Theme: Entropy

Entropy is a term most often concerned with the laws of thermodynamics, as a measurement of the degree of disorder that exists within a given system. Curiously, it can also serve as a measurement of biodiversity, or as a measurement of the rate at which information is transferred throughout a certain message.

But at its core, entropy is transformation.

A fire burns, turning wood to ash. Ice melts, its slippery result steadily spreading. And given the right conditions—popcorn, well, pops.

Words like chaos and disorder can understandably invoke feelings of fear or anxiety. But consider the flame: uncontrollable in nature and capable of a great deal of destruction, the flame is also a source of incredible light, warmth, and spark.

The second law of thermodynamics states that entropy will always increase with time. And while we’ll never be able to cut through this uncertainty entirely, we can always choose to embrace it.

Even better—we can choose to celebrate it.

The Den at UAA Student Union
2921 Spirit Way
Anchorage, Alaska, 99508
United States

Bea Boccalandro

Corporate Social Responsibility Consultant

Bea Boccalandro helps organizations and people ignite purpose at work. She is the author of Do Good at Work: How Simple Acts of Social Purpose Drive Success and Wellbeing (New York: Morgan James Publishing, 2021), which Wharton professor and New York Times bestselling author Adam Grant named a top 2021 book and Midwest Book Review recommends as “life changing, life enhancing.” Bea has been published in Harvard Business Review, The Boston Globe and other major publications; and has been featured on Forbes, FOX TV and other media outlets. As founder and president of the global purpose advisory firm, VeraWorks, Bea has two decades of experience helping businesses make customer interactions more human, products more inclusive, operations more environmentally sustainable, marketing more charitable or otherwise make work more meaningful. Her clients include Aetna, Bank of America, Disney, Eventbrite, FedEx, HP, John Hancock, IBM, Levi’s, PwC, TOMS Shoes, Toyota and Western Digital.

Bobby Berg

Social and Emotional Learning Coach

Bobby is a Social and Emotional Learning Coach for at-risk youth. “What does that even mean?” You might be asking. Can I give you an example? You get home from a long day, and you haven’t been able to shake that nagging feeling. Something felt slightly off this morning, and now it’s the end of the day and you’re still feeling it. What Bobby does is he helps you identify what that nagging feeling is, and most importantly, gives you the tools, strategies, and mindset to overcome it.

Katie Lauwers

Behavioral Economics Expert

Katie Lauwers holds a Masters of Arts in Behavioral Economics, where she combines a unique understanding of consumer and social behavior. Her commitment to understanding the multidimensionality of people equips her to support individuals and teams in improving engagement, process efficiency, and professional development. As a Senior consultant for BerryDunn, Katie is a Gallup certified strengths-based coach and certified in Lean Six Sigma. Katie supports clients through applying advanced psychology to business applications such as human decision-making, engagement, training, communication, and organizational behavior. Katie learned about life through sports and strongly believes that how we show up for anything is how we show up for everything. As a NCAA Division I Women’s ice hockey player and captain, Katie has learned to channel the many values and virtues sports can teach us into the professional space.

Kikkan Randall

Executive Director of the Nordic Skiing Association, Athlete—Olympic Gold Medalist

Olympic Champion, Active Mom, Cancer Survivor Kikkan is an Olympic Gold medalist, fitness enthusiast, and mom—raised in Alaska from age three. She was a trailblazer for the US Cross Country Ski Team—becoming the first American woman to win a World Cup and Olympic Gold in the sport. In addition to her athletic pursuits, she is passionate about promoting the benefits of healthy and active lifestyles through youth organizations Healthy Futures and Fast and Female. Kikkan recently took the role as Executive Director of the Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage to lead the grassroots level of skiing in her hometown of Anchorage, AK. In June 2018, just three months after winning Olympic Gold, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Kikkan faced the new challenge by channeling her determination and a positive attitude into her cancer battle. Now, she’s on the journey to inspire others to persevere through life’s obstacles and challenges and enjoy the beautiful moments of every day.

Maekyla Massey

Student & Community Advocate

Maekyla Massey is a 16-year old student from Long Island, New York. Maekyla is dedicated to public service and the improvement of her community. She is engaging in her interests by participating in several student-led initiatives. Maekyla is the co-chair of the WNET/PBS Group's Youth Collective, a THIRTEEN initiative to amplify the voices of Gen-Z in the building of an ethical world. She is also a student task force member with ERASE Racism Long Island, in which she seeks to achieve equity in both housing and education. She hopes to start a 501(c)(3) organization that encourages high schoolers to seek change through civic engagement. Maekyla devotes her time to helping youth become active in their communities. Her accomplishments have been recognized by the New York State Senate and she is a recipient of the Youth Leadership Recognition award. She wants to attend Columbia University, where she plans on enhancing her understanding of political science.

Meghan Riordan Jarvis

Meghan Riordan Jarvis, MA, LCSW is a psychotherapist specializing in trauma and grief and loss and works in private practice in Washington, DC. After experiencing PTSD after the deaths of both of her parents within two years of each other, Meghan started the platform “Grief is My Side Hustle” which includes her popular blog, links to her podcast under the same name, and her free writing workshop “grief mates.” Meghan offers public and private sector consultation to leadership teams working to increase emotional fluency and care in decision making and intentional business culture development. Meghan’s memoir “End of the Hour” published by Zibby Books is scheduled to publish in 2023.

Natalie Snyder

Physical Therapist

Natalie Snyder is a board-certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist Physical Therapist and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist at Runners' Edge Alaska. She has overcome obstacles on the way to achieving her dreams. Recovering from a nearly career-ending injury she achieved elite collegiate diver recognition as an All-American athlete. Despite barriers to communication, she realized her career goal as a Deaf physical therapist and orthopedic specialist. She continues to seek challenges with determination. Natalie utilizes the powerful tool of visualization and mental imagery to accomplish her goals and fuel her passion for sports, inspiring others to do the same. She moved to Alaska from Maryland with dreams of climbing mountains, running trails, and skiing in the snow, while providing the highest quality physical therapy services to "Empower Active Alaskans Of All Ages To Return To The Activities They Love Safely And Efficiently…For Life".

Thor Challgren

Travel Industry Veteran & Former Newspaper Columnist

Thor Challgren is a travel industry veteran and former newspaper travel columnist. As a speaker and author, he is passionate about encouraging travelers to connect more deeply to their destinations and the people they meet, to expand the boundaries of what they think is possible in life. He has traveled the world and explored countless sights, resorts, and ships. He is the author of “Best Vacation Ever: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Renew, Recharge and Reconnect.” While he can appreciate a good piña colada at a swim-up bar, his work is inspired by the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson: “People wish to be settled; only as far as they are unsettled is there any hope for them.”

Tommy Sheridan

Fisheries Consultant

Tommy Sheridan is a fisheries consultant and educator based out of Cordova, Alaska. He has lived, worked, studied, and taught in and from Alaska for the past two decades, with a focus on commercial fishery management and salmon hatchery operations. Tommy is an active public servant for several local, statewide, and international bodies, and was appointed as a United States Representative to the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission in 2020 where he continues to serve the commission as Alaska’s Commissioner.

Zak Sandler

Mental Health Activist & Broadway Musician

Zak Sandler is a mental health activist and Broadway musician. He has spoken about his bipolar and how mental conditions can be superpowers at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) National Convention, the NAMI New York State Convention (where he won their 2018 young leader award), and for the JED foundation. He has appeared on 5 podcasts, including “This Is Actually Happening” with Whit Missildine (45+ plays) and “At The Podium” with Patrick Huey (episode coming soon), and was written up in Psychiatric News, the official online publication of the American Psychiatric Association. He says “mental condition” and not “mental illness” because he feels the word “illness” implies there’s something wrong with him, when it’s just a part of who he is. Zak has played piano on Broadway for Wicked, Mean Girls, Motown, and The Color Purple. He wrote a one-person musical about his bipolar, Inside My Head, in which he’s recorded the voices of his Depression and Mania, and they sing to him.