RIGHT MOVES.

Alaska Business

This magazine amplified its multimedia presence with a couple of new hires.

* In the new role of Marketing Assistant, Tiffany Whited not only manages social media feeds but coordinates broader efforts to put Alaska Business in front of as many readers as possible. With a background in social media management and consulting, Whited knows how to captivate audiences and maximize brand exposure. She previously ran a social media consulting business, which led to joining the staff of a construction firm that wanted to boost its social media platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Having previously worked for a publishing company in London, Whited has returned to the world of print.

* The title of Web Manager encompasses only part of what Patricia Morales does for Alaska Business Publishing Company. In addition to maintaining the website and weekly newsletter The Monitor, Morales assists the art director with photo selections and graphic design. Morales earned an associate degree in graphic design from Tidewater Community College in Norfolk, Virginia. She served in the US Army for five years and trained as a civil engineer. She finished a bachelor's degree in graphic design from Full Sail University online. Morales was previously a designer for JBER Life, a magazine published by the marketing department of the 773rd Force Support Squadron.

CIRI Foundation

* The CIRI Foundation, the nonprofit educational arm of the Alaska Native corporation for the Anchorage and Matanuska-Susitna region, has a new President and CEO. The board selected Connie Wirz, an original CIRI enrollee who has previous experience with CIRI's family of socially driven enterprises. She was a healthcare administrator at Southcentral Foundation and a tribal representative on the Cook Inlet Tribal Council (CITC) board of directors. In 2015, Wirz joined CITC full-time as senior director of Clare Swan Early Learning Center. Wirz has also served as the executive director of Kenaitze Indian Tribe and Cook Inlet Native Head Sta't/Early Head Start.

MTA

Some changes in the leadership team at MTA.

* The Palmer-based telecom promoted Ryan Ponder to Vice President of Legal, Regulatory, and Government Affairs. His previous title was director of legal and regulatory affairs; in his new position, Ponder continues to advance MTA's tribal and government relations strategies. Ponder is dedicated to navigating the complex regulatory landscape, and his leadership has enabled his team...