy Program in Alaska, working closely with the Los Angeles-based ARCO Foundation. She managed the ARCO Jesse Owens Games for Alaska, a track-and-field program hosted for children with the support of the local parks and recreation staffing across the state. In addition, she initiated projects to help raise awareness of recycling in Anchorage and advocated for the Food Bank of Alaska and many nonprofit start-ups. Annually, ARCO funded more than five hundred grants statewide. Her role included leveraging ARCO’s giving to worthwhile programs and developing innovative strategies for solving social service concerns.

Her achievements included joining the Pacific Northwest Grantmakers, spearheading the first philanthropy tour in Alaska, and obtaining a significant grant of $700,000 for the KAKM/KSKA facility in Anchorage. In addition, her support of the arts and promotion of science education led her to the Imaginarium, where she served as their Board Chair. Furthermore, Parker aided in bringing significant Pacific Northwest Science Museum exhibits to Anchorage, helped start Trick-or-Treat Town, KidsDay, and many more community initiatives statewide too numerous to mention.

She accepted the position of Executive Director at Commonwealth North in 1995. During Parker’s tenure at Commonwealth North, she was elected President of the Anchorage Downtown Rotary Club, the second woman to hold this position. One of the highlights of her presidency was participating in the International Rotary Annual Meeting in Calgary with 30,000 worldwide Rotarians in attendance.

Her next professional challenge was serving as President of the Providence Alaska Foundation in support of the Children’s Hospital Capital Campaign, which raised $2.8 million for the new facility. Again, her philanthropic acumen secured significant gifts from grant makers, trusts, and industry. During this time, she traveled to Washington D.C. and Juneau to advocate for healthcare and medical funding in Alaska. Additionally, she launched the “All Aboard for Children” annual fundraiser for the Children’s Hospital. Finally, she was instrumental in supporting the Sisters of Providence’s one-hundredth anniversary celebrations around the state’s major communities.

In 2002, she joined the State of Alaska as Special Assistant to the Commissioner of Health and Social Services and agreed to fill an interim position to oversee the $10-million Children’s Trust Fund (ACT). In addition, she secured a $1.2-million appropriation introduced by Senator Stevens to develop high-level marketing, communications, and an education-outreach program to create awareness of child abuse and neglect in Alaska.

Parker joined Alyeska Pipeline Service Company in 2016 as their Stakeholder Relations Manager while Alyeska renovated and upgraded the 800-mile trans-Alaska pipeline. She managed their annual giving program and changed the direction of philanthropy by pushing funds into the communities along the pipeline corridor from Glennallen to Valdez.

Next, she took a one-year sabbatical while temporarily living in Houston, Texas. She returned to Alaska in time to aid the Blood Bank of Alaska in launching a Capital Campaign to build a new facility, a facility that would serve the state for the next fifty years. In addition, she helped execute its Fiftieth Anniversary celebration and launch a Capital Campaign to raise several million dollars. She identified and recruited a strong group of business leaders to launch the campaign.

Throughout her career, she supported other women, teaching them networking, hiring, and innovative managing skills and offering career guidance and counseling.

She has two children, Kathleen, and Garrett Parker. Kathleen resides in Galway, Ireland, and Garrett in Manta, Ecuador.

Awards

Oregon State University Alumni Fellow, 1999
YWCA Women of Achievement Award recipient, 1996
Anchorage School District Volunteer of the Year Award 1993
Alaska Press Women, Sparkplug Award mid-1970s
Public Relations of Society of America, Professional Award for Special Events
National Society of Fundraising Executives Philanthropy Award for Outstanding Corporate Award, ARCO Alaska Inc.; Friday, November 22, 1991, Anchorage Times article, “for demonstrating exceptional civic responsibility, support, and leadership in major fundraising projects.”

Boards and Commissions

Serve Alaska, Governor’s Commission 2018-2022
TOTE Advisory Council, Anchorage, 1992-2002
AGENT, Statewide Advocacy for Seniors in Alaska, Past Board of Directors 2015-2022
AGENT, Statewide Advocacy for Seniors in Alaska, Past President, 2018, 2019
Alaska Public Media Board of Directors 2006-2009
Catholic Social Services, Board of Directors, 1998, 1999
Anchorage Rotary Club Downtown, Past President 1996, 1997
Alaska Community Foundation Board of Directors, 1996,1997
Providence Alaska Foundation Board of Directors, 1995,1996
The Imaginarium, former Board President (Co-Chair); 1993, 1994
Petroleum Club of Alaska, Board of Directors, 1991-1993
Anchorage KidsPlace Board, Past President of KidsDay, 1990’s
Municipality of Anchorage Arts Commission Allocations, 1984, 1985
Anchorage Opera Board of Directors 1976 – 1983
National Federation of Press Women, Regional Director mid -1970’s
University of Alaska Anchorage, School of Business Council
Source of Alaska, Past President, ARCO
Alaska Press Women, Past President

Professional Affiliations

Alaska Press Women
Anchorage Rotary Club Downtown
Athena Society Member
National Federation of Press Women
Petroleum Club of Alaska