Meet The Team

Originally from Colorado, Jill moved here with her family in 1981. Her family took a day trip down to Homer and soon after moved there. Later their house was built right next to the Anchor River in Anchor Point, and there she enjoyed fishing, clamming, dog mushing and other assorted outdoor sports. She’s now a wife, mother, aunt, sister and soon-to-be grandmother.

Jill wasn’t sure what she wanted to do with her life until her husband said, “You need a job where you talk to people all day.” Jill then applied for an advertising job with Anchorage Publishing in 2001 and hired to sell advertising for Coast Magazine. After a few years, then-editor and founder John Woodbury bought out his partners. Jill stayed at the Press for a few more years before returning to the magazine she was originally hired to work for. Jill has been with Alaska Adventure Media now since January of 2009.

Jill’s interests include boating, snowmachining, gardening, fishing and hanging out with her awesome family. her dream is to have a Super Bowl commercial, and she believe that advertising is salesmanship mass produced. When asked what she loves most about Alaska, the answer is always the people.

In addition to ad sales for Coast Magazine, Julie is a free-lance writer, public relations professional and entrepreneur. After spending 10-plus years in Washington, D.C., promoting migratory bird conservation with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Division of Migratory Bird Management, she migrated to The Last Frontier.

A few summer assignments to learn about the Service’s work here, so that she could write about it, reeled her in. Now she writes about adventurous people, fabulous food and fun events in the Great Land, and islands of Hawaii.

Julie also recruits sponsors and generates media for athletes. Her current clients are top Iditarod and Yukon Quest dog mushers. As an entrepreneur, she started up a pet supply shop called GRRdwood Pets & Green Goods, and an Alaska and Hawaii gift and sundries shop, Glacier Wave Arts, both in Girdwood.

After an enlistment in the army as an infantryman, Justin fully developed his love of the outdoors during a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2001. 2,168 miles from Maine to Georgia and 5.5 months later he and a friend successfully finished the trek and raised thousands for charity in the process.

Justin then pursued work as a graphic designer and photographer for print and web media. This lead to the development of a community newspaper which he published successfully for five years. Michigan’s then-plummeting economy forced the publication to a close in mid-2007. Soon after he moved to Alaska where he could pursue his outdoor interests on a whole new level. He now combines his hobbies with prior journalism experience, working with Alaska Coast Magazine since March of 2008.

Justin enjoys the excitement of first-hand experience with Alaska’s most precious resource, the great outdoors! For the past few years most of his free time has been spent building a remote cabin. What he loves most about Alaska are the unimaginable opportunities for outdoor recreation and adventure.

Originally from Russia, and having completed four years of fine arts education, Leo moved to the US in 2003 to pursue a degree in Advertising and PR from Macomb Community College in Michigan.

In 2005 Leo made the journey to Alaska to further his education with the University of Alaska Anchorage where he acquired a bachelor’s degree. Less than a year later he began working with Alaska Adventure Media, assisting advertising clients with brilliant, custom ad and print designs.

Leo is also heavily involved in the performing arts. He enjoys acting in Fall theatrical performances and sings professionally for public and private events.

What Leo loves most about Alaska is the clean air.

Mark Bly
Trailside Gourmet columnist