Ann Secrest, Director of Communications for AARP Alaska, kicks off our new year of monthly luncheon speakers with a general talk and time for a Q&A session on communicating about issues involving the aging. She will also talk specifically about challenges of communicating effectively in a campaign of social movement.

Luncheon Information
11:30 a.m., Thursday, January 8
Golden Lion Hotel, 1000 East 36th Avenue, Anchorage

Lunch: members $16; guests of members $18; others $20

Reservations:
1. RSVP and payment through PayPal.

2. Email: thetus at gci dot net by noon Tuesday, January 6.

3. Call 274-4723 and leave a message, including a phone number where you can be reached. When calling or sending an email, please include how many people are coming and their names.

More about Ann Secrest

As Director of Communications for AARP Alaska, Ann Secrest researches and writes about a variety of topics from Medicare, Social Security, Baby Boomers, assisted living and long term care issues, nursing home reform, driver safety, prescription drugs, retirement and financial security, utilities, to health care costs and health care reform. In addition to media relations, Secrest also works with her colleagues in advancing legislation in both Juneau and Washington, D.C. She also developed the curriculum, outreach and workbook for teaching the basics of investor/financial education throughout Alaska, which is in its third year.

Before coming to AARP in 2001, Secrest worked for 20 years as editor/anchor on the “Fairbanks Evening News” on KTVF Channel 11, an NBC affiliate. She has a BA and an MBA from UAF and since 2004 has been working on her Ph.D in public administration. Secrest is happily married to her best friend Les, a recent electrical engineering graduate. Ann and Les have two adult children. In her spare time, Secrest enjoys quilting and camping.

Get ready for the 2009 Communications Contest! Rules, categories and an official entry form are now available. Please mark February 5, 2009 on your calendar as the contest deadline.

APC member Dianne Barske has written and illustrated a new book in her line of children’s stories about animals at the Alaska Zoo. “How Do You Say Goodbye to an Elephant? – Maggie Leaves Alaska” follows “Mukluks for Annabelle” and “Two Bears There - The Story of Ahpun and Oreo.”

Dianne will be signing copies of her new work at the following locations:

If you can’t make it to those events, visit Dianne’s website to order your own copy.

The artwork of APC member Dianne Barske has been chosen by the American Diabetes Association for one of its 2008 holiday card designs. All the money raised from the sale of the card will go to the research projects of the American Diabetes Association.

You may wiew/buy Dianne’s holiday card at the ADA site.

Father Micheal Oleksa and rural educator Clifton Bates will discuss their new book, Conflicting Landscapes, at the APC luncheon on October 2.