Alaska State Technical Committee
The State Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) provides recommendations for establishing technical guidelines and program criteria and priorities necessary to carry out conservation provisions of the Farm Bill.
Upcoming STAC Meeting Dates:
Currently there is not a date set for the next STAC meeting.
Information from STAC Meeting Dec. 17, 2025
Request for Input: STAC members are encouraged to submit their feedback, input and suggestions on technical topics that were presented at the December 17, 2025 meeting, using the online form sent to Committee members. Deadline to submit comments is Monday January 12, 2026.
Agendas and Notes from Previous STAC meetings:
STAC Overview
The State Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) provides recommendations for establishing technical guidelines and program criteria and priorities necessary to carry out conservation provisions of the Farm Bill. Although the State Technical Advisory Committee has no implementation or enforcement authority, USDA gives strong consideration to the Committee's recommendations. The NRCS State Conservationist chairs the committee, and its members are composed of individuals and groups who represent a variety of natural resource sciences and occupations including, soil, water, air, plants, wetlands, and wildlife. For more information on State Technical Committees see Title 440 Part 501 Subpart C. Roles and responsibilities include providing advice on issues such as:
- State program management policies and procedures
- Technical programmatic recommendations
- Statewide public information and outreach campaigns
- Identifying significant statewide natural resource concerns
- Guidelines for developing ranking criteria for evaluating applications
- Guidance on eligible conservation practices
- Technical guidance on conservation practices, including new, innovative practices
- Cost-share rates and incentive payment limits and methods of payment
- Identifying, monitoring, and analyzing performance indicators
- Evaluating and reporting program impacts on natural resources and the environment
- Coordinating with other Federal, State, Tribal and local public and private activities
STAC Sub-Committees: Local Working Groups
Local Working Groups (LWG) are an important mechanism to give local landowners, Tribes, tribal entities, and partners a voice in how to best prioritize and address natural resource concerns in their communities. They can be convened by a Soil and Water Conservation District, a Tribal Conservation District.
The primary responsibility of a LWG is to develop a Conservation Needs Assessment. This is a comprehensive evaluation of natural resource concerns that identifies areas where conservation efforts are needed. It includes recommended activities and programs to address natural resource issues.
Local Working Groups Meeting Schedule
- January 15, 2026 from 5:30 to 7 pm
Fairbanks Local Working Group (in-person)
Located in-person at the Fairbanks Soil and Water Conservation District Office
590 University Ave Suite 2
Fairbanks, AK 99709
Point of Contact: Amanda Cox, amanda.fswcd@gmail.com
January 20, 2026 from 5:30 to 7 pm
Fairbanks Local Working Group (remote)
Located virtually on Zoom, contact Amanda Cox for link at amanda.fswcd@gmail.com
Public Notice
State Technical Committee meetings are open to the public. Landowners are encouraged to attend. The State Technical Committee usually meets two times a year, in November and April, with options to add more meetings as needed. Meeting notices are emailed to Committee members directly. To request to join the STAC email list, contact Tracy Robillard by phone at 907-761-7749 or email at tracy.robillard@usda.gov.
The meeting location is accessible to persons with disabilities. Please make a request for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or for other accommodations for persons with disabilities at least 48 hours before the meeting by contacting Tracy Robillard by phone at 907-761-7749 or email at tracy.robillard@usda.gov.
STAC Members
USDA Agencies
USDA Agencies
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Members:
- Alan D. McBee, State Conservationist and Chair of the STAC
- Josh Schrecengost, State Resource Conservationist
- Austin Shero, Assistant State Conservationist for Field Operations
- Brett Nelson, State Conservation Engineer
- Amanda Crowe, Assistant State Conservationist for Management and Strategy
- Cory Cole, State Soil Scientist
- Jackie Kragel, Acting Assistant State Conservationist for Partnerships
- Elizabeth Bezinque, Acting Assistant State Conservationist for Programs
- Tracy Robillard, Public Affairs Specialist
USDA Farm Service Agency Members
- Arthur Keyes, State Executive Director
- Shelby Johnson, Deputy State Executive Director
- Erin Sturdivant, Agricultural Program Manager
Soil and Water Conservation Districts
Soil and Water Conservation Districts
- Emily Becker, District Manager, Anchorage SWCD
- Dan Rees, Board Chair, Fairbanks SWCD
- Meg Burgett, Board Chair, Wasilla SWCD
- Blythe Brown, District Manager, Kodiak SWCD
- Bruce Bush, Board Chair, Palmer SWCD
- Tony Williams, Board Chair, Salcha Delta SWCD
- Kyra Wagner, District Manager, Homer SWCD
- Mitch Michaud, Board Member, Kenai SWCD
- Mark Gutman, District Manager, Upper Susitna SWCD
Tribal Conservation Districts
Tribal Conservation Districts
- Karen Linnel, Executive Director, Ahtna Intertribal Resource Commission TCD
- Julia George, General Manager, Akiachak Limited / Akiachak TCD
- Noell George, Tribal Administrator, Akiachak Native Community
- Beks Rumley, Climate Change Coordinator, Chugach Regional Resources Commission TCD
- Malia Acovak, Qutekcak Native Tribe
- Theo Garcia, Knik TCD Coordinator, TCD
- Laurie Stuart, Executive Director, Tyonek TCD
- Suzanne Little, Deputy Administrator, Bering Sea Interior Commission TCD
Federal and State Agencies
Federal and State Agencies
Federal Agencies:
- Helen Durisko, Acting Deputy Forester, U.S. Forest Service Alaska Region
- Sara Boario, Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Alaska
- Michael Daigneault, Habitat Restoration and Partnerships Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska
State Agencies:
- Bryan Scoresby, Director, Alaska Division of Agriculture
- Casey Dinkel, Manager, Plant Materials Center, Alaska Division of Agriculture
- Nate Wilson, Forest Stewardship Coordinator, Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection
- Trevor Dobell, Cooperative Forestry Supervisor, Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection
- Rachel Longacre, Chief of Operations, Alaska Division of Mining, Land and Water
- Karin Hendrickson, Pesticide Program Manager, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
Non-Governmental Organizations
Non-Governmental Organizations
- Jodie Anderson, Director, University of Alaska Fairbanks Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources
- David Krause, Vice President of the Alaska Program, Audubon Alaska
- Leanna Heffner, Director, Northwest Boreal Partnership, Alaska Conservation Foundation
- Abby Austin, Executive Director, Alaska Farmland Trust
- Kelsey Schober, Director of Government Affairs, The Nature Conservancy in Alaska
- Monica Iglecia, Pacific Birds U.S. Coordinator, Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture
- Amy Seitz, Acting Executive Director, Alaska Farm Bureau
- John Morton, Vice President, Alaska Wildlife Alliance
- Kate Morse, Executive Director, Copper River Watershed Project
- John Wros, Alaska State Director and Northwest Field Representative, The Conservation Fund
- Natalie Solares, Interregional Manager (West) for Technical Assistance, Intertribal Agricultural Council
- Charles Parker, President and CEO, Alaska Village Initiatives
- Alana Peterson, Executive Director, Spruce Root
- Kaitlyn Demoski, Alaska Region Fish and Wildlife Biologist, Native American Fish and Wildlife Society
Agricultural Producers
Agricultural Producers
- Peter Olsen, Director of Lands and Natural Resources, Koniag, Inc.
- Jason Pyron, Owner of Triple P Ranch / Alaska Meat Company (Sitkinak Island Ranch)
- Carey Restino, Owner of Homer Hilltop Farm
- Rachel Lord, agricultural producer in Homer
- Max Lyons, Sustainable Food Systems Catalyst, Kodiak Archipelago Leadership Institute
- Amy Erfling, Central Council Tlingit and Haida Tribes of Alaska
- Jason Gubatayao, Sealaska
- Paul Slenkamp, Consultant with Cape Fox Corporation
- Quinn Aboudara, Shaan Seet, Inc.
- Marja Smets, Farragut Farm
- Tom Zimmer, Calypso Farm and Ecology Center
- Bryce Wrigley, Alaska Flour Company
- Jessica Hay, producer in Wasilla
Tribal Landowners
Tribal Landowners
- Malia Villegas, Senior VP of Community Investments, Afognak Native Corporation
- Tim Lorenzini, Director of Land and Natural Resources, Ahtna, Incorporated
- Mary Martinez, Land Planner, Calista Corporation
- Myron P. Naneng, Chief Operating Officer, Sea Lion Corporation
- David Kroto, Lands Administrator, Tyonek Native Corporation
- Fawn Silas, Administrator, Nondalton Tribal Council
- Mark Johnson, CEO, Unalakleet Native Corporation
- Andrew Tunnell, Lands Specialist, Doyon Limited